BA holiday firm joins price war

MORE BARGAIN holidays are being offered for 1993, with another big operator announcing savings of up to pounds 180 per person on some breaks to the United States. The move by British Airways Holidays follows similar reductions last week by Owners Abroad, the UK's second biggest holiday company.

Thomsons, the market leader, brings out its 1993 summer brochures today and Owners Abroad's main 1993 brochures are being launched tomorrow.

BA's Florida and America brochure, launched yesterday, has a lead-in price of pounds 329 for a Boston fly-drive. 'We believe we have maintained a realistic capacity with sensible pricing. Overall, our prices are down by 6 per cent on 1992 prices, mainly due to the strength of the pound against the dollar,' Roger Heape, managing director of BA Holidays, said. A seven-night fly-drive to Orlando in Florida has been reduced by pounds 74 per person to pounds 465.

BA Holidays also launched its world-wide programme for 1993. Price increases are around 2 per cent, although some holidays are being offered at lower prices than this year. New features include holidays to Vietnam as part of a Far East tour, more holidays to Mexico, more African safaris and more destinations in South Africa.