by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:57 AM ET, Thu December 17, 2020
A new study found that 90 percent of Americans who fly will not return to their previous travel habits once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control.
According to Inmarsat Aviation's Passenger Confidence Tracker, the survey of 1,000 travelers from the United States who had taken a flight in the past 18 months found that 43 percent planned to travel less often by any means and 36 percent expected to fly less.
American travelers also ranked second in the world at flying during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, with 50 percent of Americans surveyed saying they traveled via plane at least once since mid-March.
On average for the rest of the world, only 34 percent flew during the pandemic.
"Our 'Passenger Confidence Tracker' reveals a fascinating global shift in travel behavior, which could see air travel reshaped entirely," Inmarsat President Philip Balaam said. "Interestingly, the survey finds that people in the United States are among the most confident to get on a plane in the short term - and yet almost unanimously, they foresee a long-term shift in their travel habits as a result of the pandemic."
While there is still much concern due to COVID-19, the study found that 60 percent of U.S. passengers said they would feel confident getting back on a flight within the next six months, compared to just 47 percent globally.
Airlines have been working hard to make passengers feel safe and it's working, as 71 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with their carrier during air travel.
As for those not taking to the skies, 53 percent said it was due to concerns about catching COVID-19 on the plane or in the airport.
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