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Britons spend two weeks of their lives waiting for flights

New Club Aspire launches at Gatwick South to improve airport experience.

 

LONDON – On the day that a new Club Aspire launches in Gatwick South, new research finds that Brits will take to the sky 174 times during their lifetime, spending over 383 hours – a whopping 15 days – in the airport waiting for a flight.

But though we’re taking more flights than ever before, one in five of us find the airport experience stressful, with 20% of all UK travellers saying they’d avoid it altogether if they could.

The study of 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by airport lounge provider, Club Aspire, also found that young Brits will travel a third more than their grandparents during their lifetimes, with Generation Z taking 220 flights – 69 more than over 65s who’ll fly 151 times.

When asked what would improve the airport experience, almost half of us (48%) want to fast-track through security and passport control. As well as this, 45% say they’d like more places to sit, and 37% would like access to an airport lounge with complimentary food and drink.

Beyond the airport itself, a third of Brits (38%) also find packing for their trips an incredibly stressful part of travelling. Unsurprisingly, many therefore forget to pack essential items, resulting in a dash around the terminal to purchase them.

The research identified the top 10 flying essentials most frequently forgotten from our suitcases. And it could be a pricey exercise for those needing to replace these items – with all 10 items costing almost £100 to buy airside:

  1. Plug adapters (up to £15)
  2. Snacks for the plane (around £3.99 for a meal deal)
  3. A toothbrush and toothpaste (around £6 for both items)
  4. A book (from £8) or magazine (from £3.99)
  5. Sun cream (from £3.50)
  6. An empty water bottle to fill up past security (up to £15)
  7. Headphones (from £15.99)
  8. Phone charger (from £15)
  9. Neck Pillow (from £10)
  10. Flip flops (from £10)*

The study coincides with the launch of Club Aspire at Gatwick South, a brand-new lounge experience operated by Airport Dimensions and Swissport.

Errol McGlothan, Director at Airport Dimensions, co-operator of Club Aspire, said: “Considering we’ll spend more than two weeks of our lives in the airport, we hope that our newest Club Aspire lounge in Gatwick South will play an integral part in helping travellers make the most of their pre-flight time. With personalised zones designed around their needs, travellers  will not only feel like the lounge is a second home but also a space that creates a buzz ahead of their trips!

Our new lounge highlights a trend across airports,  where we’re already seeing some fantastic features cropping up to cater to travellers’ changing needs, from luxury retailers and lounges, through to the pioneering airports building sleep pods, ice-skating rinks and even golf experiences. Services like app-based takeaways that deliver food straight to your departure gate are also coming to the fore.

“With international travel set to skyrocket[1], we’ll continue to see terminals around the world introduce features like these; perfect for helping us to while away the hours and make the airport more enjoyable.”

The Club Aspire lounge at Gatwick South will be open to Priority Pass, LoungeKey, Lounge Pass, Executivelounges.com and retail customers. It will be located airside, on the upper level and accessed through an exclusive entrance walkway between Sunglass Hut and London News Books.

Shaun Weston, VP Global Lounges at Swissport, co-operator of Club Aspire, added: “We’re thrilled to be launching Club Aspire at Gatwick South – a space where travellers can escape the hustle and bustle of the airport and relax before take-off. Together with our lounge in the North terminal, Club Aspire is there to give passengers a comfortable, stress-free experience wherever their departure point at the airport.

Additional research findings
Opinium carried out the research on behalf of Club Aspire. Based on a survey of 2,000 adults from across the UK, it also found:

  • On average, Brits take their first flight at the age of 13
  • We’re getting younger and younger when we take our first flight – 18 to 24-year olds tend to be around six years old, while the majority of over 75s were over the age of 21 when they first flew
  • Almost a third of people (28%) arrive at the airport more than three hours before their long-haul flight – that equates to over three weeks of their lives spent at the airport
  • Men will take 14 more flights than women during their lives – 180 compared to 166, yet are 8% more likely to avoid the airport if they could.
Co-Founder & Chief Editor - TravelDailyNews Media Network | Website | + Posts

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

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