Airline fees top gripe for passengers: TripAdvisor
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Air travellers are becoming increasingly annoyed by the fees airlines now charge, a new survey has revealed. According to TripAdvisor’s third annual air travel survey, 46 percent of travellers think checked baggage fees are the most annoying fee airlines now charged, followed by 24 percent for seat selection fees and 18 percent for carry-on baggage fees. Seventy-two percent of respondents expect the overall cost of airline fees to rise during the remainder of the year. Travellers expect priority seating fees (49 percent), carry-on baggage fees (46 percent) and seat selection fees (41 percent) to either be added or expanded by some airlines in 2011.In total, ninety-two percent of travellers said they plan to fly this year, and 47 percent said they have already taken a flight in 2011, suggesting that rising airfares have not had a significant impact on air travel. Ninety-one percent of respondents said they flew in 2010.With increasing airline fees for checked luggage, 56 percent of travellers said they regularly carry on their bags to avoid additional fees. Additionally, 52 percent said they are more likely to pack only carry-on bags when they fly this year due to rising checked baggage fees.While the survey only polled passengers in the US, the issues raised affect the industry across the world. For example, 51 percent of travellers said they are comfortable with airport security. When asked if they were more comfortable with a full-body scan or a full-body pat down at airport security, 82 percent of travellers would opt for a full-body scan.Uncomfortable seats and limited legroom topped the list of traveller gripes, with 26 percent of respondents saying it was their biggest complaint. This was followed by the 23 percent who said airline fees and the 17 percent who cited rising airfares. When asked what one thing airlines should do to make the in-flight experience better, the vast majority – 43 percent
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