14 Aug 2014
New data and exclusive research from Cheapflights.co.uk has found that despite airlines going to great lengths to provide passengers with the on-board luxuries to make their experience all the more extravagant, the vast majority are failing to provide a simple item that passengers want most – deodorant!
In a Cheapflights survey of 1,141 people across the UK and Ireland, participants nominated the items they would include in their ideal on-board amenity kit. Topping the list – that included toothbrush, eye mask, slippers and eye cream among others – was the humble deodorant; selected by more than 52% of respondents. Yet in an extensive review of 48 amenity kits from 27 different airlines, just four (fewer than 15%) provided upper class passengers with a measly stick or spray can of deodorant.
The research revealed that barely more than 20%* of passengers across the UK and Ireland have actually experienced first or business class – yet this almost doubles to 40.9% in England. However, despite being almost twice as likely as the rest of the UK and Ireland to actually fly first or business class, it seems the English may be less odour-conscious than everyone else! When the results were broken down by region, deodorant was still the first or second choice for all except for England – where it dropped to fourth place well behind Welsh passengers who lead the way in their desire for deodorant on 57.6%. Meanwhile, just under 10% (9.2%) of cheeky Irish passengers thought that amenity kits should include condoms; greater than any of the other home nations and more than double the figure for their counterparts in Northern Ireland (4.1%).
In their quest for an upgrade, English passengers also admit to being the most ruthless. English respondents said that they would be willing to leave their travelling companions behind for an upgrade (8%) lie or pretend to be sick (6.4%) or delay their departure (39.3%). But the Irish are more likely to flirt their way into first class (19.3% versus 18.6% for English passengers and 15.7% for the Welsh).
Offering a sneak behind the curtain into the forward section, Cheapflights.co.uk this week publishes its ranking of the top amenity kits offered to upper-class passengers on 27 airlines; rating them on quality, contents, utility, suitability and innovation. Surprisingly, only kits from Emirates, QANTAS, JetBlue and British Airways featured the humble BO neutraliser!
Cheapflights.co.uk spokesperson Oonagh Shiel said: “I think the results of this survey would come as quite a surprise for some airlines. Many go to great effort to ensure they anticipate customers' needs and expectations but it would seem sometimes it's the smallest of tweaks that are needed to the offering to really hit the mark. After all, nobody wants upper class passengers causing a stink.
“It's amazing what some people are prepared to do for an upgrade; be it lying, flirting or dropping their friends. At Cheapflights we wouldn't recommend ditching your travelling companions for an upgrade – at least not on your outbound journey. I think the Irish have it right, here – batting your lashes and being nice is far more likely to get you on the other side of the curtain!”
– Ends –
*Wales 21.2% / Northern Ireland 22.5% / England 40.9% / Scotland 23.0%/ Ireland 29.5%
For further information please contact:
Rooster PR
Nick Wheywell / Stuart Fyfe / Sakhita Sharma / Kevan Barber
T: 0203 440 8930
About Cheapflights.co.uk, a part of the Momondo Group: “Let's Open our World.”
Momondo Group is an online travel media and technology company that is driven by the belief that an open world is a better world. The group now serves travel search and inspiration to over 17.5 million visitors a month – plus 7 million travel newsletter subscribers – via its Cheapflights (http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/) and momondo (www.momondo.com) brands.
Skygate began the sourcing of complex air-travel data in 1992, whilst Cheapflights pioneered the online comparison of flight deals for users in 1996 and momondo launched meta-search in the Nordic countries from 2006.
The Group has offices in London, Copenhagen, Boston and Toronto, with a consumer base across more than 25 core international markets and engaged travellers, explorers and holiday-makers all over the world.
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