The travel summer of 2022 presents many hurdles for many air and rail travelers. Recent research shows that about a third of passengers experienced a breakdown in the past three months. This confirms reports that problems in international travel are the order of the day: staff shortages, capacity bottlenecks and strikes lead to cancellations and delays.
About a third (32 percent) of the surveyed population aged 18 and over has taken at least one flight or train journey in the past 3 months. Of these travelers, 37 percent reported at least one unexpected disruption to their journey, for which they were not responsible, to the market research firm Ipsos (750 respondents).
AUA and ÖBB as positive examples
AUA and ÖBB stand out positively in an international comparison: AUA has carried out almost all flights according to plan. And the ÖBB is in very high demand, especially during busy travel weekends like the one ahead, which is why it is advisable to reserve seats. However, when it comes to punctuality and reliability, ÖBB beats the competition.
Flight cancellations, overcrowded trains
The most common reasons for airline passenger complaints were short-term changes in departure times (44 percent of all disruptions), significantly delayed departures (33 percent) and short-term flight cancellations by the airline (27 percent). Every tenth passenger was affected by flight cancellations.
But train travelers have not been immune to delays and delays lately. 41 percent of all train passengers reported unexpected problems, with overcrowded trains and the associated reservation requirement being the most frequently mentioned (40 percent).
10 percent of all train passengers had to deal with missing connecting trains. Trains delayed by more than an hour were almost equally likely to cause problems for train passengers.
Those affected are now planning more time
Any third air passenger or train passenger affected by a disruption assumes that he is entitled to compensation. Until now, however, only a small part of those affected have submitted a concrete application for this. In most cases, the affected travelers fail due to a lack of information about the possibilities to file a claim, or they shun further inconvenience in disputes.
And 38 percent of travelers affected by the disruption want to plan more time for arrivals and departures in the future. About 20 percent want to use another mode of transport or plan their holiday outside the main travel season.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
