Camerons fly cattle class – but where are the queues?

It is a scene which will be familiar to many a budget airline passenger – except for the lack of crowds.

David Cameron and his wife Samantha were snapped looking downbeat as they waited for a Ryanair flight to Spain on Wednesday. The couple are staying in the country on a short break to celebrate Mrs Cameron's 40th birthday.

In what is the couple's first holiday abroad since Mr Cameron became Prime Minister last May, they stayed in a "mid-market" hotel.

Mr Cameron's choice of airline will delight the ever publicity hungry boss of Ryanair Michael O'Leary, but could be seen as a subtle rebuke to the Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin. Earlier this week he suggested that the Government wanted to curb airport expansion because "We don't want more people from Sheffield flying away on cheap holidays".

Downing Street last night confirmed that the picture – which first appeared on the Guido Fawkes blog – was authentic. However the lack of crowds at the normally heaving Stansted Airport surprised some. In the past when Tony Blair used Ryanair he was afforded the luxury of being given pre-assigned seats and boarded the plane at the last minute.