Fed-up air travelers avoided 41 million trips in last year, says survey

[Purveyor]

Source: Seattle Times

U.S. air travelers are deeply frustrated and avoiding flying, says a new survey by the Travel Industry Association. They're so fed up that they avoided an estimated 41 million trips over the last year, estimated the TIA, costing the U.S. economy billions of dollars.

"The air travel crisis has hit a tipping point," said Roger Dow, the TIA's president and CEO.

"With rising fuel prices already weighing heavily on American pocketbooks, we need to find ways to encourage Americans to continue their business and leisure travel. Unfortunately, just the opposite appears to be happening," Dow said in a statement issued Thursday.

The 41 million avoided trips during the last 12 months rippled outward across the entire travel/tourism industry, said the TIA, estimating it cost the airlines more than $9 billion in lost revenue; hotels nearly $6 billion; and restaurants more than $3 billion. Among the survey's findings:



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