Putting school principals on notice, a whopping 82 per cent of parents would take their kids out of class this year to avoid school holiday travel and the associated costs and congestion that come with flying in peak periods.
A new Insure&Go survey showed 84 per cent of Aussie travellers will avoid at least one peak school holiday travel period this year to evade higher prices, congestion and travel disruptions.
That’s a jump of 10 per cent in intention compared to last year as airfares have also increased by 13.3 per cent since July 2024.
In 2024, 74 per cent of respondents holidayed at least once during off-peak or low season due to higher prices and the risk of congestion and travel disruptions during school holiday travel periods.
Among the 59 per cent of respondents with school-aged children, 30 per cent would take their kids out of school for two to three days to avoid the school holidays.
One in three (33%) would take their kids out of school for a week with younger parents aged 18-29 the most likely to holiday for up to a week during term.
In most states, parents are legally liable for ensuring their children attend school and explaining any absences. In most instances, travel is not accepted as a reason for non-attendance unless approved by the school.
In 2024, 40 per cent of respondents travelled during off-peak or low seasons for domestic holidays, compared with 16 per cent for international holidays.
The findings follow the loss of two domestic airlines in 2024 – Bonza and Rex, decreasing competition and seat capacity and contributing to airfare hikes.
Airfares have increased since July 2024 with the average revenue per passenger jumping by 13.3 per cent to September 2024, however, seat capacity fell by six per cent, meaning flights are more expensive and fewer seats are available.
Airline reliability has also fluctuated with average cancellation rates at two per cent in September 2024 and on-time arrival rates at 75 per cent, representing more than 10,000 late arrivals.
