Holiday providers who hike prices in school holidays should be fined

[Mystuff]

.....and not parents who are just victims of the system!!

Parents are easy targets, but the real problem IMO, is that it is ok for holiday providers to hike their prices.

So Aibu to think there is a way of fining these companies?

IMO family holidays are of huge benefit to children and it really angers me that parents should be forced to spend so much more than other people, or that kids should miss out on that quality time with their families.

Targeting parents is so wrong IMO, they are victims of the whole situation.

Is there no argument to do with equality?

No unfortunately. If you can't afford a holiday they shouldn't have to give you one.

A lot of people can't afford a holiday at any time. Should holiday companies give them a free one?

You have absolutely no understanding of economics or running a business. things cost more when more people want them. if less people want them then they cost less. what do you expect a b and b owner in southend to say then "Oh Ok then I will halve my prices in August to make it cheaper for mystuffs family to stay with us. I will make a loss but so what." holiday companies used to be able to sell a significant number of family holidays in May, June and September. now because of Gove these holidays wont sell. Say they have to turn over £100K a year to carry on with their business. before Gove it would be 60K school hols and 40K not school holidays. now that the off season has been reduced to say for easy example to 20K they are going to have to put the school holiday income up to 80K to balance the books. write to Gove and tell him this. write to your MP and tell them as well. The issue is not private companies it is the bloody govt changing something that worked to something that will disadvantage particularly those with less money. have you heard that before about this govt?

Mystuff - you are losing this argument. A holiday isnt a right and something you are entitled to because you have kids at school age.

Holiday season for a lot of places isn't year round and need to make 3 good months stretch the whole year

Ok I think calling my op stupid seems harsh

Bowing out now, clearly I'm in a minority of one here

Got real life stuff to do...

God forbid anyone that wants to make a profit.

We decided to do a last minute holiday in the oct half term and struggled to find anything as everything was fully booked. Clearly can't be priced too highly otherwise there would have been loads of availability.

No one is forcing you to go on holiday. If you can't afford it then lower your expectations. Everything is more expensive during 'peak' season. It's not a new thing.

AIBU

YES

No I am not

Flounce ...you have no lives ...

brilliant OP - well done

But mystuff if you're going to fine them if they don't do it then surely they'll lose a chunk of profit there?
Placing a fine upon companies who charge too much for something you want is honestly bat shit crazy. A holiday isn't water, you don't have a right to it.
I really want a new sofa because my children a messy little blighters and I originally bought a cream sofa because it as £400 cheaper than the navy or brown option. Should I fine John Lewis for taking advantage of parents of messy children. Totally not the same as you holiday fine BTW but still just as mad.

Now all my children are grown up I really appreciate being able to go on holiday when prices are lower and there are far fewer children about.
Your time will come.

...but Op I want that Gucci dress. the cost of the materials and labour is the same as one from M and S so why wont Gucci lower the price for me so that I a mother of 3 can afford it?

Parents would seem to be subsidising non-parents

Much like some might say non-parents 'subsidise' parents and children through the payment of taxes for services and benefits they aren't using? That sort of argument is pointless and has been done to death.

Absolutely. To be fair though, holiday operators should also be able to offer off-peak discounts too, so that they can fill rooms at times of lower demand, keep staff on and so keep overheads down to make their normal prices more competitive for families with school age children.

I'm off to Downing Street to ask the government to place fines on KitchenAid because I as a mother cannot afford the mint green whirly thing to make my poor children a really airy Victoria sponge.

Ok, what about tax breaks for companies that equalise prices

So basically you want the government and other people who want to go on holiday in term time, to subsidise your cheaper holiday.

This thread has just reminded me to raise the prices on my most popular items. This will enable me to earn more money, which I will spend on my holiday in June

There are still bargains to be had and ways of cutting corners when buying a holiday, even during the holidays. I spent a whole week looking for our August holiday last year, but I paid nearly half what the other guests in the hotel were paying, so it was worth it.

Things should be much more equal in this country. Capitalism sucks. All kids should get a holiday. I think we need to change everything though, especially the greedy, selfish attitude of many, many people and companies.

Since the fines came in, the difference in cost of holidays in term time and school holidays seems to have risen a lot.

Parents can save thousands by holidaying in term time but only be fined hundreds.

There seems to be a bigger incentive these days to take your children out of school for holidays.

I wonder if this fines policy will backfire.

We "sell" holidays..

We don't put the price up in the school holidays that is just the price the other dates are cheaper because no bugger wants them so to cover overheads etc we have to price them cheaper to get them booked, where we do holidays we get 9weeks at our normal price out of 32 weeks open. That's 23 weeks I have to discount otherwise they wouldn't get booked and means people would not get paid/fee's/electric/gas/insurance wouldn't get paid.

Even your uk caravan owners have £3k-£4k (and that's not places like butlins and haven where you can add a few more thousand) to cover each year if they cannot afford to keep it that's one less place for people to holiday putting others prices up more, six weeks at what £300-£400 each won't cover that so they discount the other weeks so be able to survive

You are not in a minority mystuff
I agree with you but I think capitalism doesn't work

I paid nearly half what the other guests in the hotel were paying
Things should be much more equal in this country. Capitalism sucks.

Any conflict between these two statements? Would you pay more so others could pay less?

No, Roadwalker, she is still in the minority- but she's now in a minority of two , instead of one.

Even if capitalism didn't exist, you'd still have more problems booking your party allocated week at the Comrades holiday camp in school holidays. You'd have to queue up for 10 hrs, instead of 1 hr to go in first week of February. Same shit, different currency.

YABU. A holiday is a luxury, not an entitlement.

Holiday providers are businesses, not a public service.

I don't understand why people think a holiday is compulsory, particularly abroad. If you can't afford to pay the price in peak season then be a little more imaginative with your holidays in this country.

Holiday cottages are reasonable. You can book for a week somewhere that offers indoor and outdoor activities in the local vicinity and just go and be with your children.

My best holidays with my family were caravan holidays where we took the dogs, are bacon sandwiches and got wet in the English Summer weather.