Thu, Dec 23, 2010
Flyers Frustrated With Air Travel Security Screening
As passengers begin to pour into airports during one of the
busiest air travel periods of the year, a new survey reveals three
in four air travelers believe "there has to be a better way" to
conduct air travel security screening. Eight in 10 support a
trusted traveler program that would provide alternative screening
measures for American citizens who submit to a background check and
meet other risk criteria. Respondents would take an average of two
to three more trips per year if the hassle involved in flying could
be reduced without compromising security. Those additional trips
would add an estimated $84.6 billion in travel spending and support
888,000 additional jobs, according to research from the U.S. Travel
Association.
"Americans are clamoring for a better way, and it should be a
wake-up call for our leaders in Washington," said Roger Dow,
president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, which
commissioned the survey. "An efficient air travel security
screening system that streamlines the process for trusted travelers
can strengthen our security and economy. Let's get to work building
the system Americans crave."
A majority of those surveyed believe Congress should make air
travel security a top priority in the new term that begins in
January.
According to the Consensus Research Group, which conducted the
survey, "Travelers' frustration with the system is not limited to
just one or two security measures. It is across the board and
includes a range of issues."
Among the survey findings:
- Having to remove shoes before going through a metal detector
received a higher negative response from those surveyed than newly
implemented pat-down body searches by Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) personnel.
- Nearly 9 in 10 respondents believe it is possible to achieve an
air travel screening system that is both secure and efficient,
while virtually the same number believe if we can put a man on the
moon, we can create a passenger security system that doesn't
frighten or inconvenience travelers.
- Three in four air travelers support recruiting more
professional security personnel who are trained to use personal
observation, dogs and sophisticated computer analyses that have
proven to be effective screening techniques in the past.
The U.S. Travel Association has convened a Blue Ribbon Panel for
Frictionless Aviation Security comprised of industry and security
experts and former government officials. The panel will recommend
how to improve air travel security in a way that maximizes security
and minimizes the burden on travelers. The panel is expected to
issue its report in early 2011.
The survey was conducted online by Consensus Research Group on
behalf of the U.S. Travel Association between November 29 and
December 10. The survey includes a nationally representative sample
of 1,000 business and leisure air travelers who have flown during
the past two years, are aged 25 or older, and who reside in the
U.S.
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