Airlines

Line graph. Trend in Americans' overall views of the airline industry. In 2021, 33% of Americans have a very or somewhat positive view of the airline industry, while 32% have a very or somewhat negative view. In 2001, when Gallup first asked this question, 37% had an overall positive view and 30% had an overall negative view.

On another subject, for each of the following business sectors in the United States, please say whether your overall view of it is very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative or very negative. How about the airline industry?

	Very positive	Somewhat positive	Neutral	Somewhat negative	Very negative	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%	%
2021 Aug 2-17	8	25	35	23	9	*
2020 Jul 30-Aug 12	10	31	33	18	8	*
2019 Aug 1-14	11	31	32	19	4	2
2018 Aug 1-12	12	31	31	19	5	2
2017 Aug 2-6	9	32	20	24	11	3
2016 Aug 3-7	8	33	30	17	9	2
2015 Aug 5-9	7	28	29	24	8	4
2014 Aug 7-10	7	28	32	21	8	3
2013 Aug 7-11	8	30	29	22	8	4
2012 Aug 9-12	6	25	32	26	9	2
2011 Aug 11-14	5	24	30	26	13	2
2010 Aug 5-8	4	26	25	27	14	4
2009 Aug 6-9	6	26	29	30	7	2
2008 Aug 7-10	3	15	27	29	23	3
2007 Aug 13-16	7	23	33	24	9	4
2006 Aug 7-10	7	26	32	22	9	4
2005 Aug 8-11	6	32	32	21	6	3
2004 Aug 9-11	6	32	33	20	3	6
2003 Aug 4-6	6	31	30	24	7	2
2002 Aug 5-8	7	24	33	24	6	6
2001 Aug 16-19	10	27	29	23	7	4
Gallup

How many air trips, if any, have you taken on a commercial airliner in the past twelve months -- counting each round trip as one trip?

	None	1 to 2	3 to 4	5 or more	No opinion	Mean
	%	%	%	%	%
2015 Dec 2-6	55	25	9	10	*	2.1
2012 Jul 9-12	48	27	13	12	*	2.1
2008 Dec 4-7	56	25	10	8	*	1.7
2007 Dec 6-9	57	23	12	8	--	1.7
2006 Dec 11-14	52	29	8	11	--	2.2
2006 Aug 18-20	49	28	15	9	--	1.9
2005 Dec 5-8	60	25	9	6	--	1.5
2005 Apr 1-2	49	28	14	9	*	1.9
2004 Dec 5-8	59	23	9	9	--	1.6
2003 Dec 11-14	60	24	9	7	*	1.5
2002 Sep 2-4	61	24	9	6	--	1.8
2002 Feb 8-10	48	32	11	9	--	1.9
2001 Nov 26-27	50	31	10	9	--	2
2000 Aug 24-27	55	26	10	9	*	1.8
2000 Feb 4-6	55	25	9	11	*	2.1
1999 Nov 18-21	54	26	13	7	*	1.7
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Now thinking about some specific aspects of flying today, please say whether you are generally satisfied or dissatisfied with each one. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

	Satisfied	Dissatisfied	No opinion
	%	%	%
The courtesy of the flight attendants
2015 Dec 2-6	94	6	--
2007 Dec 6-9	92	8	*
2000 Aug 24-27	90	9	1
1999 Aug 3-4	88	11	1
The courtesy of the check-in and gate agents
2015 Dec 2-6	95	4	1
2007 Dec 6-9	88	10	1
2000 Aug 24-27	89	10	1
1999 Aug 3-4	87	13	*
The airlines' on-time performance
2015 Dec 2-6	81	18	*
2007 Dec 6-9	69	30	1
2000 Aug 24-27	65	34	1
1999 Aug 3-4	67	33	*
The price you pay for tickets
2015 Dec 2-6	51	48	1
2007 Dec 6-9	65	34	2
2000 Aug 24-27	59	39	2
1999 Aug 3-4	45	54	1
Schedules and options for getting where you want to go
2015 Dec 2-6	80	19	*
2007 Dec 6-9	79	20	1
2000 Aug 24-27	79	21	*
1999 Aug 3-4	75	25	0
The speed and reliability of luggage systems
2015 Dec 2-6	78	21	1
2007 Dec 6-9	75	22	3
2000 Aug 24-27	71	26	3
1999 Aug 3-4	67	32	1
The comfort of the seats on the airplanes
2015 Dec 2-6	45	54	*
2007 Dec 6-9	47	53	*
The procedures for going through security checkpoints
2015 Dec 2-6	73	27	--
2007 Dec 6-9	69	31	*
Airlines' efforts to deal with flight delays and cancellations
2015 Dec 2-6	62	35	3
2007 Dec 6-9	56	37	7
The process of buying a ticket
2015 Dec 2-6	90	9	1
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Thinking now about the TSA, the government agency that handles security screening at U.S. airports, do you think the TSA is doing an excellent, good, only fair or poor job?

	Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2012 Jul 9-12	13	41	30	12	4
Gallup

How effective do you think the TSA's screening procedures are at preventing acts of terrorism on U.S. airplanes -- extremely effective, very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective or not effective at all?

	Extremely	Very	Somewhat	Not too	Not at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%	%
2012 Jul 9-12	9	32	44	8	5	2
Gallup

In a typical year, approximately how many air trips would you say you take -- counting each round trip as one trip? [OPEN-ENDED]

	Zero	One-Two	Three-Four	Five or more	No opinion	Mean
	%	%	%	%	%
2008 Apr 18-20	44	35	9	11	*	1.98
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Based on your own experience, compared to a year ago, do you think it is now -- [ROTATED: more expensive to fly, about the same (or) less expensive to fly?

Based on those who travel by air

	More expensive	About the same	Less expensive	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2008 Apr 18-20	71	24	3	2
Gallup

As you may know, the price of air travel is expected to increase this summer. If that happens, do you think you will be less likely to fly, or will it not affect your travel plans?

	Less likely to fly	Will not affect travel plans	No opinion
	%	%	%
2008 Apr 18-20	45	54	1
Gallup

Overall, would you say you are satisfied or dissatisfied with the job the nation's major airlines are doing?

Based on those who have flown in the past year

	Satisfied	Dissatisfied	No opinion
	%	%	%
2007 Dec 6-9	72	24	3
2000 Aug 24-27	69	29	2
1999 Aug 3-4	65	32	3
Gallup

If you had to fly on an airplane tomorrow, how would you describe your feelings about flying? Would you be -- very afraid, somewhat afraid, not very afraid or not afraid at all?

	Very afraid	Somewhat afraid	Not very afraid	Not afraid at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20	10	25	24	40	1
2006 Mar 10-12	9	18	18	53	1
2002 Feb 8-10	18	26	17	38	1
2001 Nov 26-27	17	26	18	38	1
Gallup

Would you say the new security measures at airports around the country since the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks have been an effective part of the government's overall strategy to prevent terrorism, or not?

	Yes, effective	No, not effective	No opinion
	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20	77	21	2
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Do you think the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks and reports of other planned attacks have permanently changed the rules for how Americans fly, or do you think at some point in the future the current rules could be relaxed or eliminated?

	Permanently changed rules	Some rules could be relaxed	No opinion
	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20	71	26	3
Gallup

Next, please tell me if you would favor or oppose each of the following as a means of preventing terrorist attacks in the United States. How about -- requiring Arabs, including those who are U.S. citizens, to undergo special, more intensive security checks before boarding airplanes in the U.S.?

	Favor	Oppose	No opinion
	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20 ^	53	45	2
2005 Jul 22-24 ^	53	46	1
2001 Sep 14-15	58	41	1
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Next, please tell me if you would favor or oppose each of the following as a means of preventing terrorist attacks in the United States. How about -- banning airline passengers from carrying on board any luggage including purses, computers, and briefcases ?

	Favor	Oppose	No opinion
	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20 ^	41	57	3
2001 Sep 14-15	51	47	2
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Next, please tell me how effective each of the following security procedures would be as a means of preventing terrorist attacks in the United States -- very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective or not effective at all? Requiring Arabs, including those who are U.S. citizens, to undergo special, more intensive security checks before boarding airplanes in the U.S.

	Very effective	Somewhat effective	Not too effective	Not effective at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20 ^	37	33	16	11	3
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Next, please tell me how effective each of the following security procedures would be as a means of preventing terrorist attacks in the United States -- very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective or not effective at all? Banning airline passengers from carrying on board any luggage including purses, computers, and briefcases.

	Very effective	Somewhat effective	Not too effective	Not effective at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20 ^	32	35	16	14	2
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Next, please tell me how effective each of the following security procedures would be as a means of preventing terrorist attacks in the United States -- very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective or not effective at all? Running all checked luggage through metal detectors and other screening devices.

	Very effective	Somewhat effective	Not too effective	Not effective at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20 ^	66	28	5	2	*
^ Asked of a half sample; * Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Next, please tell me how effective each of the following security procedures would be as a means of preventing terrorist attacks in the United States -- very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective or not effective at all? Conducting much stricter background checks for airport workers.

	Very effective	Somewhat effective	Not too effective	Not effective at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20 ^	67	25	5	1	1
^ Asked of a half sample.
Gallup

As you may know, new security requirements were put in place at U.S. airports after a terrorist plot was recently uncovered in London. Airline passengers are now prohibited from carrying most liquids or gels onto airplanes. Do you think this new requirement is an appropriate response, or does it go too far?

	Appropriate response	Goes too far	No opinion
	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20	70	29	1
Gallup

Suppose you were taking a flight and had to submit to various security checks before boarding the airplane. Regardless of whether you think it is necessary, would you, personally, find each of the following to be annoying, or not? How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

	Yes	No	No opinion
	%	%	%
Disposing of any liquids or gels or putting them in checked baggage
2006 Aug 18-20	23	76	*
Removing your shoes or belt
2006 Aug 18-20	25	74	1
Having a security agent touch you/your cloting as part of a search
2006 Aug 18-20	36	64	*
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Suppose you had to take a trip that people usually take by plane. In order to avoid the hassles associated with air travel these days, would you seriously consider using an alternative means of transportation, such as car, bus, or train, or would you probably fly?

	Would consider alternative means	Would probably fly	No opinion
	%	%	%
2006 Aug 18-20	46	53	1
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Airlines

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