Latest news with #Which
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
May flight fares surge in ‘half-term holiday rip-off'
Half-term holidaymakers are being ripped off by airlines, experts have said. The cost of flights during school half-term holidays has tripled since 2000, a Telegraph analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures suggests. While the summer months are consistently the most expensive period for air travel, May is now a close second. The problem is worsening every year, with half-term ticket prices now 14.9 per cent higher than they were last April. The cost of flights has substantially outpaced overall price rises, up some 84.2 per cent since the turn of the millennium. This means that parents who used to rely on cheaper half-term fares in May and October because premium summer flights were so expensive now face record costs all year round. Rory Boland, Which? travel editor, called the rise in holiday fares a 'rip-off'. He said: 'Airlines may like to call it dynamic pricing or surge pricing, but if you're trying to take a trip during the school holidays you'll almost certainly call it what it is, a rip-off.' Meanwhile, daily holiday costs, including three-course meals, drinks, sun cream and insect repellent, have also surged. In Marmaris, Turkey, the cost of a 'package holiday bundle' has surged by 90.1 per cent from £45.23 in 2019 to £86 in 2025, according to a Post Office 2025 survey. Nice in France (66.5 per cent), New York (57.2 per cent) and Spain's Costa del Sol (41.4 per cent) also saw significant rises in cost. Industry experts put the rise in flight costs down to the debts airlines incurred during the pandemic, along with the spike in the price of jet fuel amid the global energy crisis. As of last week, it was trading at 225 per cent of the 2000 average. A shortage of skilled labour and slow delivery times for new aircraft have also been blamed, following shortages in the supply of key manufacturing components, like semiconductors and finished castings. However, consumer experts have questioned these reasons, suggesting holiday firms are taking advantage of families who normally choose to travel during half term. Jane Hawkes, a consumer champion who specialises in travel, told The Telegraph that families are being 'held to ransom' by airlines. She said: 'Families are being held to ransom – I think it's appalling and it needs to be addressed. Airlines can set their costs at whatever they want, and the dynamic pricing which exists is particularly unfair. 'It's like a calendar lottery, and it does present a very difficult decision for families with children. 'I've heard from people that are willing to take their children out of school because the fines are far lower than the cost of flights and accommodation.' For many parents who face a fine of up to £160 for taking their children out of school during term time, the threat is rendered insignificant by the savings compared to a half-term break. Absence data from the Department for Education (DfE) showed that 443,322 penalty notices were issued for unauthorised family holidays across England during the 2023-24 academic year. More than nine in ten of the fines issued to parents were the result of them taking the children out of school for a holiday. Paulomi Debnath, 45, a textile jewellery designer from London, said she often considers taking her 14-year-old son out of school the week before the May half term because of the difference in airline prices. 'May half term is so expensive, we have been tempted to skip school - who wouldn't be? Any parent is tempted,' she said. 'We have compared prices, and we could have saved 200 pounds just by skipping May half term and going a week before. 'We considered taking our son out of school in May 2023 because the prices were so high.' Lavania Oluvan, 37, a food technology teacher from Birmingham, says she can now only afford to take short weekend breaks in school holidays with her 7-year-old son. 'I think airlines are taking advantage of parents; a lot of us don't have a choice.' She added: 'We go away for weekends during term time. We finish school at 3pm and drive away to somewhere in the UK. I've done a weekend away for 100 pounds, when in the holidays, the same sorts of weekends away are 500 pounds.' The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said prices rising during school holidays was a function of supply and demand, insisting it is not a deliberate attempt to fleece hard-up parents and families. An ABTA spokesman said: 'Prices in the travel industry are driven by supply and demand – and with school half terms being just one week, and falling at the same time across the UK, as well as often coinciding with breaks in Europe, demand is extremely high. 'It's also early in the season, meaning some resorts might not be fully open. This is where booking early really makes a difference, as people have a greater choice of holidays and price options.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Business
- Telegraph
May flight fares surge in ‘half-term holiday rip-off'
Half-term holidaymakers are being ripped off by airlines, experts have said. The cost of flights during school half-term holidays has tripled since 2000, a Telegraph analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures suggests. While the summer months are consistently the most expensive period for air travel, May is now a close second. The problem is worsening every year, with half-term ticket prices now 14.9 per cent higher than they were last April. The cost of flights has substantially outpaced overall price rises, up some 84.2 per cent since the turn of the millennium. This means that parents who used to rely on cheaper half-term fares in May and October because premium summer flights were so expensive now face record costs all year round. Rory Boland, Which? travel editor, called the rise in holiday fares a 'rip-off'. He said: 'Airlines may like to call it dynamic pricing or surge pricing, but if you're trying to take a trip during the school holidays you'll almost certainly call it what it is, a rip-off.' Meanwhile, daily holiday costs, including three-course meals, drinks, sun cream and insect repellent, have also surged. In Marmaris, Turkey, the cost of a 'package holiday bundle' has surged by 90.1 per cent from £45.23 in 2019 to £86 in 2025, according to a Post Office 2025 survey. Nice in France (66.5 per cent), New York (57.2 per cent) and Spain's Costa del Sol (41.4 per cent) also saw significant rises in cost. Industry experts put the rise in flight costs down to the debts airlines incurred during the pandemic, along with the spike in the price of jet fuel amid the global energy crisis. As of last week, it was trading at 225 per cent of the 2000 average. A shortage of skilled labour and slow delivery times for new aircraft have also been blamed, following shortages in the supply of key manufacturing components, like semiconductors and finished castings. However, consumer experts have questioned these reasons, suggesting holiday firms are taking advantage of families who normally choose to travel during half term. Jane Hawkes, a consumer champion who specialises in travel, told The Telegraph that families are being 'held to ransom' by airlines. She said: 'Families are being held to ransom – I think it's appalling and it needs to be addressed. Airlines can set their costs at whatever they want, and the dynamic pricing which exists is particularly unfair. 'It's like a calendar lottery, and it does present a very difficult decision for families with children. 'I've heard from people that are willing to take their children out of school because the fines are far lower than the cost of flights and accommodation.' For many parents who face a fine of up to £160 for taking their children out of school during term time, the threat is rendered insignificant by the savings compared to a half-term break. Absence data from the Department for Education (DfE) showed that 443,322 penalty notices were issued for unauthorised family holidays across England during the 2023-24 academic year. More than nine in ten of the fines issued to parents were the result of them taking the children out of school for a holiday. Paulomi Debnath, 45, a textile jewellery designer from London, said she often considers taking her 14-year-old son out of school the week before the May half term because of the difference in airline prices. 'May half term is so expensive, we have been tempted to skip school - who wouldn't be? Any parent is tempted,' she said. 'We have compared prices, and we could have saved 200 pounds just by skipping May half term and going a week before. 'We considered taking our son out of school in May 2023 because the prices were so high.' Lavania Oluvan, 37, a food technology teacher from Birmingham, says she can now only afford to take short weekend breaks in school holidays with her 7-year-old son. 'I think airlines are taking advantage of parents; a lot of us don't have a choice.' She added: 'We go away for weekends during term time. We finish school at 3pm and drive away to somewhere in the UK. I've done a weekend away for 100 pounds, when in the holidays, the same sorts of weekends away are 500 pounds.' The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said prices rising during school holidays was a function of supply and demand, insisting it is not a deliberate attempt to fleece hard-up parents and families. An ABTA spokesman said: 'Prices in the travel industry are driven by supply and demand – and with school half terms being just one week, and falling at the same time across the UK, as well as often coinciding with breaks in Europe, demand is extremely high. 'It's also early in the season, meaning some resorts might not be fully open. This is where booking early really makes a difference, as people have a greater choice of holidays and price options.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Vet complaint process in UK often ‘stacked against pet owners'
Britain's pet owners often face an uphill struggle when they are unhappy with their vet because the industry's complaints system is not fit for purpose, according to a leading consumer body. The findings from Which? that the complaints process 'is often stacked against pet owners' come as the UK competition watchdog is investigating the veterinary sector amid concerns that above-inflation price hikes and other issues mean consumers are not getting a fair deal. Well more than half of UK households have one or more pets, with numbers increasing dramatically during the pandemic. However, Which? said pet owners were often put off making a complaint when there was a problem, and that those who did often had limited options for taking the matter forward or were left feeling their issue had been unfairly dismissed. Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at the consumer body, said: 'It is completely unjust that many pet owners feel not only unhappy with the service and treatment received by their vet when their pet is taken ill, but also lack the means to make a complaint that will be properly investigated.' In its survey of more than 1,000 pet owners who had experienced some kind of problem with their vet during the past two years, pricing was the most common issue raised. More than half said the price of care or treatment was excessive, while more than a quarter said the cost was higher than they thought it would be. The third most common issue was quality of care, followed by customer service, not being given the relevant information, being charged the wrong price, and the vet or practice making a mistake. The first port of call when making a complaint is usually the practice itself. Many of the pet owners in the survey who had been put off making a claim said they did not think they would be successful, did not want to fall out with their vet, or did not know how to complain in the first place. 'Very few' owners then went on to escalate the complaint, and those who did found that the options available were often inadequate, said Which?. There is the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS), but this is a voluntary complaints scheme. Meanwhile, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has the responsibility for investigating all 'concerns' raised with it about vets – but Which? claimed it had 'very high thresholds' for investigating and progressing a complaint, 'leaving pet owners feeling dismissed, or that the process is biased in favour of veterinary professionals'. Steph Drew, from Lincoln, told Which? that the complaints system was 'designed to protect vets'. Her dog Daisy was left injured when her vet operated on the wrong leg. Drew complained to the RCVS, but her case was initially dismissed after a year, said the consumer organisation. After appealing against the decision, the case went on for three years, finally ending in a disciplinary hearing. The vet has now been struck off and found by the RCVS to have failed to provide adequate care to 18 animals in total, said Which?. Earlier this month the UK Competition and Markets Authority – which has been investigating rising costs and other issues in the multibillion-pound sector – said it had 'concerns that … firms' internal complaint handling processes may be inconsistent and operate poorly, and that the external redress mechanism provided by the VCMS is not as effective as it could be'. It also found there were 'shortcomings' with the RCVS code of conduct. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion A VCMS spokesperson told Which? it could not comment on individual cases but added: 'Last year we received more than 3,500 inquiries from pet owners, and the VCMS helped resolve over 80% of complaints … It continues to develop the mediation process to improve outcomes and satisfaction for consumers and practice teams, as well as the delivery of veterinary care.' The RCVS said it had been asking the government to reform the current legislation 'for some years', adding: 'Our current remit is relatively narrow and focuses on regulating the individual professionals and not practices, which have never been regulated. We support proposals to enhance consumer protection, and mandatory practice regulation.' It said that under current legislation it could only investigate allegations of serious professional misconduct. A spokesperson added that 'the facts presented in the [Which?] case studies do not completely align with those reported to us'.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
The six cleanest beaches in the UK where you can safely swim in the sea this summer
One is near the village known as Wales' 'Italian Riviera' WATER WORKS The six cleanest beaches in the UK where you can safely swim in the sea this summer Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SUMMER is coming in hot and soon, and lots of us will descend on the UK's beaches, but which ones are the cleanest and best to swim in? Which? has revealed the top six UK beaches with the highest water quality that are perfect for a dip. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 These are the six beaches in the UK with the cleanest waters 5 Bamburgh in Northumberland has some of the cleanest coastal waters Credit: Alamy There's good news for anyone who lives in or is planning to visit the village of Bamburgh in Northumberland. The waters off the coast have been classified as 'excellent' - which is highest and cleanest rating designated by the Environment Agency. Not only that but visitors can take in the beautiful views of Bamburgh Castle too which sits on top of a nearby hillside. Over in Wales, Portmeirion is known as the 'Italian Riviera' because of its folly village. It was built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis which he turned into a Mediterranean looking sub-tropical gardens with a piazza and historic cottages. However, there are lots of beaches there too like Harlech which is part of the Snowdonia National Park. The waters here have also been classified as excellent by the government agency Natural Resources Wales, meaning they're perfect for swimming and paddling. Another area where the waters have been classified as being of high quality and cleanliness is in St Andrews, Fife in Scotland. St. Andrews has several beaches, like East Sands, which meets the high standards, it's a sandy stretch of beach with a path on the inland side. East Sands is close to the harbour and sailing club meaning it's a hotspot for watersports like surfing and sailing. UK beach named one of the top 100 in the world 5 East Sands Beach in St Andrews is much cleaner than its neighbour West Sands Credit: Alamy Currently the bigger, and most well-known beach in St Andrews called West Sands, is currently rated as 'good'. This means the water quality is generally not as clean as its neighbour, according to Which?. Two beaches in Tynemouth, North Tyneside have Blue Flag status, Long Sands beach and King Edward's Bay - they are also both classed as 'excellent' when it comes to water quality. Which? advises not to swim in Cullercoats Bay which is nearby, but failed to meet the minimum standards for water quality - so it's best just to frolic on the sand for this one. 5 Whitesands Bay near St Davids has water quality rated 'excellent' Credit: Alamy Very near the UK's smallest city, aka St Davids in Pembrokeshire, is Whitesands Bay. It's a hit with surfers and swimmers alike for good reason - the 'excellent' water quality. Along the Suffolk coastline is the town of Southwold whose beach is among one of the cleanest. It's lined with colourful beach huts and has a long pier full of arcade games and fun fair rides. Southwold Pier Beach received a rating of excellent and is a very popular tourist spot during the summer months. Here are more UK beaches, and these three have been named the best in Europe by Tripadvisor this year. And here is one of England's most secluded beaches you can now only reach by boat. Here Are TheSix Best Beaches For Swimming in the UK Bamburgh, Northumberland Portmeiron, Gwynedd (Wales) St Andrews, Fife (Scotland) Tynemouth, North Tyneside St David's, Pembrokeshire (Wales) Southwold, Suffolk
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Two UK seaside counties ranked and rated including one with the 'best beaches'
Which? has extensively rated and compared two popular seaside counties popular with British staycationers to see which one offers the best holiday Two UK counties have been pit against one another to determine which makes for the best UK beach holiday destination. Ranking best scones to prettiest beaches, both counties have a wealth to offer travellers but one might have a slight edge. The UK consumer champion Which has done an extensive breakdown of the merits of both Devon and Cornwall. Both counties are beloved destinations for both Brits and international travellers for their impressive beaches promising the perfect British seaside holiday. Both Devon and Cornwall have more than 400 miles of shore, but according to Which, Devon stands out for having two distinct coasts. The north shores of both counties is where you will find the wildest waters - and thus, the most daring surfers - and the south is generally more serene. But which of the two counties has the prettiest beach? According to Which, Devon takes the prize with Bantham Beach. While Cornwall's Kyanance Cove is home to stunning cliffs and caves that travellers will recognise from the Game of Thrones, Devon has its own enchanting gem. Bantham Beach in Devon is 'an archetypal English beach, full of space, sand and salt breezes' according to Which. The south Devon beach takes on the shape of a horseshoe and is where the River Avon unravels into the English Channel. While Devon may have the prettiest beach, Cornwall takes the prize for the best wild beach. Soar Mill Cove in Devon is a secret paradise between Salcombe and Hope Cove that is defined by green cliffs. While Soar Mill Cove is a true gem, Lantic Bay in Cornwall wins for best wild beach with its wildflower-filled sea cliffs and the thick hedgerows that provide privacy and an atmosphere of tranquility. There are no shops, toilets or lifeguards on the shores, but that again adds to its wild and rare charm. Has Devon won the contest? But Devon and Cornwall are more than their beaches, to determine the best seaside county Which also took the villages into consideration. To determine the county with the best small village beaches, Which put Cornwall's Mawgan Porth Beach head-to-head with Combesgate Beach in Devon. Devon won the final round, with Which calling Combesgate Beach 'possibly the loveliest village in north Devon' where 'it feels as though clock hands have stood still'. Both Combesgate Beach and Mawgan Porth Beach in Cornwall are incredible surfer beaches, but Combesgate wins out with its serene beauty and maze of rock pools. With that, Devon wins the title of best UK beach holiday destination. According to Which: 'Devon – the only English county to claim two separate coastlines – wins for the diversity of its beaches. There are riches in the south: pebbly beaches near the Dorset border ideal for fossil hunters, plus the little coves of the South Hams for picnics and the red sands of Paignton, poised beside a pier and fairground rides.' Devon also beat Cornwall in Which's ranking of the best seaside towns, with Dartmouth, scoring 79%, beating Cornwall's highest-placed beach town of St Mawes. And just a little outside of Dartmouth, you'll find Blackpool Sands, a secluded private corner of the coast. Dartmouth stands out for its breath-taking scenery and it was described by blogger Sarah Hagan - known online as sarahkhagan - as the " most beautiful town in the UK" in a viral video.
