The Austin Business Journal says that a new survey shows Americans are fed up with flying and have been avoiding it — and hotels and restaurants are suffering.

Air travelers, tired of inefficient security screening, flight cancellations and delays, avoided some 41 million trips over the past year and that has cost the national economy $26 billion, a survey from the Travel Industry Association reveals.

The survey, conducted by polling firms Peter D. Hart Research Associates and The Winston Group, says the lack of air travel cost airlines more than $9 billion in revenue, hotels nearly $6 billion and restaurants more than $3 billion. Federal, state and local governments also lost more than $4 billion in tax revenue because of reduced spending by travelers.

“Many travelers believe their time is not respected and it is leading them to avoid a significant number of trips,” says Allan Rivlin, a partner at Peter D. Hart Research Associates. “Inefficient security screening and flight cancellations and delays are air travelers’ top frustrations.”

Are you actually avoiding air travel because of the security hassle? Are you avoiding it at all?

Less flying costs American economy $26 billion, survey says [Bizjournals]
(Photo: flyingember )

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