The US Travel Association (USTA) has just released its quarterly consumer survey, and it was eye-opening and more. It offered insights into the U.S. traveler “experience and identifies barriers and points of friction that influence travel decisions.”
“These insights help anticipate and identify consumer behaviors and risks—highlighting the greatest opportunities to grow travel.” Let us know if you agree with these findings.
Recent air travelers were asked about pain points and other obstacles they encountered, starting from before even arriving at the airport, up through their in-flight experience.
According to the study, we are avoiding an average of 2 trips per year due to air travel hassles, equating to 27 million trips avoided and $71 billion in losses for the U.S. economy over the next year.
“Nearly six in 10 recent air travelers say the air travel experience is the same or worse than going to the DMV.”
U.S. Travel Association
Would you agree that it’s worse than DMV or something else? Here’s why there’s dissatisfaction.
Flight delays, cancellations, airport, TSA, and FAA to the top of the problems list.
Interesting to see that it isn’t being crammed into tight seating or the lack or quality of airline food that those flying to Hawaii and elsewhere are complaining about. Instead, “The top reasons they’ll avoid traveling are the likelihood of flight delays or cancellations and airport process inefficiencies.”
Ways to avoid being miserable when flying to Hawaii.
TSA PreCheck/Global Entry improves satisfaction.
USTA reported that “travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck/Global Entry are significantly more satisfied with nearly all aspects of the travel experience.”
We use Global Entry, and we concur that it has been nothing short of a miracle in avoiding airport hassles and unexpected wait times. Only once in the past year have BOH editors encountered any issues when flying to/from Hawaii related to TSA. That was when flying from Seattle to Hawaii early this summer, where the TSA PreCheck line was over one hour long.
Suggestions from the travel study include the following:
1. Federal government must prioritize improvements across the air travel ecosystem to achieve greater growth.
2. Biometric data is improving friction points and is fast-becoming well accepted.
We encountered this recently in the new Hawaiian Airlines terminal at Honolulu Airport, which has new and high-tech TSA systems. On our last visit this summer, it was all electronic. For USA TSA PreCheck, we had photos scanned and inserted our ID into a machine. There was a person there for any issues or questions, but they were otherwise uninvolved, and it was entirely automated.
USTA commented that “Solutions exist and the majority of Americans and an even higher percentage of air travelers are willing to share biometric data if it resulted in a more seamless, secure, and efficient travel experience. Nearly six in 10 recent air travelers (59%) say as a result of advances in security technology, it is time for the government to update certain security measures.”
Two thirds of those surveyed said they are comfortable sharing this biometric data with government or private companies such as an airline. As for comfort with other aspects of biometrics, about the same percentage is comfortable using technology for aircraft boarding, touchless ticketing, and checking in for a flight.
Polling methodology used:
The poll was conducted by Ipsos, from August 11 to 20, 2023, using their probability-based KnowledgePanel®. “This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,408 general population adults aged 18 or older. The sample includes 469 respondents who have traveled by air in the past 3 months and 363 business travelers. The margin of error: +/- 2.8 percentage points at the 95%.”
Where do you stand on this issue?
Are you traveling less by plane in the next 12 months? One-quarter of recent air travelers (24%) are less likely to book air travel over the next year due to air travel hassles experienced. Fewer than one in five recent air travelers (17%) rate their overall experience as excellent and entirely hassle-free. Now it’s your turn to talk story.
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I’d rather drive to the mainland, but the bridge is out. (This, for one, a Nor’easter joke – between the continent and near islands).
I’m a fan of the (new) 3D scanners that avoid many many instances of having to open your carry-on at the TSA passenger checkpoint.
Now, if I could only find a reliable way of weighing luggage before getting to the check-in counter … that would help. The bathroom scale isn’t reliable.
Can only offer my anecdotal evidence, but I’ve notice a drastic decrease recently in Hawaiian Airlines operational ability. Five of the last six flights I’ve been on (to the mainland-over 15 months) were delayed, three of which were delays of 2-4 hours. The sixth flight (returning to HNL) had a 60 minute wait for luggage to even begin emerging on the carousel. Please note that Hawaiian Airlines hides its late departures by adjusting the scheduled departure time to match the delay (I don’t know if this done industry-wide, since I also fly United and simply have never had a delay flying with them to the mainland).
No. Flying to Hawaii is Not the same as visiting any DMV.
Simple, really, because a visit to the DMV will not result in a visit to Hawaii.
Answers given are based on questions asked. Bit of a stupid question.
Aloha ! Hope all is well.
We totally love Long Beach airport flying with Hawaiian.
Check in,TSA, luggage pick up,a nice beach themed terminal, and the fun of walking out onto plane. Gotta admit a rainy day would not be fun and Hawaiian has 1 flight each day each to HNL and OGG, so far no cancellations and have to run up to LAX, Yuck !!
We don’t mind LAX but totally understand the complaint’s.
Prices are totally competitive with LAX for Hawaiian.
Awesome way to begin and end a trip.
Aloha, safe travels !!
Want to add a part 2 to our post.
It is great to fly the A330 out of LAX but the LAX airport commission forced Hawaiian to move out to the new “little house on the prarie” terminal. No one likes it, Hawaiian flight crews when I asked said no way, if they had a SoCal flight it’s 1000% they will trade for Long Beach or Ontario flights.
We do love the A321neo out of LGB, city of Long Beach, be proud of the airport you have ! Totally awesome !!
Safe travels, Aloha
Aloha BoH, We traveled roundtrip DAL-HNL on Sep21, returning Sep 30. We flew on Southwest and everything was perfect. Flights were on time or early, crews were friendly & professional, airport employees helpful. Everyone we encountered on our flight travels, at the airports and on Oahu were very kind and nice.
Hi Evan
Glad to hear. And about the same as we’ve found to be true on Southwest.
Aloha.
We drive to Florida for past 5 years since air became a pain….
Obviously cant fly to Hawaii, but it has been stressful trying to navaigate a best airfare, better seating for tall and long legs, and the worry about irate passengers. I can;t afford better seating since the room and car are expensive on the islands. So, it is just stressful to think about a long long trip in the little little seats.
Flying to Honolulu from Las Vegas is not to bad. Flying from Honolulu to Vegas is a different story. Checking in with luggage is a hassle. Sinage is pretty bad. As far as food on flight, fire the cook and keep your meals. They suck.
I’ve had TSA pre and Global Entry for about as long as each of them has existed. They’re great – but TSA only accounts for maybe <5% of the misery of travel. And TSA is mostly underfunded, understaffed, and occasionally incompetent (as a side effect of underfunding.) On the other hand, airlines are intentionally abusive – always trying to figure out how to offer less or make me more uncomfortable so they can add charges on top of that. I've consulted with several airlines, and I'm told that first class has largely disappeared as the wealthy have switched to renting private jets. That leaves you and me with no choice but to be the human ATMs of the billionaire airline owners, with nobody on our side to protect us from the billionaires.
I just returned from Washington, DC to Maui via Phoenix, AR and I am not looking forward to repeating that experience. I am a gold member with American and have never been upgraded. I was # 3 on the list, but when I asked what my chances were, I was told none, since they only had 1 upgrade available. I asked if there was going to be food and was told yes, but 5 minutes before bording, they made an announcement that there was not going to be any food (not even for purchase) except in 1st class. So, I ended up at Wendy’s in front of the gate & asked what I could get without wait, since I had to board the plane …well, French Fries is all I could grab and that on a 6.5 hour flight after already spending 4.5 hours from DC.
Quite frankly the DMV in Ohio is not that bad as they have multiple offices all around the Columbus area and I have not had any kind of issues with any of my flights in decades but then flying up front all of the time kind of precludes that happening.
Aloha editors, this 16 year resident just got back from my first trip ever to Asia and my destination was Bali. I won’t comment on my impressions of what it was like traveling for over 30 hours in what should have taken 20 except this. I missed my 12 noon HA connecting flight to Lihue from Honolulu because of an hours wait on the tarmac in Manila. I missed the flight by maybe 20 minutes because that HA took off as scheduled. The HA desk couldn’t book me on the 110pm because it was full but I did get the 2:05 flight which was then
delayed twice within the next 2 hours. Pulling into Lihue the plane, for some reason, has to wait 20 minutes before pulling up to the gate. It felt like 20 hrs!
Hi Kauaidoug.
We relate and are sorry to hear about your travel problems. Two of us flew 8500 mi back to Hawaii this week. Fortunately, it was without any delays.
Aloha.
No matter how disorganized and stressful Hawaii air travel may be it can never be as bad as the dmv on Kauai.
Hi Rich.
Got to laugh,but don’t agree. Not at all. Get a number, wait five minutes at DMV. We came within five minutes of missing our Hawaii flight at Seattle.
Aloha.
I agree, editors. For registration I go to Safeway! Try Washington DC DMV or California. No comparison. I’ll take Kauai DMV anytime.
I am mystified that the cramped space on the planes isn’t #1 on the list. Flights used to be a fun part of the trip, now they’re just miserable. At least the crews are friendly and professional.
As for TSA- I’ve had ok experiences at LAX, but the situation on Maui has always been awful. The lines are always incredibly long and slow moving. Plus, the agents are real sticklers for details (like whether or not my wife’s maiden name appears on the docs or
Not) that other airports let go.
Pre-check is wonderful, end of story. We don’t fly internationally enough to justify Global Entry, but I will say that based on what I’ve seen of customs (LAX, O’Hare), they have a problem (LAX) or ridiculously long walk (Chicago) that wouldn’t be solved by paying more for the privilege of re-entering our own country.
Actually GE saved us from missing our connecting flight from Rome to SFO via customs in Chicago. That hike from the arrival gate, clear customs and transfer to the Domestic terminal was ghastly. One simple fee for GE that is good for 6 years includes TSA precheck. It’s a no brainer!