This will come as scant news to anyone who’s flown in the past couple of years, since most airlines have started to charge for checking bags in the bellies of their airborne beats. A new survey finds fliers are fed up with folks who inundate the security checkpoint with carry-ons, this in an attempt to avoid paying extra.
A poll by the U.S. Travel Association finds a full four out of five fliers say they’re flummoxed most problems by surrounding the security checkpoint. Consider:
- 72.4 percent say it’s “people who bring too many carry-on bags through the security checkpoint.”
- 68 percent complain about “the wait time to clear the TSA checkpoint.”
- 62.3 percent say “having to remove shoes, belts and jackets at the TSA checkpoint” is the biggest problem.
- 42.5 percent list their largest complaint as “TSA employees who are not friendly.”
How do you resolve the problems? Those surveyed suggest:
- That airlines open up more opportunities for fliers to enroll in TSA’s PreCheck program, an initiative which gets folks through security with far less hassle. Those surveyed say airlines shouldn’t discriminate against regular fliers, that they should open the program up to those who aren’t select members of the carriers’ frequent flier programs.
- That airlines should work with TSA and the travel industry to cut the number of carry-ons.
- That TSA should continue to focus on what it calls “traveler facilitation.” Translation: getting folks through security more rapidly, and with less pain. The premise: more people will fly when there’s less hassle.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow contends, “We can reduce the hassle of flying without compromising security.” He goes on to say if and when that happens, “[M]ore Americans will travel and our economy will benefit.” Dow’s figure argue that if folks took two to three more trips per year that would generate $85 billion in spending and help support some 880,000 additional jobs.
Do you agree with Dow? Was security less troublesome would you fly more? Please, tell us what you’d do.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: PracticalHacks)
