The new Mintel report on scheduled airlines designates five million UK adults as “seasoned flyers” and suggests one in eight belong to an airline loyalty scheme.
Of these, 72% like to relax at an airport and more than half desire a special zone in which to do so.
Perhaps worryingly for Ryanair, easyJet and Flybe, which either already levy a fee for check-in luggage or soon will, the survey suggests 59% of these five million regular passengers will avoid any airline that charges for baggage.
EasyJet will introduce charges for all check-in bags in October, and both it and Flybe are increasingly targeting business travellers, who comprise a large proportion of Mintel’s seasoned flyers
However, Mintel found twice as many adults (10.5 million) want to get through an airport as fast as possible – defying the airport operators’ desire to see passengers hang around in departure areas shopping and eating.
The report describes these passengers, about 21% of the UK total for scheduled carriers, as reacting to airports “with distaste” – noting this dislike is especially prevalent among adults travelling with teenagers.
- British Airways dominates the UK’s scheduled airline market, with almost one in five UK adults having flown with the carrier.