Airport terminals are stressful, exhausting and frustrating, according to American passengers polled for a new American THINKS survey by infrastructure solutions firm HNTB.
While 56% of those surveyed claimed they found airports stressful and 42% said they found the experience exhausting and frustrating, only 11% said they find traveling through airports relaxing and just 7% thought it was a luxurious experience.
The survey found that many Americans feel changes are needed to improve the quality of their airport experiences, with 61% saying TSA security checkpoints needed to be reviewed, passenger check-in enhancements are wanted by 46%, and 37% would like to see updates in departure gate lobbies.
It also found that more than 9 out of 10 Americans surveyed believe airport terminals could be better connected to ground transportation and transit networks.
The most unsatisfying part of the airport experience was found to be waiting in lines at the airport, with 34% citing that as their top annoyance. Just 3% said nothing is frustrating in air travel.
Technology could be the answer to passenger woes, with 45% saying GPS-enabled tags embedded in luggage that link to the owner could improve conditions, while 43% think advanced technologies would allow pilots and air traffic controllers to more effectively manage the reliability of airline flight schedules.
Self-service bag-tagging and check-in process and mobile apps enabling travelers to pre-order and pay for inflight food and beverages were also cited as possible customer service improvements.
