Travel data insights from Opodo Discover the airport habits that unite (and divide) travelers | News
Leading online travel agency Opodo, part of the eDreams ODIGEO family (which also includes brands such as eDreams, Go Voyages, Liligo and Travellink) has shared its latest poll exposing travellers’ airport habits and what drives us crazy – from cutting queues to littering; the global poll of 9,000* respondents, including 2,000 from Great Britain, reveals all.
Check-in:
Opodo asked respondents how early they arrive at the airport: do they wait or leave until the last minute? Global:
59% feel much more comfortable arriving earlier than necessary, even if that means waiting
36% say they arrive when the airline suggests
4% arrive just before departure and prefer to make it nice rather than waste time
Within Great Britain…
The majority (58%) of UK respondents agree that they would prefer to arrive earlier than necessary, followed by 36% of those who prefer to arrive based on the airline’s recommendation
On the other hand, 5% live on the edge, waiting until the last minute to arrive at the airport
6% of men prefer to wait until the last minute, compared to just 3% of women
Londoners are likely to leave this to the last minute: 9% of respondents say they wouldn’t mind running through the airport to catch their flight, compared to just 1% of respondents in the South West
Go
Opodo’s survey asked how respondents felt about pre-boarding rituals – sitting and waiting to be called by a group or immediately queuing. The data shows:
‘The Babysitter’
Globally, 48% report remaining seated until their group is explicitly called – watching the crowd form and silently judging others
Comparison of responses by market: 66% of Portuguese say they rate those standing in an endless queue, compared to only 36% of Italians
In the UK, 51% agree they would rather sit and wait for their group to be called
By age group: 55% of those over 65 would like to wait, compared to only 29% of respondents aged 18 to 24
Slightly more than the global figure, 51% of British men and women agree to stay put
54% of people from the East of England, Northern Ireland and the South East prefer to stay put
‘The Floater’
Globally, 23% categorize themselves as ‘Hoverers’ – they are queuing up, ready to merge when the time is right
Within Great Britain the figure is similar: 22% report being Hoverers, and this breaks down as follows:
24% of women and 20% of men in Britain
By region: 30% of those in the East Midlands, 26% from Northern Ireland and just 25% from the East of England
‘The front queue’
Globally, 12% of respondents agree that they will join the unofficial queue so that their group can get a good spot
By market, 15% of Germans and Italians, and only 9% of Brits, consider themselves in a queue
In Britain, 24% of respondents aged 18 to 24 prefer to queue early rather than queuing in advance, compared to 7% of respondents aged 65 and over
‘The anti-queue’
Globally, 11% of respondents say they prefer to board last and don’t worry about getting on the plane – they know their seat is waiting for them
By market: 18% of Italians, 17% of French, 14% of Spaniards and 12% of British think the same
In Great Britain, 17% of Scotland, 16% of Wales, just 14% of London and the North East say they prefer to wait until the last minute
What drives travelers crazy?
Finally, Opodo asked what annoys travelers the most, whether it’s cutting into lines, leaving trash behind or the sound of a rolling suitcase. The data shows:
Respondents agree that they are most annoyed by:
People queuing at security or boarding
48% of global respondents
51% of British and French respondents
People blocking a seat at the airport with their stuff when the seat is empty
45% worldwide
52% of British, 50% of Portuguese and only 35% of Italians find this annoying
Leave rubbish at gates or seats
42% worldwide
49% of French, 47% of Germans, 46% of Spaniards and 35% of British think the same
Someone who speaks loudly on the phone or over the loudspeaker
40% worldwide
37% of Brits agree that this is the most annoying thing
A person standing so close to the baggage carousel that he could kiss it
Worldwide, 19% find this annoying
25% of British and Germans and only 12% of French suffer from this behavior
Rolling luggage that squeaks or bumps into others
9% worldwide
13% of the British, 10% of the Spanish
In Britain, 18% of men cannot tolerate noise, compared to 10% of women
For more information on airport travel habits, visit the Opodo website.
