Families take to the skies before schools return

The August Bank Holiday rush has begun with high demand for end of August flights from East Midlands Airport (EMA) before the new school term starts.

Over 200,000 passengers are predicted to fly to and from EMA between now and Sunday 2 September, which is forecast to be the airport’s busiest day of the year.

Mainland Spain, the Balearics and the Canaries continue to be the favoured destinations for East Midlands passengers, which is reflected in the volume of flights to these places. However, there has been growth in demand this summer for Eastern Med countries such and Turkey and Bulgaria. After a break of two years, Bodrum in Turkey returned to the list of destinations reachable from EMA this summer thanks to Jet2.com.

Rachel Briody, East Midlands Airport’s Travel Trade and Leisure Development Manager, says: “As the days get shorter in the UK and noticeable signs of the onset of autumn creep in, September is a fantastic month to visit the hotter climes of Southern and Western Europe, which still enjoy long warm days and evenings. This is also the perfect time for beach lovers as the Mediterranean sea is at its warmest at this time of year.”

Sizzling sliders

The must-have accessory for sun-seeking travellers this summer has been the Slider.

Airport retailers have reported a massive demand for the popular footwear, and it is predicted that over 10,000 pairs have been sold at the airport since the start of the summer season in April. Other top-selling products include sunglasses and headphones.

EMA’s official summer season continues until the end of October after which the winter flight schedules begin.