Calls to cap peak travel prices in school holidays

Holiday firms are facing a backlash for overcharging on flights and accommodation during school holidays following a Supreme Court ruling reaffirming that parents cannot legally take their children on holiday during school term times.

The ruling has led to "parents, heads and politicians" calling on the government to regulate holiday firms by capping how much they can charge, according to the Daily Mail.

The paper says that the cost of a holiday can rise by more than £1,000 at the end of term.

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This week saw dad Jon Platt lose his legal challenge against a £120 penalty for taking his daughter to Florida during term time without her primary school's permission.

Platt had won previous legal battles against the fine for the unauthorised week-long trip in April 2015, but the Supreme Court ruled against him, upholding the punishment.

In the wake of the case, Labour's shadow education secretary Angela Rayner stated: "It's time the government made clear that it is unacceptable to exploit hardworking families."

Lib Dem education spokesman John Pugh insisted that "greedy" firms must "stop exploiting hardworking parents", adding that "travel companies are holding law-abiding parents to ransom."

He also said: "They should be forced to cap the cost of trips in school holidays so they are not so completely out of step with holidays a week earlier or a week later. Travel companies should not be allowed to profiteer off the back of hardworking parents."

But The Independent travel editor Simon Calder said it was up to schools, not the travel industry, to deal with the high costs of trips during school holidays.

He suggested that schools in different parts of the country could shift holidays by a week or two to reduce demand and avoid the consequent spike in pricing.