Getaway gets into gear: Airports are packed, traffic jams building and the trains are on strike as Brits rush abroad for the summer – and they face price rises of up to 41 per cent when they do finally hit Europe’s beaches
- Today is Britain’s ‘busiest day of travel’ with many families going on holiday
Britons are facing a chaotic start to their summer getaways on the ‘busiest travel day’ being hit by train strikes, building traffic jams and packed airports.
Around two million people are set to head off on an overseas holiday today, with many deciding to take the hit of prices soaring by 41 per cent at some of Europe’s most popular beach spots.
Motorists on the UK’s busiest motorway, the M25, are facing long tail backs this morning after a smash yesterday near the Dartford Crossing saw part of the road closed down before reopening again at 7am.
Over the weekend, 12.6 million car journeys will be made for day trips or holidays, the RAC said, as schools in England and Wales finish for the summer, with long queues building in some parts of the country.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers will fly out of Heathrow and Gatwick airport, with a further 200,000 departing from Manchester and 71,000 from Bristol.
DOVER: Traffic builds up in the Port of Dover, Kent, this morning as the busy summer travel period gets underway
SUSSEX: Passengers queue at check in at a busy Gatwick Airport this morning
BRISTOL: Passengers fill Bristol Airport, facing lengthy queues and check-in desks
The Port of Dover had already seen 9,986 passengers through as of 8am this morning
Roads will also be hit with heavy downpours today, with a risk of thunderstorms on Sunday, the Met Office has warned.
Meanwhile those travelling from the Port of Dover were warned it could take up to two and a half hours to pass through border checks during peak hours.
Thousands of rail workers are also to down their tools, with members from the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union walking over a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
Passengers volumes are finally expected to return to 2019 levels this summer – with some ports exceeding that figure – after the last three have been disrupted by the Covid pandemic.
Border Force expects to see more than 34 million air arrivals coming through UK passport control over the coming months.
The soaring number of holiday goers come as European beach holidays have been hit by higher prices compared with last summer due to inflation.
The cost of tourist staples such as mals, drinks and beach items have risen year-on-year in 16 destinations analysed by the Post Office Family Holiday Report.
Italy’s Puglia was the only location where prices for UK visitors have dropped, with a 10.3 per cent fall.
MANCHESTER: Bored holiday goers line up for check-in at Manchester Airport this morning
DOVER: Winding queues build up due to border checks being carried out this mornig
SUSSEX: As schools break up for summer many families headed to the airport for a getaway
The highest annual increases are in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria (up 41 per cent), Marmaris, Turkey (up 33.3 per cent) and Funchal, Madeira (up 24.1 per cent).
Despite the rises, Marmaris and Sunny Beach were among the three destinations with the lowest prices, alongside Portugal’s Algarve.
The report found that prices in Marmaris have doubled year-on-year due to inflation and the unstable economy.
Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at Post Office, said: ‘Although sterling is at a 2023 high against European currencies, inflation has hit local prices abroad just as it has in the UK.
‘This means families should expect to pay more for meals, drinks and other tourist items in most resorts.
‘Ironically, two of the cheapest destinations we surveyed – Turkey and Bulgaria – have seen the biggest rises.
‘However, they are still places where bargain hunters will get the most for their money.’
Richard Sofer, commercial director at Tui UK and Ireland, which contributed to the report, said: ‘Holidays will always be a priority for our customers, but value for money is clearly more important now than ever before.
‘Despite the rising costs of living, many customers aren’t willing to sacrifice their precious annual getaway and we’ve seen a trend in customers opting for more affordable destinations, including Bulgaria and Turkey, with Greece and the Balearics also a firm favourite.
‘We’re also seeing some customers taper their holiday slightly, such as reducing holiday duration from 14 nights to 7, 10 or 11-nights.’
For those holidaying in the UK, the first two weeks of the holidays will be a washout, but there are signals that indicate during the second week of August the weather could start to become more settled, the Met Office said.
The UK is seeing poor weather due to the position of a jet stream – which is also pushing high pressure to the south where parts of Europe are seeing a heatwave.
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