Families spend 10% of their travel budgets before they even leave the airport, a survey has shown.

Travel agency sunshine revealed that an average family of four spends £116 after checking in before they take off.

A large majority (97%) of respondents said they often spend money like this at places such as Stansted and Luton Airport, with drinks to take on board being the most popular purchase.

Other in-demand items for holidaymakers about to jet off for their break included meals, snacks, toiletries and reading books or magazines.

Results from the poll showed that the average spending money a family of four took away with them was around £1,100.

A total of 1,783 adults who had been abroad as part of a family of four in the past 12 months were quizzed for the research.

Sunshine co-founder Chris Clarkson said: “To see that as much as 10% of the holiday spending money budget is blown in the airport before a family have even left the UK is a revelation indeed.

“When booking a holiday and saving for spending money, people often forget about expenses incurred on things like transport to the airport, airport hotel stays and the money spent on a pre-flight meal, or getting some last-minute toiletries.”

Copyright © Press Association 2012

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