Half-term flights soar to 9 times the normal price

Premium destination: EasyJet aircraft at Geneva airport, to which return flights from Gatwick are selling at over £1,200 return - (Simon Calder)

As the half-term rush gets under way, last-minute easyJet ski flights to the Alps are selling at up to £1,223 return – without baggage.

Demand for escapes to the mountains is so intense that a morning flight from London Gatwick to Geneva on 15 February has only one outbound seat left at £588, while coming back early afternoon a week later there are two inbound spaces at £635.