Travelers Willing to Pay More for Space, Peace and Quiet

CHICAGO, Aug. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With airlines continually seeking non-fare revenue sources, GO Airport Express asked its customers exactly what services or amenities they would be willing to pay for. At the top of the list was more leg room, at 48 percent, with WiFi coming in second, at 33 percent.  Thirty percent said they would pay more to sit in a designated child-free area. 

GO Airport Express, which provides airport shuttles to and from O'Hare International Airport and  Midway Airport, polled travelers nationwide. More than 360 people responded.  

Some respondents noted they would be willing to pay for amenities that used to be free, such as in-flight meals (21 percent); movies (nine percent) and pillows and blankets (five percent). However, 17% of respondents said all the choices listed on the survey should be included in the air fare, with many expressing unhappiness over airlines charging for services that were once complimentary.

At 13 percent, aisle seats beat out window seats, which were selected by just under six percent of respondents.

Eleven percent said they'd like the option to submit seatmate preferences  when traveling alone and nine percent would pay for larger overhead bins.  At the bottom of the list?  Just four percent said they would pay extra to sit in a designated child-friendly area. 

"Controlling their level of comfort seems to be the top priorities that airline travelers would be willing to pay for," says John McCarthy, president, GO Airport Express.  "Airlines may benefit by focusing on these areas."

GO Airport Express, one of the oldest companies in Chicago, traces its founding to 1853 and the Parmelee Transportation Company, which provided a carriage service between Chicago's railroad stations and the downtown hotels. It is a founding member of The GO Group LLC, the nation's largest airport transportation provider, serving some 60 airports in North America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe and transporting more than 13 million passengers per year.

SOURCE GO Airport Express

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