How cautious are you when it comes to travel?
British holidaymakers are a cautious bunch, as a recent poll found that the average holidaymaker packs much too early and arrives at the airport much earlier than the required two hours, whilst checking that passports, tickets and other travel documents are on their persons more than they need to.
www.sunshine.co.uk carried out the research as part of an ongoing study into the holiday habits and preferences of people around the UK. 1,211 UK adults took part in the poll and all respondents had been on a holiday abroad in the past 12 months. Respondents were asked questions about how cautious they were before going away.
It’s only human to worry that you’ve forgotten your passport or not packed your toothbrush... but seeing the extent to which some people worry about this sort of thing is incredible
When asked 'How early did you pack your suitcase before going away?’ the average answer stated by 51 per cent of respondents was a ‘week before leaving', whilst just three per cent of respondents left it until the day before or same day.
Those taking part were then asked how many times, approximately, they checked that they had their passport, tickets and travel documents on them before they got to the airport, to which 48 per cent of respondents said ‘10 or more times’ suggesting that they were careful not to arrive at the airport without them.
Most airlines taking passengers abroad require those flying to be at the airport two hours before departure. Despite this, when asked how much earlier than their flight they arrived at the airport on their last holiday abroad, the average answer stated by those taking part was ‘3 hours’; an hour earlier than the necessary length of time.
Furthermore, the average respondent said that they checked they hadn’t forgotten to pack certain items in their suitcase ‘around 5 times’ and when speaking about the weight of their suitcase, the average respondent admitted to weighing their case also ‘around 5 times’ before checking in; despite not having added any contents or taking anything away, meaning it would be the same weight as the first time they weighed it.
Chris Clarkson, co-founder of sunshine.co.uk, said: “It’s only human to worry that you’ve forgotten your passport or not packed your toothbrush and favourite pair of flip flops, but seeing the extent to which some people worry about this sort of thing is incredible.
“Still, checking you’ve got your passport and plane tickets 10 or more times might seem silly, but it’s certainly better than arriving at the airport to find you have indeed left it at home and can’t board your flight! As they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry!”
How cautious are you when it comes to travel? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @FemaleFirst_UK
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Tagged in Travel Travel Advice