Despite measures, people still wary of air travel: Survey
Published: 11:07 AM,Jul 21,2020 | EDITED : 01:04 PM,Apr 27,2024
Muscat: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released research showing the willingness to travel being tempered by concerns over the risks of catching Covid-19 during air travel. The industry’s re-start plans address passenger’s main concerns.
Travelers are taking precautions to protect themselves from Covid-19 with 77 percent saying that they are washing their hands more frequently, 71 percent avoiding large meetings and 67 percent having worn a facemask in public. Some 58 percent of those surveyed said that they have avoided air travel, with 33% suggesting that they will avoid travel in the future as a continued measure to reduce the risk of catching COVID-19.
Travelers identified their top three concerns as follows:
Passengers themselves displayed a willingness to play a role in keeping flying safe by:
At the airport
1. Being in a crowded bus/train on the way to the aircraft (59%)
2. Queuing at check-in/security/border control or boarding (42%)
3. Using airport restrooms/toilet facilities (38%)
Onboard Aircraft
1. Sitting next to someone who might be infected (65%)
2. Using restrooms/toilet facilities (42%)
3. Breathing the air on the plane (37%)
When asked to rank the top three measures that would make them feel safer, 37 cited Covid-19 screening at departure airports, 34% agreed with the mandatory wearing of facemasks and 33% noted social distancing measures on aircraft.
- Undergoing temperature checks (43%)
- Wearing a mask during travel (42%)
- Checking-in online to minimize interactions at the airport (40%)
- Taking a COVID-19 test prior to travel (39%)
- Sanitizing their seating area (38%).
No Quick Solution
While nearly half of those surveyed (45%) indicated the they would return to travel within a few months of the pandemic subsiding, this is a significant drop from the 61% recorded in the April survey. Overall, the survey results demonstrate that people have not lost their taste for travel, but there are blockers to returning to pre-crisis levels of travel:- A majority of travelers surveyed plan to return to travel to see family and friends (57%), to vacation (56%) or to do business (55%) as soon as possible after the pandemic subsides.
- But, 66% said that they would travel less for leisure and business in the post-pandemic world.
- And 64% indicated that they would postpone travel until economic factors improved (personal and broader).