Five times as many travellers say restrictions ‘reasonable’ as find them ‘infuriating’, according to research
Three out of four UK adults support keeping the security ban on liquids in air passengers’ hand luggage, according to a survey for Travel Weekly.
The study by Explore Research suggests 73% believe the government should retain the ban on liquids, gels and aerosols despite European Union plans to scrap it next April.
The UK-based Airport Operators’ Association called for the ban to be retained in a letter to transport secretary Justine Greening at the end of May.
The AOA says a new generation of scanners designed to identify explosives in liquids are “not mature” and will lead to longer queues at airport security. The UK refused to comply with an EU move to relax the restrictions on transfer passengers last year.
A survey of 500 adults by Explore Research found only 12 % described the ban as “confusing”, while 29% reported it “easy to understand”.
A clear majority (70%) reported no change in their attitude to flying as a result of the ban. However, only 12% reported feeling “more secure” because of the restrictions.
Almost half (45%) described the restrictions on hand luggage as “necessary” and 41% as “reasonable” – five times as many as thought them “unreasonable”. A small minority, 8%, described them as “infuriating”.
Just 7% said they enjoy flying less as result and 5% said they avoid busy times to minimise security delays. The respondents were allowed more than one response.
Those who said the ban was confusing were more likely to be young (aged 18-34), but the young were also more likely to see the restrictions as reasonable.
More than half of older adults decribed the ban as necessary, but this group was also most likely to be infuriated by the restrictions.
Older travellers aged 55 and over appeared more suportive of retaining the ban, with 79% in agreement against 68% among younger adults.
The research was carried out over the Jubilee bank holiday.
exploreresearch.co.uk