Four out of five business travellers find flying more stressful than a year ago and two-thirds blame queues at airport security for the aggravation.
A survey of frequent fliers by SAS Scandinavian Airlines revealed that 83 per cent believe stress levels have increased, and almost the same proportion (80 per cent) say improved security measures would lessen their stress.
Clearing security was the source of greatest anxiety, with 66 per cent blaming the unpredictable amount of time spent at screening points as well as apparent inconsistencies in procedures at different airports.
Respondents also complained about the restrictions on liquids in cabin luggage for transit passengers, who fall foul of a ban on bottles of more than 100mls in size if they buy duty-free alcohol before a final flight. These rules apply across the EU, but not on flights from the US.
SAS UK general manager Lars Ove-Filipson said: “It is important that service providers minimise unnecessary stress to passengers in transit.”
The airline polled more than 500 members of its frequent flier programme for the survey.