[February 1st 2008]
37% say arriving late for flight or missing it is top anxiety 27% of women check their travel documents five times before flying 50% of travellers admit to feeling ‘rushed, stressed and worried’ 77% say parents of young children and babies have the most stressful airport experience
Half of UK airport users are anxious about air travel, says research released by Holiday Extras, the market leader in holiday add-ons.
However, despite the recent crash landing at Heathrow, it is not a fear of flying that is worrying Brits; missing a flight or arriving late is in fact the top anxiety for 37% of air travellers, with the figure rising to 44% for 55 to 64 year olds.
The survey also suggests that we are a nation with obsessive compulsive tendencies – four out of ten holiday makers admit to checking their travel documents up to four times before going away and 27% of women will check them five times or more. In Central England this figure goes as high as a third. The Scots and Welsh are the most chilled out travellers with almost 60% saying they feel calm, relaxed and happy before a flight. However, across the rest of the UK it’s a different story with half of people saying they feel rushed, stressed and worried. Parents of young children and babies have the most stressful experience at UK airports according to over three quarters of people in the survey, with old or infirm travellers getting sympathy from 15%.
“Overseas holidays may be fun, but clearly getting there is a nightmare for most of us. However, there’s plenty that even the most anxious of travellers can do to get their holiday off to a relaxing start,” says Matthew Pack, Web and Marketing Director, Holiday Extras.
Matthew continues: “Most people still travel to the airport by car so to cut stress levels we advise travellers to book their parking in advance. This ensures that there is a parking space waiting for them and saves both time and money. For families with an early start, a night in an airport hotel can make all the difference and often comes with great value parking too.
Also, for those who dread delays, airport lounges can provide a calm refuge and an escape from the crowds.”
The research surveyed 1,000 UK adults who had flown abroad at least once in the last year and was conducted by The Leadership Factor and took place in December 2007. YourSayPays is a research panel operated by The Leadership Factor, the UK’s leading source of customer satisfaction data.
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For more information please contact Helen Gillilan 01303 816 335
