[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: More than 40 percent of people in Singapore expect to travel less often even after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey by London-based Inmarsat Aviation.
The survey, which surveyed 500 people in Singapore, found that 43 percent of those surveyed here said they expect to travel less frequently by air, while 47 percent said they would travel less by any mode of transportation.
Respondents in some other countries were more pessimistic, with 58 percent in India and 55 percent in South Korea saying they would travel less frequently by any means.
Commercial aviation has been affected this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates a 66 percent drop in air traffic compared to last year.
The Passenger Confidence Tracker survey, commissioned by satellite communications company Inmarsat and conducted by management consultancy Yonder, surveyed nearly 10,000 people in 12 countries, including Brazil, Finland, India, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
The survey posed 18 questions of respondents, including whether they had taken any flights since the pandemic hit their countries; if they considered places like restaurants or public transport more or less risky than flying; and how satisfied they were with the airlines’ response to COVID-19.
READ: Airline Restructuring and Rapid Pre-Flight Testing: What the New Normal for Aviation Could Look Like
“Passengers are now well aware of the different ways a virus, COVID-19 or not, can spread. Furthermore, the global nature of the pandemic has also shed light on the varying level of preparedness of countries for the challenges of public health, “said David Coiley. Vice President of Asia Pacific for Inmarsat Aviation.
“Given this new knowledge, it is not surprising that passengers continue to be cautious when booking travel, even as COVID-19 is completely eliminated, traveling less frequently in the early stages of recovery.”
INITIAL PHASE OF CRITICAL POSTPANDEMIC RECOVERY FOR AIR LINES: INMARSAT
Coiley told the CNA that the initial stages of the post-pandemic recovery are critical for airlines, noting that passengers would take them as a litmus test for future travel.
“Investments and innovations in technologies that improve the overall hygiene of aircraft interiors will be critical in restoring confidence. For example, we are already seeing airlines reduce common cabin touch points such as magazines and manuals to on board, and migrate them to digital platforms that passengers can view through their personal devices, powered via onboard WiFi, “he said.
The survey found that people in Singapore were more afraid of contracting the coronavirus while abroad than those in the rest of the region, with 70 percent of those surveyed here citing it as the reason for not traveling abroad at this time. .
Another concern was having to self-quarantine for a period of up to two weeks after arrival, which 72% of Singaporean respondents said was a major concern.
In contrast, 67 percent of those surveyed in Asia-Pacific said they were concerned about becoming infected with COVID-19 while abroad, while only 62 percent said they were concerned about having to self-quarantine.
Approximately 2,500 of the respondents were from the Asia-Pacific region.
READ: Singapore Airlines confident of having ‘very strong liquidity’ as it explores new sources of funds to overcome COVID-19: CEO
The survey also found that 22 percent of Singaporean respondents said they were confident about taking their next flight in the next six months, and 24 percent said they were confident about taking it in the next year.
This is comparable to the global response, with roughly 27 percent of all respondents in the 12 countries saying they were confident of flying in the next six months, and 18 percent were confident of doing so in the next year.
Consistency appears to be the key to getting passengers back on board flights, as 65 percent of respondents favor all airlines following the same hygiene practices and 62 percent support a set. consistent safety standards worldwide.
Respondents also supported the introduction of new measures to increase confidence in flights, such as the reallocation of empty seats to allow safe distancing, which 88% of respondents supported, as well as thermal scanning before and during flights.
Nineteen percent of all respondents believed that wearing a mask was the most important travel precaution, while 17 percent said passengers were only allowed to fly after being cleared 48 hours after the COVID-test. 19.
Several airlines already require these measures.
READ: COVID-19 testing guidelines for airline passengers could set the global standard for reliability, sources say
“Confidence in current health and safety measures is due, in part, to efforts by airlines, industry bodies, and aircraft manufacturers to educate passengers about the risks of flying transparently and communicate their commitment to enforcing the highest standards of hygiene, “said Mr. Coiley.
“For example, recent IATA research with the Journal of Travel Medicine concluded that the risk of contracting COVID-19 on a flight with existing measures in place is comparable to the risk of being struck by lightning.”
Ultimately, passengers are ready to fly again, Coiley said.
“But confidence will not improve overnight, passengers need first-hand experience of the steps and commitments that airlines are making to enforce the highest hygiene standards.”
