NEW research into the cost of family holidays has revealed the price of flights abroad from Manchester Airport rockets during February half term.

A report from FairFX found flights from Manchester to Fuerteventura increases by over five times (429%) up from £75 in early February to £397 in half term.

Comparing 120 return flights from eight airports across the UK, the travel money expert found that holidaying during half term costs an average of three times more than the same flight earlier in the month.

The worst example was an East Midlands flight to Venice which was more than nine times more expensive (£406) than travelling just two weeks later (£43).

The research has been as part of a long-running school holiday price scandal campaign, coinciding with this week's Supreme Court decision over the legality of taking children out of school for holidays.

Father Jon Platt has been taken to court three times after refusing to pay a fine for taking his daughter out of school for a holiday to Disneyland in 2015.

Despite winning a High Court ruling last summer, he now faces an appeal by Isle of Wight Council at the Supreme Court in what is set to become a landmark ruling.

Ian Strafford-Taylor, CEO of FairFX, said: “There is a huge debate about whether families should be allowed to take children out of school for holidays but with incredulous price rises, it’s clear to see why.

"The cost of holidaying outside of term time can leave families feeling they have no other choice but to take their child out of school until the issue of overpricing is addressed."

It was ruled in May last year Mr Platt was not acting unlawfully taking his daughter on holiday during school time because his child had a good overall attendance record of over 90%.

The decision has reportedly caused a surge in term-time bookings all over England.

In a case being watched by parents all over the country, the council is asking five Supreme Court justices to overturn the High Court decision, saying it raises important issues over what constitutes 'regular attendance' at school.

James Eadie QC, appearing for the Education Secretary, said: "Absence from school can adversely affect a child's educational attainment.

"Research indicates that every extra day missed is associated with a lower attainment outcome."

He added that it also disrupted the education of other children and placed an extra burden on teachers who had to ensure absent pupils caught up on what they had missed.

At the end of the hearing Mr Platt said he was 'shell-shocked' by the Government argument, which seemed to be suggesting that 'even a minute's lateness' to class was enough to amount to a criminal offence.

He said after the day-long hearing: "It is shocking that the Government did not back away from that position.

"It is now in the hands of the Supreme Court justices. I have great confidence in the British judicial system, but at the end of a tough day in court I have absolutely no idea what they will decide."