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Travel Frustrations Dip...Except over Costs
October 07, 2008

The quarterly barometer that tracks traveler frustrations with such headaches as cost, safety and service found movement in both directions during the past summer.

While frustrations with rising gas prices fueled a spike in concern about overall travel costs to their highest levels in the past year, travelers registered more resignation over the hassles associated with airline travel. Overall, the quarter's frustration index stood at 55.1 percent, dipping 2.4 points since March but still above the 53.9 point level reported last summer.

The latest Access America's Traveler Frustration Index conducted in August and released today reported that Americans' frustration with gas prices was 8 percentage points higher than during the same three months in 2007, peaking this past spring at 88 percent.

The survey found a similar boost in frustration levels over the cost of airline, cruise line and train tickets, up 7 points year over year. Frustration with hotel prices checked in at 49 percent, an increase of five points over 2007 levels.

Despite these concerns over rising costs, Americans reported less frustration with airline and airport service. Frustration levels declined five points since August 2007, now registering at 49 percent.