Americans Outline Their Top Travel Frustrations: Cost of Gas (83%), Airline/Cruise/Train Tickets (53%) and Poor Airport Service (49%)

New York, New York - A new Ipsos Public Affairs poll conducted on behalf of Access America has revealed Americans' travel frustrations are both widespread, acute, and, in some cases, building. Topping the list of things with which Americans are frustrated is `the cost of gas' (86%), followed by `the cost of airline, cruise or train tickets' (55%), `airline/airport service' (49%) and `the cost of lodging and/or other attractions' (49%).

Further, a good deal of Americans report feeling frustrated when it comes to `illness or injury' which causes a cancellation (37%), `homeland security/safety' (37%), `labor actions' (33%), `the weather' (28%), `service by other travel suppliers' (27%) and `difficulty booking' the trip (21%).

Tracking these issues over the last year, it appears that, as gas prices continue to rise, Americans are becoming increasingly frustrated with many aspects of traveling, particularly those relating to costs. Comparing the data with an identical survey conducted in July of 2007, the proportion of Americans frustrated with `the cost of gas' has risen 8 points to 83%, while a similar increase of 7 points has occurred among those frustrated with `the cost of airline, cruise line or train tickets' (48% to 55%). Slightly more Americans are now frustrated with the `the cost of lodging', up 5 points to 49%.

Interestingly, Americans are actually less frustrated with `airline/airport service' than they used to be, with the proportion who report being frustrated down to 49% from 54% a year ago.

Thinking about the most frustrating thing that they've encountered while traveling in the last couple of months, one in three (31%) say that `gas prices' was the culprit, while others report being most frustrated by `traffic issues' (18%), `delays/timing issues' (6%), `airport/airline issues' (6%), `security' issues (4%), or just simply `other people' (2%).

By creating an `index of frustration' among those who have traveled in the last three months, Ipsos and Access America have identified the aggregate level of frustration that exists among American travelers. The results have been tallied, and Americans are slightly less frustrated than they were a few months ago when it comes to travelling. In July 2007, the frustration meter read 53.9 points. It then increased to 57.5 points in April of 2008, and has declined slightly to read 55.1. On the whole, American travelers are slightly more frustrated with travel this summer then they were last year at this time.

The index also allows for comparisons among various demographic groups. For example, it appears that leisure travelers at a score of 55.2 are more frustrated with traveling than are business travelers, with a score of 52.9. Women (score of 57) are significantly more frustrated with traveling than are men (score of 53.2) on the whole.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted August 11-19, 2008. For the survey, a nationally representative sample of 2,006 Americans (including 1,025 recent travelers) were interviewed by telephone via Ipsos' U.S. Telephone Express omnibus. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within 1772.2 percentage points (3.1% for recent travelers), 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/gender composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Americans Not Equally as Frustrated with Various Aspects of Travel...

It appears that some Americans are more frustrated with various aspects of travel than are others.:

• Women (61%) are considerably more likely than men (50%) to be frustrated with the `cost of airline, cruise or train tickets'. Similarly, women (26%) are more likely than men (17%) to be frustrated with `difficulty booking' their trip. In fact, across the board, women are more likely to be frustrated by travel than men.
• Younger Americans (52%), aged 18 to 34, and middle-aged Americans (52%), aged 35 to 54, are more likely than older Americans (42%), aged 55+, to be frustrated with `the cost of lodging and/or attractions. Younger Americans (60%) are also more likely than their older counterparts (53%) to be frustrated with the `cost of airline, cruise and train tickets. Older individuals (40%) are more likely than younger folks (35%) to be frustrated with homeland security. Booking their trips also causes more older folks (26%) grief than younger Americans (19%).
• Interestingly, few regional differences exist, suggesting that Americans are united in their travel frustrations, and no aspects of traveling are particularly burdensome in one area over another. However, those living in the Northeast (33%) are more likely than those in the South (29%), West (28%), and the Midwest (22%) to be frustrated by `the weather' while traveling.

For more information on this news release, please contact: Sean Simpson Research Manager Ipsos Reid Public Affairs (416) 572-4474 [email protected]

About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals that helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world. Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends to develop and test emergent or existing products or services, and build brands. They also test advertising and study audience responses to various media, and measure public opinion around the globe.

They help clients create long-term relationships with their customers, stakeholders or other constituencies. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting and offers a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2007, Ipsos generated global revenues of e927.2 million ($1.27 billion U.S.).Visit www.ipsos.com to learn more about Ipsos offerings and capabilities.