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- Survey: business travelers want in-flight communication more than ever
- Liquid ban leads to spike in lost luggage
Survey: business travelers want in-flight communication more than ever
In-flight communication is business travelers’ greatest current need, according to the results of a recent global survey of airline passengers conducted by Prodata, a research organization specializing in mobile communications.
The study, commissioned by OnAir – a joint venture of aircraft manufacturer Airbus and air transport-focused communications provider SITA, revealed business travelers want to have the capability of using their smartphones to send and receive e-mails and to be reachable by phone during flights in order to maximize their travel time.
According to the research, business travelers indicated:- more than 90 percent carry a mobile phone;
- 40 percent carry a Blackberry or Treo;
- 65 percent of Blackberry/Treo users would turn their devices on during flights;
- 94 percent would take calls and check e-mails during flights; and
- 82 percent would make calls and send e-mails during flights
Sources: Onair, Prodata, Flt Tech OnlineLiquid ban leads to spike in lost luggage
In addition to the longer security lines that initially plagued travelers, additional effects of the August 10 ban on bringing liquids and gels on planes surfaced in the weeks following the foiled London terror plot. The rate of lost and mishandled baggage rose by nearly 25 percent as airlines struggled to manage the surge in checked baggage after the ban.
In a monthly report issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT), statistics revealed lost and mishandled luggage rates in August were the highest since December 2004, rising to 8.1 per 1,000 passengers, compared to a rate of 6.5 per 1,000 passengers in July. The rate a year earlier, in August of 2005, was 6.4 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers.
Airline representatives and industry analysts offered several reasons for the increase in lost luggage in August, from the unexpected jump in the amount of bags checked, to cutbacks on staffing due to an industry-wide economic downturn, to major storm systems that clogged operations shortly after the liquid ban took effect.
Despite the Transportation Security Administration relaxing the liquid ban in late September, checked luggage rates are still higher than before the ban – as much as 20 percent higher for some carriers. Airline representatives have stated they plan to re-evaluate their baggage-handling systems and staffing going forward.
The DOT report, which offers a complete listing of the top 20 U.S. carriers and how they compare when it comes to mishandled baggage, can be found at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/atcr06.htm.
Sources: Reuters, MSNBC
