Flights, self-drive seen as safe travel options: Survey – Times of India

MUMBAI: When it comes to travel during the pandemic, of the three modes of long distance public transport, it seems, travel by air is perceived as the safest as compared to that by bus or train. The Mumbai airport interviewed about one thousand passengers who boarded flights in September and found that confidence in air travel has been on the rise.
The findings were corroborated by another independent survey carried out by a multi-brand loyalty program that also collected responses from about a thousands frequent flyers. It said that domestic travel is expected to see some revival, especially short or weekend travel. “Top choices for travel mode were flights or self-drive while safety and precautions were rated as the top preference as opposed to (discount) deals, which used to swing the vote previously,” said the survey by Payback.
The Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) survey said that a total of 99.8% respondents said they found air travel to be safer than bus and trains and 99.9% passengers said they would prefer to travel from Mumbai airport again. According to the airport, certain measures taken by states such as Goa, Kerala and Uttarakhand etc has bolstered leisure travel. These states have opened their borders to tourists and now allow entry with minimal restrictions. “Passengers from Mumbai travelling to these states are on the rise as these places accept travellers without any Covid test or registration. About 62% passengers said they were ready to travel again in the coming month for leisure and business travel,” said the ‘Restart Feedback survey’ by Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL).
The increase in passenger volumes at the airport has meant more business for food and beverage outlets. The survey registered a 11% increase in passengers buying meals and drinks at the airport in September as compared to the July-August period.
In the survey by Payback more than 20% respondents said they were planning a vacation in the coming weeks. “However, a quick recovery may not be visible soon, as more than 40% respondents said that they will be spending less than last year. This is coupled with the fact that long vacations or international travel are not in consumers’ minds this year. Domestic travel has been gaining momentum since unlock, as nearly 40% respondents have either already visited their hometown or have taken a weekend break,” said the survey.