Airport experience 'is getting worse'

Many holidaymakers and members of the travel industry believe that the airport experience has deteriorated in recent years, according to a study carried out at the World Travel Market (WTM) this year.

Some 1,030 people who took a summer holiday in 2009 were surveyed, with nearly a third (31 per cent) saying that airports have gotten worse.

Nearly half (49 per cent) of the senior tourism industry executives questioned expressed the same opinion.

People who want to avoid the stress of the airport can choose to travel by sea and take ferries to France, Spain, Holland and several other popular holiday destinations.

WTM chairman Fiona Jeffery said: "The impact of increased security measures has had a negative impact on holidaymakers' experience at airports."

She went on to say that a bad time at the airport "has the potential to have a negative effect on the whole holiday".

Irish Ferries recently said that there has been a "noticeable drift" away from aviation and towards ferry travel in the past year.

People planning to visit Europe for a future holiday can take ferries to Bilbao, St Malo, Boulogne, Rotterdam and several other locations from the UK.

Posted by Mark Robinson