Holidaymakers will soon have a clearer understanding of what they are paying, thanks to warnings issued by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

In a move which will make holiday and travel operators’ pricing more transparent, the firms have been told to include all the details of fixed non-optional costs that are to be included in the final price.

These often hidden costs include taxes and fuel supplements.

The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) has reminded its members of their duties to include such costs in their prices, as outlined in their code of conduct.

“Markets do not work well if consumers cannot make like-for-like comparisons of prices,” said John Fingleton, OFT chief executive.

“The OFT is committed to ensure that consumers are not misled by advertised prices that bear little relation to the actual prices and that businesses that do provide reliable information to consumers are not disadvantaged.”

Mr Fingleton added that the law would be enforced “enthusiastically” to bring back consumer confidence in the travel industry.

Make sure you have adequate travel insurance before you go away.

Contributed by J.Coggans