this report:
(from E-Travel Blackboard)
Survey finds that Australians are travelling frustrated
Friday, May 22, 2009
50% of Australian travellers are frustrated before they even get on a plane, a new survey has found, while delays, reclining seats and sleeping passengers blocking the aisle are other pet peeves.
In a survey released by travel.com.au which looked at what caused frustrations in over 1,700 Australian air passengers, the online travel agent found that the travelling experience frustrates and annoys a great number of the public.
When asked what their most loathed travel issue was, the biggest frustration went to 'flight delays", this was follows closely by "people putting their seats back during short flights", "being trapped in your seat by a sleeping passenger", "overweight passengers who encroach on your own seat", and in fifth place "the poor hygiene of fellow passengers".
"The days when airplane food was the biggest bugbear of passengers are obviously gone - it didn't even score a place in the list. Instead, nowadays it seems the biggest flying frustration comes before passengers have even boarded the plane," said Lisa Ferrari, Travel.com.au Brand GM.
"Evidently I'm not the only person whose attempts to get to the bathroom have been hampered by a passenger who just can't be woken.
"Given that it can severely cut into your already limited seat space, I'd throw my support behind a decision by the airlines to regulate when you can and can't recline your seats. Extenuating circumstances aside, I'm just not sure it's necessary on an hour flight," she adds.
Interestingly 53% of respondents agreed that obese people should have to purchase two tickets in economy class if they couldn't fit into one.