DVC and flights

[mark&sue]

How far in advance do you book your August flights?

I am beginning to get concerned about taking my daughter out of school due to recent press articles, but my boss will not give me permission until January to book for August will this be too late?

What does everyone else do? For October half term this year I booked over a year in advance for a fly drive with BA Holidays (the corresponding Virgin Holidays flights were booked). I realise I could go for just a flight with just BA or VA but this would be a lot shorter than the 11 month window.

I have noticed that some UK Disers have already booked for August 2007.

Next year I really don't want the last two weeks in August (the only time my boss will offer me once January comes) because I want to be around for my best friends 40th birthday. I would be prefer October and add to the half term.

My boss does not understand why I need so much notice in advance. She just does not realise that these flights are getting harder and harder to come by.

I am probably worrying too much in advance but I just can't seem to stop!!



Susan

 

[Miffy2003]

Susan, we usually go in August and I just book at 11 months out. You'll be fine I promise

 

[susieh]

We have been in August twice and both times we booked at the 11 month window and still didnt get the dates we wanted.

Both times we wanted to travel August 10th and ended up with Aug 13th one year and Aug 14th the other.

I agree that it is harder to get the school holiday flights - and my DH's boss it like yours - we are booked for June this year and he was told last week that his boss hasn't yet agreed his holiday even though we booked it and he was told about it in September!!! (Fortunately for us it wont be a problem as DN resigned on Friday after receiving a better job offer but I guess you don't want to go down that route!!)

 

[Danauk]

We too usually book at the 11 month window. We book the flights after we have made the dvc reservation. We have done this in both August and to fly out for Christmas and new year.

 

[Stuart D]

Sue, bosses like that really annoy me. There is no reason not to allow people to book holidays as far in advance as they like. Its simply a case of them being too lazy to deal with the admin.

Anyway I just thought I'd point out that taking a child out of school during term is classed as an unauthorised absence for the child - UNLESS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE FAMILY TO BOOK A HOLIDAY TOGETHER DURING SCHOOL TERM - I guess you could claim that because of the unreasonable attitude of your boss you physically couldn't take a holiday during the school holidays.

Ofcourse its a different arguement perhaps for another time over whether taking a child out of school during term harms their education or not.

 

[mark&sue]

my boss would argue that I don't have to go to Disneyworld and that I would have no trouble getting something on the med during the school holidays.

We have already booked for this October half term and are taking DD out of school for seven days.

I have thought long and hard and really want to do the Disney cruise in October 2007 and am prepared to pay the fine. If it is £50 a session it would work out at £600 for six days which is well worth it not to have any more arguments at work. Perhaps in 2008 I would book for August and settle for SSR which should be easy to get. Maybe a few days at Vero or Hilton Head.

Of course they could change the law by then and change the fine for a prison sentence.........


Susan

 

[Stuart D]

Sue first off, your employers responsibility in all of this goes no further than ensuring you get your full holiday entitlement as covered by European Law. They have absolutely no business telling you what to do with your holidays, or where you could go. If they are attempting to do this I would suggest that you contact either your trade union, or a Citizens Advice Office for legal advice.

When it comes to the local authority, rather than pay a fine, or have your child have an unauthorised absence on their record, you should approach the school head teacher and advise them you have no choice but to take your child out of school due to your employer restricting the periods during which you can take a family holiday.

This will become more and more of an issue as education boards attempt to force parents to go on family holidays during school holidays, and employers cannot cope with the demand for days off.

In the past school holidays revolved naturally around religious events, like Easter, or Christmas and the traditional, overly long, summer holiday. I think the solution to clashes between education board, family and employer will be resolved through schools opting out of national holidays and staggering their breaks.

Anyway to answer your original question we book our flights the minute the airlines start to offer prices for it.