Travellers 'to benefit from problems in the air industry'

Those planning on taking a long-haul holiday may benefit from cheaper ticket prices in near the future as travel companies search for ways to stimulate demand, it has been suggested.

James Fremantle, the Air Transport Users Council's (AUC) industry affairs manager, said that while the travel market is "pretty robust", there are likely to be financial problems in the short-term, which usually lead to price cuts.

"If flights are empty, they have to fill up the seats somehow," he explained.

Mr Fremantle added that if travel companies "slash fares then consumers are going to have some real bargains for the next few weeks or so".

The spokesman further claimed that his organisation is not worried for consumers at the moment and as long as demand for certain flights is there, then companies will still provide them.

One destination that is particularly popular among travellers at the moment is Croatia, according to the country's tourist board.