Travel disruption feared ahead of busy UK Christmas travel period

In spite of the fact that more than two thirds (68%) of travellers have experienced inconvenienced travel after COVID travel restrictions were relaxed and that 66% anticipate more of the same during upcoming trips, the majority (83%) still intend to fly for a vacation within the next six months.

The study, which surveyed 2000 recent travellers in the UK and the US*, advises that vacation providers have one more chance to get it right; if travellers encounter delays once more on their prospective travels, more than half (55%) will refrain from making future reservations with the airline. When asked who they held responsible for their unpleasant experiences, 50% blamed the airlines when flights were delayed, while only 13% pointed the finger at the airport. But when it comes to misplaced luggage, the jury is still out: 40% blame the airline, while 42% blame the airport.

Over a third of all passengers (35%), were affected by delayed flights or missed connections, which were followed closely by delayed arrivals (31%) and cancelled flights (15%). According to the report, lost luggage, which dominated summer headlines, is a big inconvenience that has ruined roughly 1 in 7 travellers’ vacations over the past 18 months.

Although they clearly want to fly, passengers won’t put up with any more inconvenience without a fight. When passengers learn that their trip may be delayed, 53% of them will contact the airline and 38% will vent on social media. Additionally, 93% of travellers think that this is a crucial consideration when choosing which airline to book with, thus if an airline doesn’t have a reputation for punctuality, they are likely to lose out.