The government's decision to abolish UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) for children under 12 has helped deliver a boom in family holidays.

According to online travel agency CheapOair (www.cheapoair.co.uk), there has been a 24 per cent increase in family bookings including children under 12 to long haul destinations in May 2015, compared to May 2014.

Popular destinations for families looking to take advantage of the lower air fares delivered as a result of the tax being removed include Dubai, Los Angeles, Toronto, Miami and Melbourne.

APD adds up to £71 per person to a flight price for trips to Australia and therefore the cost savings for families are significant. A family with two children under 12 years old at the date of travel can even save £26 on travel to European destinations. As of 1 May 2015, APD for children under 12 years old has been scrapped, and the tax will be removed from air fares for children under 16 years at the time of travel from March 2016.

Peter Grover, CheapOair, comments:

“Ever since APD was taken off the flight prices for children under 12 we've seen family bookings increase by a quarter. The message to the Chancellor is that taxing holidays doesn't work. More people spending money in the UK economy when booking their travel is better for the business of Britain. Holidays should be about fun and spending quality time together, without tax reform being a serious consideration when booking the family summer getaway.”

“Exploring more of the world at better prices is what our business is all about. We look forward to saving money for more and more families as the further APD reductions come into play next year.”

For more information and latest availability on family holidays, please visit www.cheapoair.co.uk or call 0203 318 5326.

CheapOair is a hybrid (traditional / online) travel agency offering great value and convenient travel options to savvy online bookers. Plus, CheapOair's travel agents are also available 24/7 to support customers and aid travellers in finding deals from over 450 worldwide airlines. CheapOair offers access to great deals on over 100 million air fares, plus hotel rooms and car hire.