RISMEDIA, April 25, 2011—TripAdvisor, one of the world’s largest travel sites, announced the results of its third annual air travel survey of more than 2,000 U.S. respondents. Ninety-two percent of travelers said they plan to fly this year, and 47% said they have already taken a flight in 2011, suggesting that rising airfares have not had a significant impact on air travel. Ninety-one percent of respondents said they flew in 2010.
Rising Airfare Effect
While the vast majority of respondents plan to fly in 2011, 43% of travelers said they’ve found they’ve had to book connecting flights to stay within their flight budget. Thirty-three percent said they are planning to drive for one or more of their trips in 2011 when they previously would have flown, as a result of rising airfares.
Airline Charges
Forty-six percent of travelers think checked baggage fees are the most annoying fee airlines now charge, followed by 24% for seat selection fees and 18% for carry-on baggage fees. Seventy-two percent of respondents expect the overall cost of airline fees to rise during the remainder of the year. Travelers expect priority seating fees (49%), carry-on baggage fees (46%) and seat selection fees (41%) to either be added or expanded by some airlines in 2011.
Carry On Convenience
With increasing airline fees for checked luggage, 56% of travelers said they regularly carry on their bags to avoid additional fees. Additionally, 52% said they are more likely to pack only carry-on bags when they fly this year due to rising checked baggage fees.
Airport Security
While there have been changes to airport security over the past year, 51% of travelers said they have been comfortable all along with airport security. Sixteen percent of respondents said they are now comfortable with the recent TSA security changes, while 34% said they are not comfortable with the changes. When asked if they were more comfortable with a full-body scan or a full-body pat down at airport security, 82% of travelers would opt for a full-body scan, while only 18% would be more comfortable with a full-body pat down.
Fliers Beg for Leg Space
Uncomfortable seats and limited legroom topped the list of traveler gripes about air travel, with 26% of respondents saying it was their biggest complaint. This was followed by the 23% who said airline fees and the 17% who cited rising airfares. When asked what one thing airlines should do to make the in-flight experience better, the vast majority—43%—cited more legroom.
Sick Seatmates
Twenty-eight percent of respondents said that a sick seatmate was the worst kind of seatmate to have on an airplane. This was followed by the 27% of travelers who said a smelly seatmate and the 13% who responded a “space intruder.” When it comes to socializing with their seatmate during a flight, 74% of travelers said that a little small talk is fine, but that they like to keep to themselves for most of the flight. Only 12% of respondents said they enjoy socializing with their seatmate during a flight.
Mobile on the Fly
More than a quarter of travelers (26%) said they have used a smartphone or mobile device for their flight planning. Twenty-one percent have researched their flights, while 5% have researched and booked on their mobile. While traveling, 30% checked their flight status, 17% have checked into their flight and 7% have used a mobile device as a boarding pass.
Airline Food
When asked to grade airline food on a scale of one to ten, travelers rated it an average of five. Fifty-one percent of respondents said they thought airline food has gotten worse over the past five years, while only 12% said they thought it has gotten better. Perhaps as a result, 42% of respondents said they typically bring food from home for the flight and 38% purchase food from the airport, while only 7% said they purchase food on the plane.
Additional Air Travel Tidbits:
-The number one carry-on essential for travelers was a book, according to 74%—more than an iPad/tablet, laptop and portable music player combined.
-Fifty-four percent of travelers chose the aisle as their favorite seat, while 42% pick the window.
-Eighty-two percent of respondents think passengers of size should be required to purchase tickets for two seats on their flights if they infringe on the seat next to them.
-Thirty-five percent said they often take advantage of frequent flier points, while 13% said they always do.
-Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they would go on a last minute trip if they found a great deal on a flight.
“Travelers are planning to take to the skies in droves in 2011, despite rising airfares and increasing airline fees,” said Bryan Saltzburg, general manager of TripAdvisor Flights. “While the headwinds may seem a bit daunting, we’re still seeing some great airfare deals to top destinations.”
For more information, visit www.tripadvisor.com.
