South Africa and Australia are among the most popular destinations for those flying during the Christmas period, British Airways has said.

And while Christmas Day itself is generally quieter in terms of air travel, many people hop on long-haul flights in the evening after celebrating Christmas in the UK, a spokesperson for the airline said.

He added that travellers tend to fly on Christmas Day for "a host of reasons", such as seeing family and friends and beginning their holidays.

"Big destinations at that time of year are South Africa and Australia - they are very, very popular," he added.

"Some people will fly before Christmas and New Year and others will fly in between those times. A lot of people go for leisure."

Last year, the Association of British Travel Agents found that other popular destinations for Christmas included Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, the Canary Islands, Florida and the Caribbean.

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