The survey conducted by TripAdvisor, involving 500 Spanish travellers belonging to the online community, has obtained some surprising results, such as the fact that 70% of air travellers find the presence children on flights bothersome, and that a special area of the aircraft should be reserved for families with children.
According to the results of TripAdvisors’ survey, the Spanish prefer Barajas Airport and rate Rynair and Iberia as the worst airlines. It is also significant to note that 73% of those surveyed are against the use of mobile phones during flights.
New safety measures, the possibility of allowing the use of mobile phones during flights, the constant fluctuations in fuel prices… These and other factors place air travel at the centre of controversy and the aim of TripAdvisor has been to get to know the opinion of travellers on aircraft, airlines and airports. The results of the survey, in which 500 travellers participated, are as follows:
Children and Mobile phones most bothersome factors of air travel
When asked about the degree of respite in aircraft, nearly 70% of Spanish travellers were of the opinion that families with children should be seated in a special section. What is more, half of those taking part in the survey would be willing to pay more to have a seat in a quiet part of the aircraft, although only two out of every 10 would pay more than 10% of the cost of the original ticket.
But children are not the only tiresome factor of air travel highlighted by the Spanish travellers surveyed. Other annoyances include people who kick the back of the seat in front of them (34%), passengers who recline their seats abruptly (25%), people who speak too loudly on their mobile phones (15%) and passengers who block the aisles and take their time over stowing their bags in the overhead lockers (8%).
It is precisely the fact that passengers who speak too loudly on their mobile phones that helps to understand why 73% of those surveyed are against the possible use of mobiles during flights. This is in sharp contrast with the possibility of airlines offering in-flight Wi-Fi, an idea that is supported by nearly two thirds of the travellers participating in the survey. Nevertheless, only 8% would be willing to pay for such a service.
Ryanair and Iberia, the worst airlines; Barajas, the best airport
Air travel is still one of the most popular forms of transport, and more than 80% of those taking part in the survey said that they would be flying to their next holiday destination. When choosing an airline, the factors that are most taken into account are direct flights (62%), routes to the destinations of their choice (47%), safety (41%), and punctuality (33%).
According to the results of the survey, the worst airlines are Rynair, with 20% of the votes, and Iberia, with 17%. The most negative aspects of these two airlines are delays and cancelations, limited leg room, unpleasant staff, and deceptive advertising.
One of the biggest concerns of travellers is the tendency of airlines to charge for additional services, such as meals. On being asked what would be the next extras that airlines would charge for, more than two thirds said that window seats would be next on the list, and 7% even feared that they would begin to charge to use the loos.
Barajas: the most highly valued airport
With regard to airports, Barajas was voted the best by 30% of those participating in the study, followed by Amsterdam Schipol (8%) and London Heathrow (5%). The most unpopular airports were Rome (10%) and Charles de Gaulle (6%).
According to Spanish travellers the factors distinguishing a good airport are boarding gates that are easy to find and easily accessible (74%), quick baggage reclaim (71%), clean loos (70%) and easy access by public transport (61%).
Concerning airport safety, when asked about the new body scanners allowing security screeners to see what is under a passenger’s clothing, 63% said that they were in favour of their use if this increased safety.
