Most travellers enjoy airports, study reveals
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More than half of the world’s frequent travellers actually enjoy using airports, a new study has revealed.
In a poll of almost 3,000 travellers from the UK, UAE, USA, Germany, France, Singapore and Hong Kong, independent lounge operator Priority Pass found that 53% of respondents agreed that travelling through an airport is an experience they enjoy.
“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,” said Stephen Simpson, global marketing director for Priority Pass.
The study also found that 56% of travellers would be encouraged to arrive at the airport early to take advantage of duty free and shopping discounts, and 64% agreed that they like to use airports to shop for bargains.
But it seems that airport retail areas could be battling with lounges for business; 40% of respondents said that they head straight to the lounge and avoiding shopping altogether.
“An increasing number of organisations are starting to recognise the value that can be gained if the experience of flying for business is not unduly stressful,” Simpson stated. “Our research found that 51% of frequent business flyers actively enjoy the airport experience. This is a high percentage when you consider the fact that the business flyer is travelling for work purposes and does not have the relaxation of a typical leisure trip to look forward to on arrival. The airport lounge clearly has an important role to play here, offering a rare moment of tranquillity or the ability to stay connected in a peaceful and convenient environment.”
Separate research carried out by Priority Pass found that 50% of European travellers believe that digital boarding passes and e-tickets improve the airport experience, with 24% of travellers using airport mobile apps – a figure that rises to 41% among frequent business flyers.
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