Majority of frequent flyers enjoy airport experience: report

Forget about queues, delayed flights and lost luggage, more than half (53%) of the frequent travellers polled in a study, published today by Priority Pass agree that the airport is something to be enjoyed, with 56% admitting that they would be encouraged to arrive at the airport early to take advantage of duty free and shopping discounts.

The study of almost 3,000 respondents in the UK, UAE, USA, Germany, France, Singapore and Hong Kong reveals unusually positive attitudes when it comes to the airport experience.

The Priority Pass Airport Experience Survey sheds new light on the behaviours of consumers at the airport. Two thirds of respondents (64%) agreed that they like to access a bargain at the airport with 35% looking for something luxurious that they would not ordinarily buy.

Stephen Simpson, global marketing director for Priority Pass, part of Collinson Group commented: “We are witnessing an important shift in mind-set when it comes to the airport experience and it is clear that today’s frequent flyers no longer view themselves as passengers merely transiting the airport but as consumers seeking more rewarding travel journeys. In order to address this, Priority Pass has developed a range of offers which extends its lounge access program to include other benefits to improve the airport experience. We are working to extend these benefits further to make every aspect of the airport experience easier and more enjoyable for our Members.”

Separate research carried out by Priority Pass surveyed the world’s most affluent consumers and confirmed the rise of the ‘digital’ flyer. Half of European travelers (50%) believe that digital boarding passes and e-tickets make the airport experience much easier, with 24% of travellers using airport mobile apps; a figure that rises to 41% of frequent business flyers.