A third of Canadian travellers are changing travel plans because of airport delays: survey

Aug 10 2022, 4:11 pm

With so much uncertainty and volatility in the current Canadian travel sphere, it’s no wonder that so many of us have had to alter or ditch our trip plans altogether.

A newly published Leger survey (conducted on behalf of RatesDotCa and BNN Bloomberg) shows that over one third (35%) of potential air travellers have modified their plans as a result of delayed or cancelled flights as well as incredibly long lines at airports.

Data from respondents showed that most Canadians (54%) ⁠— amidst the current travel surge ⁠— plan on travelling this year by plane or car. However, one-third (35%) of potential plane travellers have made changes in their travel plans due to delayed or cancelled flights and long lines at airports. Of this group, 56% have delayed travel plans, 18% have altered their desired destination, and 13% decided to drive somewhere instead.

All this fickleness has more Canadians opting for insurance. The majority of travellers (78%) who were forced to modify their plans say they intend on purchasing travel insurance for their next trip.

Interestingly 57% of people who intend to travel by plane say they’ll purchase additional travel insurance coverage, such as trip cancellation or trip interruption, while only 34% travelling by car say the same.

“We are seeing many travellers choosing to travel by car or staying within Canada, so it is important to understand there is still a need for travel insurance, even when staying closer to home,” Louiselle Landry, business development manager at TuGo Insurance, said in an email to RatesDotCa.

Michelle Bates, the author who published the survey’s data, says, “weighing the cost of travel insurance and the total cost of a vacation or medical emergency is an important part of trip preparation, particularly for those who are flying internationally.”

Al SciolaAl Sciola

+ News
+ Venture
+ Transportation
+ Urbanized
ADVERTISEMENT