The most frustrating aspect of air travel, according to passengers, are airline fees for checked bags and seat assignments, says a new survey on passenger attitudes towards airline travel by Travelers’ Voice, a national coalition of flyers and businesses.
Flight delays and cancellations came in second, with the overall cost of flying ranking third, the survey reports.
When passengers ranked their most desired improvements to airline travel, they listed increasing the typical amount of legroom between airplane seats as their number one request, the survey says. Next were increasing the typical size of airplane seats themselves, and reducing the number of delays and cancellations.
Asked their most frustrating experience on board an airplane, flyers listed sitting in front of a young child that frequently kicks and pushes your seatback. Sitting close to a crying baby came in second, and sitting in the same airplane row as a snoring adult rounded out the top three frustrations, the group reports.
With the holiday season approaching, the survey’s key findings demonstrate that more work needs to be done to ensure airline travelers are not only comfortable while traveling, but that the proper infrastructure is in place to get passengers to where they need to go, the group said.
The survey was conducted on October 16-19, 2014, utilizing the firm TNS’ weekly Internet-based omnibus study platform that draws from more than 1.2 million pre-recruited households on its Access Panel.