Wet summer means busy airports

A wet summer in the UK, which has seen parts of the country devastated by some of the worst floods on record, has meant thousands have decided to head off for a bit of sunshine.

New figures from internet travel agent directline-holidays.co.uk reveal a staggering 150 per cent increase on summer holiday bookings in 2007, with the majority leaving from Gatwick and Heathrow.

The Association of British Travel Agents said: "Bookings in June and July compared to the same period last year are up by 40 per cent.

"Destinations proving most popular are those in the Mediterranean such as Spain, Greece and Turkey."

It added that the strength of the pound against the dollar means that many more people are heading out to the USA.

Tourists are also thought to have regained confidence in their own safety - with airport operator BAA revealing that it has splashed an additional £40 million on "1,400 additional security staff" at seven airports including Gatwick, Heathrow and Glasgow.