To think it's unfair to discriminate against families with school age children when it comes to holiday pricing?

[juneau]

Surely holiday companies could charge a median rate for every week of the season, thereby making the same amount of money and not penalising their clients with children? Children would be less likely to be pulled out of school during term-time too.

It's not discrimination, it's capitalism, but I understand why you're pissed off about it because the mark-up is way above what it needs to be, which is a reflection of greed, rather than purely supply and demand.

absolutely Dahlen

a 60% (ish) price rise between one week in May to another

It's surely better to think of the school holiday prices as being the base rate and the holiday companies discounting the out of season weeks.

But yes - basic supply and demand. I took advantage of it when i didn't have kids so really can't complain now i do. And no - i had no desire to pay more out of season to benefit those with kids. Having kids is a lifestyle choice after all.

Dahlen

The price cannot ever be way above what it needs to be, like everything any life it's worth what someone will pay for it.

Have you ever thought that if companies didn't maximise their profits they would firstly be breaking the law as they legally have to work for their shareholders. In addition our private pensions would be massively reduced because returns on investments would not be maximised from private companies (including holiday companies).

Lastly if companies didn't try to maximise profits investors would not invest in those companies and they would be no hotels, flights to get on if they weren't state run.

If you buy your flights and accomodation separately and get the flights as soon as they come out then you can often get school holiday holidays for just about the same price as non shool holidays.

Also if you look at non typical destinations or exploit any differences in areas for school holidays i.e. we are in Scotland so can reduce cost by flying from Newcastle as holiday periods are different then its not so expensive.

You do need to book far in advance though as flights come out about 11 mths before they happen. But then that's where I find its almost an advantage to have a school age child as it's not a problem planning that far in advance because your dates are stuck anyway.

There is a happy medium between maximising profits and communism.

Dahlen,
Who was your post about communism directed at?

yep its disgusting imo

I would love to go away in july/aug and not have to listen to your screaming children and pay a privelige for it.

Therefore I go at a cheaper time, not as warm but peace glorious peace!

Newsflash kids cost money!

Can we also make it illegal to discriminate against commuters when charging for trains? Why not just charge the same amount for every train?

Actually when I think back to when I was single I was a lot more discriminated against then when I went on holiday. If I went on a group holiday I either had the choice of sharing a room with a stranger (once got stuck with an old lady who snored like a trooper good job I bought ear plugs because the second night she decided to have a shower at 1 am as you do when sharing with a stranger ) or paying a huge supplement to sleep in a room the size of a broom cupboard.

The main thing I object to about school holidays is that in July and August its too blinkin hot to go just about anywhere except France.

I don't like the price hikes either and can't see that it costs holiday companies any more to run a holiday off-peak or on-peak. It creates some really weird outcomes - who knew business class to Rome would be cheaper than economy for a half term week? But that's capitalism for you.

Any reason why school times can't run like businesses? Block out the main exam times for affected years, give everyone (teachers included) a number of days holiday per year with a maximum number allowed in one go and let the market sort itself out. You'll still get Christmas and Easter peaks though. This would mean that those not bound to school holidays would lose out though - damn, just can't make this work all round.

I'm sorry that paying more for a holiday with your school age children infringes on your human rights in such a horrific way.

(It irritates me when people misuse the word discrimination in such a ridiculous manner.)

It's not discrimination.

Do you think that people who have to travel by rail at peak times for their jobs are discriminated against?

Its not discrimination. Houses are more expensive in popular areas; Gym membership is dearer if you want to go during peak times; holidays cost more if you want to go at the time of greater demand. Its normal market forces.

No doubt, if they evened the cost of holidays across the year parents would then be complaining that they can't get time off work during school holidays because all those pesky child free people want to go away at the same time.

If it is purely supply and demand, then if the holiday prices were made lower at peak times the companies might find that more people are able to go so the companies wouldn't lose out at all?!

Its just like you would pay more to see two premiership teams playing football than say Crewe!!!
You pay more to travel on a train at peak times.
You pay more to stay in a Hotel on New Years Eve.
You pay more to travel on the same Ryanair flight to the same destination at different times of the day.

Its a bummer but its not discrimination.

RE commuters and train fares - I read somewhere that commuter fares are actually subsidised because the cost of providing all those extra trains for a short period each day outweighs the revenue from the tickets. Don't know if it's true, but have read it a few times from various sources!

If you aren't happy with the market forces in the Travel business - just vote with your feet.

If no-one takes the offer they would have to reduce the price.

I take it you never buy any food or clothing at markdown prices then op?

We are going to Center parcs for 5 days in Feb half term. It's costing £1000. Two weeks later, for the same holiday it's £299.

No, I don't think it's discrimination, just BLOODY GREEDY.

No extra activities etc because it's school holidays. so why such a difference?

The Govt are putting pressure on parents via the schools to not take kids out of school for holidays, so they should step in and put a cap on the extra money these companies are allowed to charge JUST BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE OFF SCHOOL. Makes my blood boil.

I don't see how a median rate is going to benefit anybody. As Back for Good says, you have 14 years as a young person when you are at school when your family have to spend a fortune to take you on holiday. Then, when you have kids, fourteen years of them having school holidays. OK, you might have a few children, but for most people we are talking, say, a five year range of age gaps? So that gives 33 years of paying premium rates or not going. As most people will be capable of holidaying until they are, say, seventy, and some even longer, that gives at least 37 years of cheap holidays.

What's the problem?

I have been looking at August prices and it is frustrating - I'm a teacher, so always stung by school holiday premium. Pre-children we used to do city breaks, buy flights while they were cheap and sort out our own acc. now its different. fluffypillow I do get why you are cross - it is so much more expensive - but centerparcs wouldn't charge those prices if they couldn't sell the holidays at that price. Supply and demand - of course the government shouldn't put a cap on it! Holidays aren't an essential and so companies are entitled to make as much profit as they can - we live in a capitalist society.

We will be camping again this year (but in a nice new bell tent )

Often times if owners didn't raise prices during peak times they would not make enough money the rest of the year to make it economically worthwhile to own the property. Many places make a loss during off-peak times which is offset by the huge profit made during peak times.