Air travel drops, costing industry $18 billion
May 30, 2008, 1:04 am
#1
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Air travel drops, costing industry $18 billion
cnn.com
Americans take 41 million fewer flights, survey shows
Story Highlights
The Travel Industry Association, which commissioned the survey released Thursday, estimated that the 41 million forgone trips cost the travel industry $18.1 billion -- including $9.4 billion to airlines, $5.6 billion to hotels and $3.1 billion -- and it cost federal, state and local authorities $4.2 billion in taxes in the past 12 months.
When 28 percent of air travelers avoided an average of 1.3 trips each, that resulted in 29 million leisure trips and 12 million business trips not being taken, the researchers estimated.
The survey results did not address whether travelers chose alternate transportation to pursue any of the journeys they didn't take by plane. The association estimated overall travel industry revenue at $740 billion.
Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based association, said the research "should be a wake-up call to America's policy leaders that the time for meaningful air system reform is now."
"The air travel crisis has hit a tipping point -- more than 100,000 travelers each day are voting with their wallets by choosing to avoid trips," Dow said in a statement.
Story Highlights
- Survey: The estimated 41 million skipped trips cost the travel industry $18.1 billion
- Survey results did not address whether travelers chose alternate transportation
- People who flew more than five times in 12 months called air travel "frustrating."
The Travel Industry Association, which commissioned the survey released Thursday, estimated that the 41 million forgone trips cost the travel industry $18.1 billion -- including $9.4 billion to airlines, $5.6 billion to hotels and $3.1 billion -- and it cost federal, state and local authorities $4.2 billion in taxes in the past 12 months.
When 28 percent of air travelers avoided an average of 1.3 trips each, that resulted in 29 million leisure trips and 12 million business trips not being taken, the researchers estimated.
The survey results did not address whether travelers chose alternate transportation to pursue any of the journeys they didn't take by plane. The association estimated overall travel industry revenue at $740 billion.
Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based association, said the research "should be a wake-up call to America's policy leaders that the time for meaningful air system reform is now."
"The air travel crisis has hit a tipping point -- more than 100,000 travelers each day are voting with their wallets by choosing to avoid trips," Dow said in a statement.
May 30, 2008, 1:26 am
#2
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Awww... The travel industry is crying over lost revenue because people don't want to be hassled while travelling.
Too bloody bad!
Fix the bloody system, stop lying to the travellers about delays due to "weather", stop harassing, threatening, and assaulting the travellers with kabuki security and customs, and people will travel.
Too bloody bad!
Fix the bloody system, stop lying to the travellers about delays due to "weather", stop harassing, threatening, and assaulting the travellers with kabuki security and customs, and people will travel.
May 30, 2008, 8:09 am
#3
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Awww... The travel industry is crying over lost revenue because people don't want to be hassled while travelling.
Too bloody bad!
Fix the bloody system, stop lying to the travellers about delays due to "weather", stop harassing, threatening, and assaulting the travellers with kabuki security and customs, and people will travel.
Too bloody bad!
Fix the bloody system, stop lying to the travellers about delays due to "weather", stop harassing, threatening, and assaulting the travellers with kabuki security and customs, and people will travel.
May 30, 2008, 11:45 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Let's see now, charging for second piece of checked luggage, charging for FIRST piece of checked luggage. No more meals or snacks, excess weight charges, flight delays, dirty planes, do-it-yourself ticketing, TSA, sitting on the ground for hours.
I wonder why people don't want to experience the romance of flying anymore?
I wonder why people don't want to experience the romance of flying anymore?
May 31, 2008, 12:53 am
#5
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Let's see now, charging for second piece of checked luggage, charging for FIRST piece of checked luggage. No more meals or snacks, excess weight charges, flight delays, dirty planes, do-it-yourself ticketing, TSA, sitting on the ground for hours.
I wonder why people don't want to experience the romance of flying anymore?
I wonder why people don't want to experience the romance of flying anymore?
I for one see it as necessary evil to be a passenger - just like being on a train, but with added hassle factors.
May 31, 2008, 1:34 am
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Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based association, said the research "should be a wake-up call to America's policy leaders that the time for meaningful air system reform is now."
Yes! DESTROY the TSA. It is the worst thing that ever happened to air travel.
Yes! DESTROY the TSA. It is the worst thing that ever happened to air travel.
May 31, 2008, 2:51 pm
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Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based association, said the research "should be a wake-up call to America's policy leaders that the time for meaningful air system reform is now."
Yes! DESTROY the TSA. It is the worst thing that ever happened to air travel.
Yes! DESTROY the TSA. It is the worst thing that ever happened to air travel.
Seriously, there's no question the system is broken. Unfortunately, our elected leaders don't have a good plan to fix it. Neither do I, for that matter, but we need to get started somewhere.
May 31, 2008, 6:48 pm
#9
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May 31, 2008, 7:22 pm
#10
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Rising costs. Fewer amenities. Weaker - very much weaker - dollar when you get overseas. Floundering economy at home.
Hmmm... people are traveling less? Big surprise!
Fuel costs skyrocket. But the traveling public wants prices to stay the same, so instead of being straight forward, a culture addicted to dreaming gets the smoke and mirrors of new "add on fees" for everything. Big surprise!
We will have some more carriers go belly up. The remaining ones will charge more. Big surprise!
Then, after consolidation, it will be interesting to see whether the basis for competition changes or whether we will all be flying Greyhound Air forever.
Stay tuned. One thing sure, know one knows what's going to happen next.
Hmmm... people are traveling less? Big surprise!
Fuel costs skyrocket. But the traveling public wants prices to stay the same, so instead of being straight forward, a culture addicted to dreaming gets the smoke and mirrors of new "add on fees" for everything. Big surprise!
We will have some more carriers go belly up. The remaining ones will charge more. Big surprise!
Then, after consolidation, it will be interesting to see whether the basis for competition changes or whether we will all be flying Greyhound Air forever.
Stay tuned. One thing sure, know one knows what's going to happen next.
May 31, 2008, 7:28 pm
#11
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Here it is in black and white (again): "Nearly half of American air travelers would fly more if it were easier, and more than one-fourth said they skipped at least one air trip in the past 12 months because of the hassles involved, according to an industry survey."
Conclusion: get rid of the hassles - get rid of TSA.
Conclusion: get rid of the hassles - get rid of TSA.
May 31, 2008, 8:22 pm
#12
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Here it is in black and white (again): "Nearly half of American air travelers would fly more if it were easier, and more than one-fourth said they skipped at least one air trip in the past 12 months because of the hassles involved, according to an industry survey."
Conclusion: get rid of the hassles - get rid of TSA.
Conclusion: get rid of the hassles - get rid of TSA.
The acceleration of irritants in the past few months may have constituted the straw that has broken the back of the desire to travel for non-essential reasons.
Jun 1, 2008, 9:09 am
#14
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I agree that the overblown "security" is part of the hassle - a large part. But that has been ongoing for a (way too) long time. Few things would make be happier than rational security. But it will never be scaled back. It is absolutely counter CYA and no one will take responsibility - not ever.
The acceleration of irritants in the past few months may have constituted the straw that has broken the back of the desire to travel for non-essential reasons.
The acceleration of irritants in the past few months may have constituted the straw that has broken the back of the desire to travel for non-essential reasons.
Kick the TSA out or go under. It's your choice, airlines of the United States.
Jun 1, 2008, 9:11 am
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