2008 News Archive - Holidays - Travellers 'prefer the lap of luxury'

15 10 2007

Long-haul travellers prefer to get to their destinations in comfort than by saving money on cheaper flights, it has been claimed.

According to a spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents, the proposed budget flights to the far corners of the world will not prove as popular as their European counterparts.

"There is a lot to be said for not feeling cramped and desperately uncomfortable when you are in a plane for ten hours and a lot of travellers feel that they would pay that little bit extra," said the expert.

However, she conceded that some groups of travellers, such as gap year travellers and students are likely to opt for the cut-price alternatives to luxury travel.

Official government data from the Office for National Statistics found that 20 per cent of flights by UK residents were to destinations outside of Europe.