Passengers criticise airlines for delays but still plan to fly
Most American consumers (84%) plan to go on holiday this autumn, with 69% intending to fly despite being exasperated by airline delays and cancellations, according to a travel survey by TripAdvisor.
While travellers appear to be committed to taking to the air for this year's holiday, they are not without their complaints, as 53% agreed that airline delays and cancellations are "completely out of hand", and that people should not have to wait on a plane for more than one hour.
Call for change More than one-third of passengers believe that, while airline delays are perhaps inevitable, there should be a maximum number of hours for which airlines can keep passengers waiting on a plane.
As a result of recent problems with air travel delays, 15% of the travellers surveyed said they expect to fly less during the coming 12 months than they did in the past 12 months.
Other travel issues But the greatest barrier to autumn holidays is a busy work schedule, according to 28% of travellers. Nearly one in five (18%) said that they don't have enough holiday days available for an autumn trip, and 15% said that they are saving money due to concerns over the economy. The weather is taking its toll as well, with 14% citing hurricanes as the biggest deterrent to travelling in autumn.
Interestingly, 28% of US travellers plan to take more car trips this autumn because of dropping fuel prices. Despite cooler temperatures in many regions, travellers worldwide still prefer sun and sand for their holidays, with 38% overall and 37% of Americans saying they will visit a beach destination this autumn.
More than half (52%) feel that the greatest incentive to travel in autumn is that there are fewer tourists and crowds. Lodging and transportation bargains were next on the list (35%), and 37% of travellers said they find service at hotels and restaurants tends to improve when the summer holiday rush is over.
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