While 2022 promises holidaymakers the first normal summer in three years, a study has found that the ongoing hassles have caused nearly half of British sunseekers to change their travel plans for this summer.

New data from leading travel extras company Holiday Extras, has revealed that 45% of British holidaymakers have changed their holiday plans this year in the face of reduced availability, higher prices, queues and ongoing travel restrictions.

Released after the mass cancellations of flights this week, one in ten (10%) holidaymakers polled said that the queues at airports has led them to tweak their holiday plans, while 18% altered their summer escapes due to their preferred destination still being closed, having COVID-related restrictions or having run out of affordable flights or rooms. Another 5% couldn’t find the rooms, flights or hire cars they needed for their trip.

Despite this, the appetite for an overseas break is clear, with the majority (93.2%) of holidaymakers saying that they plan to take an international holiday this year.

Seamus McCauley, Head of Communications at Holiday Extras, commented:

“Most people who flew out of the UK since 2019 tell us they want to get away this summer, but after more than two years without a holiday people are changing or even cancelling their plans just to avoid the hassle of queues, travel restrictions and their favourite resorts running out of rooms. But with some flexibility and forward-planning almost all of those hassles and costs can be avoided - plan ahead, book ahead and choose your destinations and suppliers with care and you shouldn’t have any reason to cancel your summer break..”