The debate over high travel prices during school holidays gains traction as education leaders call for regulatory review.

• A head teachers’ leader has criticised travel firms for ‘exorbitant’ pricing, urging government intervention.
• Fines for term-time absences increased but have not deterred parents from taking cost-effective holidays.
• Parentkind charity suggests narrowing the cost gap between term-time and holiday travel for families.
• Efforts to balance educational attendance and affordable family vacations remain contentious.

The conversation around inflated travel costs during school holidays takes on new urgency. A leading figure has called for measures to prevent businesses from imposing ‘exorbitant’ charges during these periods. Despite higher fines for term-time absences, many parents still choose this route, highlighting an ineffective deterrence strategy.

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, emphasises that simply increasing fines hasn’t solved the issue. Parents prioritise affordable family holidays, often costing thousands more during school breaks, showing a preferential gap for term-time travel.

Exploring solutions, the family charity Parentkind proposes a government review on holiday marketing and pricing directed at families, aiming to reduce disparities between off-peak and peak travel periods. This suggestion underlines a need for policy intervention to manage travel costs better.

In a recent article, Di’Iasio highlighted how market forces fuel price surges in school holiday periods, suggesting that the current system exploits its advantages, thus necessitating government action. The discussion is about achieving a balance between market freedom and social advantage.

Di’Iasio’s statistics reveal an overwhelming number of parents face penalties annually. The rise from £60 to £80 fines has not deterred the more than 350,000 penalty notices issued last year. Despite agreeing on educational importance, 57% of parents showed a willingness to disregard rules for travel affordability.

Conclusively, the need for restorative measures is clear. The educational sector faces pressure to curb absenteeism post-pandemic, compounded by penalty notices that some see as counterproductive. Schools aim to cooperate with parents, yet the lack of viable deterrents remains a challenge.

Addressing school holiday travel costs is vital to harmonise educational attendance with affordable family holidays.