Covid UK: British families have to pay over £1,000 to get to popular European hotspots

Most of us dreamed of being able to fly abroad while we were confined to our homes during the pandemic.

But sadly, we now have to shell out huge sums of money to fly to popular European hotspots like Spain this summer.

With families now having to pay £1,000 to travel to the mainland, it looks like Covid has killed the economic holiday.

Airlines known for cheap overseas travel more than tripled their prices for flights in June, July and August.

Steal from London Heathrow to Malaga on a straight economy return on May 28 and June 4 – when most schools go their separate ways for half term – will now cost travelers £1,208, or £4,112 for a family of four.

A similar trip to Tenerife on the same dates costs £2,076, while the same Mallorca holiday costs £1,260, The Telegraph reports.

For Malta this comes to £1,956, while those hoping to relax in Corfu are likely to shell out a huge sum.

Short-haul flights with British Airways have also exploded to deter ticket purchases as it battles severe staff shortages, according to The Independent.

Experts have suggested that airlines have benefited from the surge in holiday demand in Europe after the lockdown.

Skyscanner’s Gemma Jamieson said: “The main driver of flight prices is supply and demand, and people are realizing that holidays are a viable option for them this year.”

“The demand is really increasing for people who wouldn’t have thought of it a few months ago.

“It’s achievable because the rules are much simpler and the confidence is much higher. The demand will be massive.

“People are going back to where they know and love.”

Airlines UK trade body and consumer watchdog Which? also said that the demand is exorbitant and this will have a ripple effect on prices.