Bengaluru: Fear of Covid-19, reluctance by family members made lesser people take flights, finds survey

Also read | Bengaluru airport steps up hygiene practices, gears up to welcome passengers

The survey was done using a systematic random sampling methodology, chosen from a database of over 1,50,000 passengers from across age, profession, group size, frequency of flying, and sector of flying, officials said.

Compared to April, 15 per cent more respondents said airports were safer than bus and railway stations in July.

“Though 21% were concerned about airport safety and hygiene checks in (lockdown) phase 1, it declined considerably to 6% in phase 5. In another favourable sign, safety perceptions associated with air travel and airports steadily improved through the phases. In the first phase, 71% of respondents considered air travel as the safest mode of transport, while in the final phase 89% of the respondents considered air travel to be the safest,” the BIAL spokesperson said.

This, in addition, has contributed to a higher positive disposition towards air travel as well. As per the results, those with an intent to take flights rose from a mere 13 per cent in phase 1 to 33% in phase 5 of the lockdown.

Recently, the airport had launched Virtual Information Desks, enabling travellers to have real-time conversations with airport staff over touch-free video.

Meanwhile, the temperature at all air-conditioned premises at the BLR Airport was increased to 25 ±1°C, two degrees higher than the 23 ±1°C temperature during the pre-COVID-19 period, in an effort to minimise transmission of the virus.