Polling at Airports Shows Majority of American Travelers Satisfied With Overall Travel Experience This Thanksgiving
SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 27, 2006–The highest air travel volumes ever were projected for this Thanksgiving. That combined with the new airport security procedures led industry experts to hope for the best but prepare for possible holiday havoc. The result? Travelocity airport monitors report that the days leading up to the busy Thanksgiving travel period gave many a reason to be thankful.
In a poll prior to the Thanksgiving travel period, a majority of travelers confessed to dreading the travel process more than anything else this holiday. But, this year may be restoring their faith in the travel system. First-hand reports from Travelocity’s airport spotters, stationed at 10 of the busiest U.S. airports on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving, revealed that holiday travel was surprisingly smooth. The Transportation Security Administration kept security lines moving quickly with average wait times safely under 10 minutes. The longest wait times would spike briefly up to about 20 minutes and come down quickly. Although there were some reports of 20-minute lines for check-in or for checked luggage security, most lines were kept to a minimum.
“The days leading up to Thanksgiving were a great relief for many travelers,” said Amy Ziff, Travelocity’s editor-at-large. “While many had to toss items from their bags or check things at the last minute, they were mostly able to do so without terrible trouble.”
In addition to monitoring overall airport crowds and wait times, Travelocity conducted an on-site survey of travelers passing through the airport from Nov. 20 – 22. The Travelocity consumer survey consisted of a random sample of 1,079 travelers at 10 of the busiest airports in the U.S. to obtain information about consumers’ Thanksgiving travel expectations and experiences. Respondents included travelers arriving and departing from: Atlanta (ATL); Chicago O’Hare (ORD); Dallas (DFW); Denver (DEN); Las Vegas (LAS); Los Angeles (LAX); New York (LGA); Orlando (MCO); Phoenix (PHX) and Washington National (DCA). Complete survey details can be found at http://windowseat.travelocity.com.
Following are findings reported by Travelocity representatives who were stationed at 10 of the nation’s busiest airports:
— Longest average waits through security from Nov. 20 – 22:
— Monday, Nov. 20 = 10 minutes
— Tuesday, Nov. 21 = 10 minutes
— Wednesday, Nov. 22 = Between 5 and 10 minutes
— Shortest average waits through security from Nov. 20 –
22:
— Monday, Nov. 20 = 5 minutes
— Tuesday, Nov. 21 = 5 minutes
— Wednesday, Nov. 22 = Between 3 and 5 minutes
— Washington National (DCA) airport showed the shortest overall
wait times
— Chicago O’Hare (ORD) airport showed the longest average wait
times, although they were very minimal at just under 10
minutes
Travelocity’s on-site airport poll of more than 1,000 travelers revealed:
— A whopping 73 percent of travelers said they were either
satisfied (35 percent) or very satisfied (38 percent) with
their experience getting through security.
— Only 9 percent of travelers reported being unsatisfied (5
percent) or very unsatisfied (4 percent) with their security
experience (remaining respondents didn’t feel strongly either
way).
— When asked about their overall travel experience at the
nation’s airports, 76 percent were either satisfied (39
percent) or very satisfied (37 percent).
— Only 5 percent were unsatisfied (3 percent) or very
unsatisfied (2 percent) with their overall experience
(remaining respondents didn’t feel strongly either way).
— When asked what they expected going into the holidays, 45
percent said their overall experience was better than
expected, while one in 10 said it was worse.
— The remaining 45 percent said it pretty much met their
expectations.
Based on the few reported blunders from this Thanksgiving, Ziff offers these tips to help prepare for the current security procedures and the big travel rush in December:
— Take advantage of airport E-kiosks and online check-in at home
to help reduce wait times at the airport.
— ATM machines often run out of money towards the end of the
day, so come prepared with extra cash for cab fare home or in
case of an emergency.
— If traveling with pets, remember to check the latest rules and
restrictions that apply. Pets may not fly as cargo in extreme
cold or hot weather conditions, so call ahead if the
temperature is less than 45 degrees.
— Any liquids that you want to bring on board with you must be
in 3oz. containers (or less) and they have to be placed into
one clear, quart-size zip-top baggy in order to get through
security.
— If you’re not sure if you can bring an item on board, it’s
best to check in advance at www.tsa.gov for a full list of
permitted and prohibited items.
For more tips and advice on holiday travel, packing advice and even how to stay healthy while traveling this year, visit www.travelocity.com/holidaytips, or check out Amy Ziff’s blog http://windowseat.travelocity.com.
About Travelocity
Travelocity is committed to being the traveler’s champion — before, during and after the trip – and is the only online travel company that guarantees not just the price, but the entire travel experience – see www.travelocity.com/guarantee for details. This customer-driven focus, backed by 24/7 live phone support, great prices and powerful shopping technology has made Travelocity the sixth largest travel agency — booking $7.4 billion in travel worldwide in 2005. Based in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also owns and operates Travelocity Business(SM) for corporate travelers, lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel and ZUJI, a leader in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE:TSG), a world leader in travel commerce.
CONTACT: Vollmer
Amanda Borichevsky, 972-488-4790
amanda@vollmerpr.com
or
Andrea Collins, 212-715-2222
andrea@vollmerpr.com
SOURCE: Travelocity
