Will a no-deal Brexit mean my April trip will rise in cost?

Q I’m looking at booking a surprise city weekend break away in the EU for my husband’s 40th. His birthday falls in April and I am unsure how Brexit will affect this. I have been hesitant booking as I have heard the price could change if we leave the EU without a deal. Flights could go up as well as the hotel. If I have booked something, can the airline and hotel or B&B then up the price even if I have paid?

I have seen a few amazing deals, so please can you advise if I will be OK booking these or should I wait until after March and then book something last minute?

Name withheld

A As the UK descends into pre-Brexit turmoil, there is understandably much concern about the travel implications. Journeys to and from the European Union are in some jeopardy as the prospect of a no-deal Brexit increases, because the EU will impose a cap on flights. This could see departures cancelled and fares on surviving flights increased.

But I have no evidence that accommodation rates will rise, except if you choose not to pay in advance and sterling sinks further.

Were the pound to fall from €1.14 to €1.04, you can expect things to cost about one-10th more. The euro price won’t change, but in sterling terms costs would rise.

The easy way to insulate yourself against this problem is to book a package: flights and accommodation at the same time. While tour operators are in theory allowed to increase prices by up to 10 per cent, the chances of this happening are slim.

I am not sure what “amazing deals” you have seen, but I would urge a certain amount of caution. April is not noted for extreme bargains (particularly during the school holidays, broadly the first three weeks of the month). So if you’re finding online deals of uncertain provenance, I would urge you to be circumspect: searching online for the name of the company and “reviews” can give you a snapshot of how others have found the experience.

A human travel agent or a specialist short-break operator with a good reputation is likely to provide more reliable support.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder