WTM: Airports need to improve

Many holidaymakers and members of the travel industry believe that the airport experience needs to improve, according to recent research.

Over 1,000 consumers were surveyed at this year's World Travel Market (WTM) in London, nearly a third (31 per cent) of whom said airports have deteriorated over the past year.

The feeling was stronger among industry members, with almost half (49 per cent) of the senior executives questioned agreeing that the traveller experience at airports is getting worse.

However, the WTM pointed out that there are reasons to be optimistic, with Global Infrastructure Partners, the new owner of Gatwick Airport, pledging to eliminate check-in and security queues and invest in further improvements for passengers.

Fiona Jeffery, chairman of the WTM, said: "The travel and tourism industry, and in particular the airport operators, have a responsibility to improve the airport experience.

"Holidays start and finish in airports, so a bad experience has the potential to have a negative effect on the whole holiday."

The research also found that 49 per cent of consumers and 61 per cent of industry executives do not expect domestic holidays to become more popular as a result of environmental concerns.

Posted by Carrie, 09 December 2009 13:12

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