The new restrictions at airports will deter some consumers
from air travel but it's the ongoing threat of terrorism that will
have a greater effect on their travel habits, according to a new
survey by Synovate.
Synovate surveyed 1,481 people in the United States, United Kingdom,
Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Singapore and Australia who have
travelled by air in the past year to get their thoughts on the additional
air travel security restrictions that have been imposed in recent weeks
due to threats of terrorism.
Regardless of the tighter security measures now in place at airports,
almost half of travellers surveyed across all markets believe that a
terrorist act will take place on an airliner sometime in the near future.
This feeling is strongest in the UK with 67 percent, followed by Australia
at 58 percent and the US at 56 percent.
Respondents from Singapore and the UK are the most skittish about
travelling by air specifically because of terrorism concerns. Thirty-eight
percent of Singapore respondents and 30 percent of UK respondents indicated
that the current threat of terrorism will actually deter them from travelling
by plane.
"With the recent fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World
Trade Center in New York City, it's not surprising that travellers in the US
are still a little nervous about air travel," said Sheri Lambert, Senior Vice
President of Synovate's Travel & Leisure group. "No matter how tight
airport security gets, the idea that planes could potentially be used for
terrorist attacks is now firmly planted in everyone's minds." Lambert added,
"The reality is that 9-11 has changed the way we travel for the rest of our
lives."
The threat of terrorism, rather than the new airport security arrangements,
will deter me from travelling by air
The new airport security measures are also having some effect on consumers'
views regarding air travel. Respondents in Singapore and the US indicated
that they are now less keen about travelling internationally due to the
new security requirements. Twenty-three percent of air travellers in
Singapore and 22 percent in the US said that the new restrictions will
actually deter them from travelling outside their country. Surprisingly,
only 15 percent of respondents in the UK, which has extremely stringent
requirements at airports, indicated that the new security rules would
deter their international travel, which indicates that it's mostly
business as usual for them.
Seventeen percent of air travellers across the globe also said that
the new security requirements will actually deter them from travelling
by plane for leisure, and 10 percent indicated that they were less
likely to travel by plane for business.
Despite concerns about terrorism and the inconvenience of new airport
security restrictions, flying is still seen as an attractive means of
transportation. Only one-third of respondents believe that flying is
less appealing now than it was a few years ago. The US led this thinking
with almost half of respondents indicating that air travel is not as
appealing as it used to be.
Air travel is a less appealing transportation option today compared to a few years ago
Interestingly, 31 percent of all travellers surveyed indicated that the
"no liquids on board" requirement is "just too much to ask".
"Frustration with the additional requirements is high among some consumers,
but this is still a new way for people to travel", said Lambert. "Like all
new regulations put into place, travellers will eventually get used to them.
However, consistency from airport to airport is critical. If the security
measures are consistent, then passengers' comfort with the new measures
will increase as well".
