REPORT OF FINDINGS A Study of Air Traveler Perceptions of Aviation Security Screening Procedures Conducted for U.S. Travel Association December 21, 2010.

REPORT OF FINDINGSA Study of Air Traveler Perceptions of Aviation

Security Screening Procedures

Conducted forU.S. Travel Association

December 21, 2010

New York Düsseldorf Beijing

222

INTRODUCTION

Objectives:

Establish 2010 benchmark measurements of the perceptions and priorities of U.S. air travelers related to issues and concerns about aviation security

Analyze the opinions of air travelers in general vs. recent/past 30 days air travelers to examine public reactions to airport security procedures during peak travel periods [Thanksgiving week 2010]

Provide a research-based blueprint for the development of strategic plans and initiatives to meet the needs and interests of the U.S. air traveling public

33

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Online survey research among a sample of 1,000 travelers, age 25 years and older, qualified on the basis of having flown for business or leisure travel during the past two years—including a sub-sample of persons who traveled by air during the 30 days prior to interview

Interviewing completed during the period November 29-December 10, 2010

At the 95% confidence level, the estimated margin of error for the total sample is + 3 percentage points. [The chances are 95 in 100 that total sample findings are within 3 percentage points of findings that would be generated from a census of the total population of U.S. persons who traveled by air during the past 2 years.]

4

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

5

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

Satisfaction with traveling by plane is at moderately favorable levels. Among persons who have flown during the past two years, 37% assign positive satisfaction ratings to that experience vs. 45% expressing intermediate or neutral ratings and 18% reporting negative reactions.

Persons who have flown during the 30 days prior to interview express similar reactions: 39% positive satisfaction ratings, 41% intermediate, and 20% negative ratings.

The reasons why only 37% of recent air travelers assign positive ratings to the overall experience of flying these days—and only 53% positive ratings for their feelings of safety and security and flight—center around air travel security screening procedures.

6

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

Air travelers assign their most negative ratings [0,1,2,3 on a 0-10 scale] to having to remove shoes before going through metal detector [37% among past 30 day air travelers]; pat-down body searches by TSA personnel [31%]; time it takes to get through airport security screening [28%]; full body x-ray screening [25%]; removing belt for metal detector [26%]; qualifications of TSA personnel [21%]; courtesy and friendliness of TSA personnel [17%];and their perceptions of the overall effectiveness of security screening procedures in general [17% negative].

The reasons why air travelers are avoiding air travel these days focus on: price [71% of past 2 year travelers, and 64% of recent fliers]; hassle involved in flying [45%]; time required to reach airports, check-in, security screening and boarding [41%]; flight delays and cancellations [33%]; specifically, the hassle involved in airport security procedures [32%]; objections to invasive security scanning [23%]; and unfriendly treatment by TSA security personnel [17%].

7

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

Two-thirds of air travelers [64%] would take one or more trips by plane if security screening procedures were improved so that they were sufficiently effective-but more passenger-friendly, less intrusive and time-consuming—projecting an average of 2.48 more trips by plane during the next year or so if the hassle involved in flying was reduced without compromising security effectiveness.

The overwhelming majority of air travelers [75%]—and 78% of recent fliers think that most people feel there has to be a better way to provide air travel security than the procedures used today.

Rather than relying exclusively on physical inspections, 66% of recent fliers think screenings should include questioning and observing passengers and other intelligence methods—vs. only 34% who feel that physical and x-ray inspections provide the best security screening for airline travel.

8

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

Two-thirds of air travelers [66%] think the public recognizes that air travel security is a complicated problem, and won’t accept heavy-handed procedures unless they are both effective and passenger-friendly [72% among business fliers]—while 34% are of the opinion that the public will accept any air travel security procedures because their concerns about air travel risks outweigh demands for procedures that are both effective and friendly.

Although 77% of travelers generally agree that the threat of terrorist acts are of greater concern than the delays or discomfort that security scanning procedures may cause air travelers, more air travelers agree [86%] that there must be more passenger-friendly technology and procedures that are equally effective than security measures used in airports today.

9

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

82% agree that if NASA can put men on the moon and land equipment on other planets, we ought be able to introduce effective air travel security procedures that don’t frighten or inconvenience air travel passengers.

80% agree that there ought to be alternative screening approaches for American citizens who fly frequently, submit to a background check, and meet other risk criteria.

77% who agree that security procedures are inconsistent from airport to airport, and even from one TSA line to another.

10

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

Similarly, 50% of recent fliers strongly agree there ought to be alternative screening approaches for American citizens who fly frequently, submit to a background check, and meet other criteria—and 42% strongly agree that if NASA can put men on the moon and land equipment on other planets, we ought to be able to introduce air travel security procedures that don’t frighten or inconvenience air travel passengers.

A majority [54%] of air travelers think that Congress should make fixing the air transport security system a top priority in the new term that begins in January.

Comparing “general agreement” with “strong agreement,” there is strong agreement among air travelers [36%] that the threat of terrorist acts are of greater concern than the delays or discomfort that security scanning procedures may cause air travelers; however, more air travelers [49% of recent fliers] strongly agree that threats of terrorist acts should be given high priority, but there must be more friendly technology and procedures available that are equally effective compared to measures used in airports today.

11

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

Among a range of proposed alternative procedures that would balance needed security measures and passenger privacy and convenience, 74% of air travelers select recruiting more professional security personnel who are trained to sue personal observation, dogs, and sophisticated computer analyses that have proven to be effective in the past.

61% recognize that every method of travel involves some degree of risk, but that investments should be made in more effective procedures that offer significant effectiveness but are less intrusive.

66% of recent air travelers accept a procedure that that includes a voluntary pre-screening process in which airline passengers submit background information to a government agency that issues special “fast track” ID cards, allowing them to go through a lighter and faster screening process at the airport.

12

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

The top ten words or phrases that air travelers would use to describe passenger screening and air security procedures at airports these days are:

Inconsistent 64%

Stressful 58%

Embarrassing 41%

Intimidating 40%

Intrusive 39%

Fair 30%

Ineffective 29%

Effective 23%

Rude 22%

Frightening 16%

13

EXECUTIVE DIGEST

Air travelers react favorably to three possible screening alternatives for airline passengers: 65% assign positive ratings to special security procedures for American

citizens with no criminal records who are frequent air travelers and provide the government with personal background information in advance of their flight

60% for creating a special security line for frequent air travelers

58% for creating a special security line for families, infrequent travelers and persons requiring boarding assistance

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DETAILED FINDINGS

Specific Positives and Negatives of Plane Trips

It should be noted that positive ratings [8,9,10 on 0-10 scale] of specific air travel components reach only 50% levels among passengers---an identical rating [53%] among recent [past 30 day fliers].

Ratings of the “overall experience of air travel” score only 34% positive---and the specifics of security screening fall into a lower 16%-27% range.

Negative ratings of specific aspects of air travel [0,1,2,3 on 0-10 scale] are most pronounced in connection with physical screening methods [20%-30% range]---and most negative among business travelers, particularly “the time it takes to get through security” [35% negative rating vs. 27% among all travelers] , and “having to remove shoes or belts” [39% negative].

15

16

Positive Ratings of Flying Experience

31%

33%

36%

38%

44%

51%

53%

30%

31%

34%

36%

38%

49%

50%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

The ef fectiveness of the varioussecurity screening techniques

Courtesy and f riendliness of TSApersonnel at security screening

Your overall enjoyment andexperience of air travel

TSA inspection of personalarticles in your carry-on

Time it takes to check in for af light at curbside or the counter

The courtesy and f riendliness ofairline personnel at the check-in counter

Feeling of safety and security during f light

All Past 2 Year Travelers Past 30 Days

Q. How would you rate your satisfaction with each of the following aspects of travel these days?

17

Positive Ratings of Flying Experience (cont’d)

19%

24%

27%

26%

24%

25%

22%

25%

25%

27%

27%

16%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Pat-down body searches byTSA personnel

Full body x-ray scanning

Time it takes to get throughairport security screening

Qualifications and professionalskills of TSA personnel

Having to remove your shoesbefore going through a metal

detector

Having to remove your beltbefore going through a metal

detector

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. How would you rate your satisfaction with each of the following aspects of travel these days?

18

Negative Ratings of Flying Experience

17%

21%

26%

25%

28%

31%

37%

22%

24%

26%

27%

30%

33%

22%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Courtesy and friendliness ofTSA personnel at security

screening

Qualifications and professionalskills of TSA personnel

Having to remove your beltbefore going through a metal

detector

Full body x-ray scanning

Time it takes to get throughairport security screening

Pat-down body searches byTSA personnel

Having to remove your shoesbefore going through a metal

detector

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. How would you rate your dissatisfaction with each of the following aspects of travel these days?

19

Future Air Travel Plans

1%

31%

42%

26%

28%

54%

17%

1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Don't Know

Including less air travel thesedays than you did

2 years ago

Including about the same airtravel these days

than you did 2 years ago

Including more air travelthese days than you did

2 years ago

Business Travelers All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. When planning business or vacation trips these days, are you including more air travel, about the same or less air travel than you did 2 years ago?

• The 28% of air travelers reporting fewer plane trips these days than 2 years ago exceeds the proportion of passengers increasing their air travel [17%] by 11 percentage points, or a net loss in future air travel intentions of 39%. • Among business travelers, that difference of 5 percentage points [31% to 26%] represents a net loss in future travel intentions of 16%.

Reasons for Fewer Air Travel Plans in the Future

Although “cost” is the most frequently expressed reason for avoiding air travel these days [71%], the “hassle involved in flying” is the reason given by nearly half [45%] of air travelers--53% among “business” travelers vs. 43% among “leisure” travelers---and particularly among older travelers in the 55+ age cohort [51%] vs. 41% among younger passengers.

“Fear or terrorism” is mentioned by only 13% of travelers as a reason for avoiding air travel these days.

20

21

Reasons for Fewer Air Travel Plans in the Future

12%

11%

15%

14%

22%

33%

37%

38%

43%

64%

12%

13%

13%

16%

17%

23%

32%

33%

41%

45%

71%

11%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

TSA personnel touching your personalcarry-on items

Public inspection of your personalcarry-on items

Fear of terrorism

Risk of excessive exposure to radiation fromscanning equipment

Unfriendly treatment by TSA securitypersonnel

Objection to invasive security scanning

Hassle involved in airport security measures

Flight delays and cancellations

Time required to reach airport, check-in, gothrough security and board plane

Hassle involved in f lying

Price of airfare

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. For each of the following words or phrases, please tell me if it represents an important reason why you have avoided air travel during the past year or so?

22

Inclination to Fly More FrequentlyIf Hassle Was Reduced

31%

52%

25%

26%

49%

17%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Don't Know

Would not fly more often

Would fly more often

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. Would you fly more often if there was less hassle involved?

• The 49% of air travelers inclined to fly more frequently if there was less hassle involved is slightly greater [52%] among business travelers than among leisure travelers [47%].

23

Number of Potential Additional Air Travel Tripswith Reduced Hassle

19%

16%

26%

33%

63%

17%

7%

13%

40%

64%

16%

20%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Don't Know

5+

4 or more (Net)

2 - 3 (Net)

1 or more (Net)

0

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. How many more airline travel trips do you think you would take during the next year or so if security screening procedures were improved so that they were sufficiently effective—but were more passenger-friendly, less intrusive and time-consuming?

• Two thirds [64%] of air travelers indicate that effective security screening procedures that were more passenger-friendly and less time-consuming could result in at least one or more additional plane trips during the coming year—including 13% who would take 4 or more trips next year• 26% of “business travelers” would take 4 or more plane trips if there was less hassle involved.

Perceptions of Current vs. Modifications inAir Security Procedures

What separates the air travel population is the conviction that there has to be a better way to provide air travel security than the procedures in use today [75%], compared to only 25% who think procedures in use today are the most effective approaches.

Two-thirds of the air travel population [64%] would prefer security procedures that did not depend exclusively on physical or x-ray inspections, and included questioning and observation of passengers.

The same proportion [66%] think the air travel public recognizes that air travel security is a complicated problem, but won’t accept heavy-handed procedures unless they are both effective and friendly—compared to only 34% who think the public will accept nearly any security procedures because their concerns about air travel risks outweigh demands for procedures that are both effective and passenger-friendly.

24

25

Perceptions of Current vs. Modifications inAir Security Procedures (cont’d)

Q. Which comes closer to your opinion?

33%

67%

34%

66%

22%

78%

66%

36%

64%

25%

75%

34%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

vs.The public w ill accept nearly any air travel security procedures

because their concerns about air travel risks outw eigh demandsfor procedures that are both effective and passenger-friendly

The public is smart enough to recognize that air travel security isa complicated problem, and w on't accept heavy-handed

procedures unless they are both effective and passenger-friendly

vs.Physical and x-ray inspections provide the best security

screening for airline travel

Instead of relying exclusively on physical inspections, screeningsshould include questioning and observing passengers and other

intelligence methods

vs.Most people think that the air travel security procedures in use

today are the most effective approaches to providing necessaryprotection

Most people think that there has to be a better w ay to provideair travel security than the procedures used today

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

26

Air Traveler Positions onSpecific Security Procedures

36%

34%

40%

37%

45%

65%

77%

77%

80%

82%

86%

22%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

When it comes to air travel security procedures, Congress underestimates the public'sunderstanding of the risks associated w ith f lying and the importance of an eff icient air

travel process

The threats of terrorist acts are of greater concern than the delaysor discomfort that security scanning procedures may cause

air travelers

Security screening procedures are inconsistent from airport toairport, and even from one TSA line to another

There ought to be alternative screening approaches for Americancitizens w ho f ly frequently, submit to a background check, and

meet other risk criteria

If NASA can put men on the moon and land equipment on otherplanets, w e ought to be able to introduce effective air travel security

procedures that don't frighten or inconvenience air travel passengers

The threats of terrorist acts should be given high priority at airports,but there must be more passenger-friendly technology and techniques

available that are equally effective than security measures used in airports today

Agree Strongly Total Agree

Q. How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

• In rank order of “strong agreement”, the air travel public expresses is greatest support [45%] for the concept that security measures are a high priority issue at airports, but there must be technology and procedures that are equally effective, but more passenger-friendly than those in use today.

27

Air Traveler Positions onSpecific Security Procedures (cont’d)

18%

22%

17%

27%

21%

41%

50%

54%

56%

59%

61%

17%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Some airport security procedures violate basic rights ofU.S. citizens under the Constitution

There are too many uncertainties about the dangers ofsecurity scanning equipment that may have long-term

health risks...

The only people w ho should have the right to use pat-dow nbody searches are law enforcement off icers...

In the past, smart people have usually found bettersolutions to sensitive problems like air travel security

Passengers w ho object to full body x-ray screening or pat-dow n body searches should not be treated as suspicious

persons just because they take their privacy seriously

Security screening lines are too long because most airportsdon't have enough TSA personnel to man the metaldetectors

and x-ray machines they already have

Agree Strongly Total Agree

Q. How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

28

Air Travel Security as a Congressional Priority

12%

28%

59%

17%

33%

50%

13%

29%

57%

30%

54%

15%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Don't Know

No

Yes

Independent/Other Democrat Republican All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. Should Congress make fixing the air transport security system a top priority in the new term that begins in January?

• A majority of all air travelers [54%]---reaching 57% of Republicans and 59% of Independents or members of other parties---think that Congress should make improving the air transport security system a top priority in the new term that begins in January of 2011.

Proposed Improvements in Security Measures

As a reasonable balance between required security measures and passenger privacy and convenience, three out of four [74%] air travelers accept the recruitment of more professional security personnel--who are trained to use personal observation, dogs, and sophisticated computer analyses and databases that have proven to be effective in the past.

Similarly, a majority of air travelers [61%] accept the principle that all travel involves some degree of risk, but would like to see investments in more effective and less intrusive security procedures—67% among business travelers.

A majority [60%] would accept a voluntary pre-screening process through a government agency that would issue special “fast-track” ID cards---with 66% acceptance among business travelers.

29

30

Proposed Improvements in Security Measures

11%

21%

66%

58%

75%

21%

60%

61%

74%

11%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Limiting current procedures to adults age 18-65 w ho are notdisabled or impaired

Random selection of passengers for full body x-ray scanning orpat-dow n body searches...that is, every Nth passenger

Introducing a voluntary pre-screening process in w hich airlinepassengers submit background information to a government agencythat issues special "fast track" ID cards, allow ing them to go through

a lighter and faster screening process at the airport

Recognizing that every method of travel (automobile, trains, cruiseships, buses) involves some degree of risks, invest in more effectiveprocedures that offer signif icant effectiveness but are less intrusive

Recruit more professional security personnel w ho are trained to usepersonal observation, dogs, and sophisticated computer analyses

that have proven to be effective in the past

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. Which of the following alternatives would you accept as representing a reasonable balance between needed security measures and passenger privacy and convenience?

31

Descriptors of the Security Screening Procedure

5%

8%

9%

19%

9%

21%

23%

35%

33%

34%

31%

32%

50%

67%

4%

7%

15%

16%

22%

23%

29%

30%

39%

40%

41%

58%

64%

12%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Flexible

Passenger-friendly

Threatening

Courteous

Frightening

Rude

Effective

Ineffective

Fair

Intrusive

Intimidating

Embarrassing

Stressful

Inconsistent

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. Which of the following words or phrases would you use to describe passenger screening and air security procedures at airports these days?

• Compared to more than 40% of air travelers using negative terms to describe air travel security screening procedures, only 30% mention “fair”, and even fewer [29%] mention “effective”, “courteous” [15%], and “passenger- friendly” [7%].

Reactions to ProposedPassenger Screening Improvements

Most air travelers [65%] would approve of a special security process for American citizens with no criminal record who are frequent air travelers---and who provide the Government with personal background information in advance of their flight.

Similarly, 60% would approve of a special security line for frequent air travelers --- 68% approval among business travelers; and a majority [58%] favor creating a special security line for families, infrequent travelers and persons requiring boarding assistance.

Less support 43%] is observed for a policy that would limit full-body scans only to those passengers identified by an initial alarm or TSA suspicion.

32

33

Reactions to ProposedPassenger Screening Improvements

[ Positive: 8,9,10 on 0-10 Scale]

63%

69%

70%

43%

58%

60%

65%

48%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Use pat-dow ns or full-body scans only forthose travelers identif ied by aninitial alarm or TSA suspicion

Creating a special security line for families,infrequent travelers and persons

requiring boarding assistance

Creating a special security line for frequentair travelers

Establishing a special security process forAmerican citizens w ith no criminal

record w ho are frequent air travelers andprovide the Government w ith

personal background information inadvance of their f light

Past 30 Days All Past 2 Year Travelers

Q. How would you rate your reaction to each of the following screening possibilities for airline passengers?