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| Air Travel is Affordable, Accessible and Vast Majority of Travelers Satisfied with Overall Experience, According to New National Survey | Airline Customers Value Choice, Paying for What They Value | 80 Percent of American Flyers are Satisfied with Overall Air Travel Experience | “In the early days of commercial aviation, only the most affluent could afford to fly. In contrast, those who took to the skies in 2015 came from all income levels, age groups and ethnicities and increasingly reflect the U.S. population,” said John Heimlich, A4A Vice President and Chief Economist. “Today, customers have more choices among airlines with respect to how they purchase their ticket and what services are included,” Heimlich said. “A majority of consumers told us they liked à la carte pricing because it enables them to choose only the items and services they value. This flexible pricing model has made air travel more accessible to Americans of all income levels.” The survey, conducted in December 2015 by Ipsos Public Affairs, looked at who was traveling by air, why, where and how often; asked travelers to rate their air travel experience; assessed what factors were considered when purchasing travel; examined which components of the passenger experience were most important to them; and asked about their upcoming travel plans. Majority of 2015 American flyers satisfied with experience Of all 2015 travelers surveyed, 80 percent said they were satisfied – including 35 percent who were “very satisfied” – with their overall air travel experience. Price, convenience and reliability are the main reasons people fly and the majority feel that airlines are providing that. Of the remainder, 14 percent were “neutral,” 5 percent were “somewhat dissatisfied” and 1 percent were “very dissatisfied.” These factors have encouraged Americans to plan more trips in 2016. Seventy-five percent of 2015 flyers and 53 percent of all Americans say they are somewhat or very likely to travel this year. Nearly one-third of all Americans said they will take more flights in 2016 along with the majority – 55 percent – who said they will fly the same amount as they did in 2015. “This groundbreaking, comprehensive survey affirms that there has never been a better time to fly,” said Heimlich. “In addition to consummate safety performance, the industry is working to give passengers better customer service, more amenities, new routes and bigger planes. The fact that demand is strong, as evidenced by record levels of traffic in 2015, shows that passengers are making the connection between a healthy airline industry and a better flying experience.” Flying more accessible than before In 2015, 81 percent of American adults said they traveled by air in their lifetime and 45 percent said they had flown within the past 12 months. Younger travelers (who accounted for 35 percent of all flyers in 2015) and people with less than $50,000 annual household income (also 35 percent of all flyers in 2015) are more likely to fly today than in past decades. The nature of air travel has also changed. A larger share of trips are being taken for personal (non-business) reasons. Of all trips taken by airline travelers in last year, 31 percent were for business purposes, down from 47 percent two decades earlier. And 88 percent of 2015 flyers took at least one airline trip last year for leisure purposes. The accessibility of air travel has been enhanced by the airlines’ deployment of technology, which has made it easier for consumers to shop for travel, book tickets and check in for their flights. The survey results show that more than 90 percent of consumers book online and only 11 percent visit airline ticket counters to check in; half print their boarding passes at home while others use airport kiosks or personal mobile devices. Airlines continue to invest in technology to ease the air travel experience as nearly all flyers own some type of computer and more than three-quarters own a smartphone. A snapshot of today’s traveler With a greater percentage of Americans flying than ever before, the demographics of the air traveler have evolved. From the time of air travel being dominated by the affluent and business travelers, today’s passengers are more in line with the overall U.S. population.
Because more people are traveling for personal reasons, when asked about preference between à la carte pricing versus bundled pricing, two-thirds of travelers said they prefer to pay only for the items and services they want “so my ticket ends up being less expensive.” Price is particularly important to older Americans (83 percent), women (85 percent) and people who flew for personal reasons (88 percent). “Customers value having choices, and 86 percent of air travelers say price is the biggest deciding factor on whether to travel by airline versus another mode of transportation or versus not traveling at all, and having options about which services and amenities they purchase helps make that decision easier,” Heimlich said. “Airlines today offer a number of choices for seating, in-flight entertainment, and baggage; there is something for everyone’s needs.” At the other end of the spectrum were amenities at the airport, which only 30 percent of 2015 flyers ranked among the top two factors in choosing whether to travel by air. Note: The Status of Air Travel in the United States survey was conducted December 14-22, 2015 as an online survey of 3,019 members of the American general public, age 18+ by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Airlines for America. This study references similar research conducted by Gallup on behalf of then-Air Transport Association of America (now A4A) in 1998 for trending purposes. The 1997 study was a random sample of 3,016 Americans age 18+ conducted via telephone. ABOUT
A4A
America needs a cohesive National Airline Policy that will support the integral role the nation’s airlines play in connecting people and goods globally, spur the nation’s economic growth and create more high-paying jobs. A4A works collaboratively with the airlines, labor groups, Congress and the Administration to improve air travel for everyone. For
more information about the airline industry, visit our website airlines.org
and our blog, A Better Flight Plan, at airlines.org/blog.
To learn how you can support a National Airline Policy, a better flight plan for everyone, visit nationalairlinepolicy.com. Contacts:
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