U.S. Must Fix Domestic Air Travel Experience: Trade

As part of the U.S. Travel Association new quarterly press conference, titled “Travel Outlook” and led by the association’s president and CEO, Geoff Freeman and incoming U.S. Travel National Chair and Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta, the trade group shared its recommendations to increase international and domestic travel and boost the economy.

Paramount among the topics discusses was improving the domestic air travel experience. According to the findings of a Ipsos Poll field survey (conducted January 13-22), the air travel experience is sub-par for nearly half of Americans. Just one in 10 Americans who have flown by air (13 percent) rate their overall travel experience as “excellent,” while nearly half (45 percent) rate it as average or below average. Crowds and congestion, flight delays or cancelations, airport security process and cumbersome travel logistics were the main contributors to a less-than-excellent travel experience.

Approximately half of Americans are comfortable sharing biometric data with TSA—such as fingerprints and facial recognition—for a more seamless travel experience. To that, Freeman noted, “The latest data is a clear sign that significant upgrades are needed to kickstart a reimagined air travel experience that works for all Americans.”

At the same time, U.S. Travel said the industry needs to leverage the 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Act to enable better traveler mobility options within our nation’s travel infrastructure. The goal would be to improve the air travel system and create a seamless and secure travel experience from end to end.

As far as international travel, the association said the U.S. must eliminate the vaccine requirement for international visitors, hence restoring the Chinese inbound travel market and ensure processing operations run efficiently as demand increases.

When it comes to non-leisure travel, U.S. Travel also said the government needs to decrease “unacceptable” visitor visa wait times and get the federal workforce back into the office, encouraging the return of government business travel.

Each quarter, the association’s “Travel Outlook” press conference will focus on pressing topics of importance to the growth of travel.

Visit www.ustravel.org.

Related Stories

Trade Groups Call for Changes to DOT Airline Fee Proposal

Travel Becoming Increasingly Customized, Impulsive: WeTravel

Hotelbeds Teams Up with The Leading Hotels of the World

Amadeus Integrates Cirium’s Flight Data to Ease Search, Bookings