Poll: Majorities In U.S., Five Largest European Countries Say Air Travel Is Safe

A new Financial Times/Harris Poll in the United States and the five largest European countries looks at air travel safety and security and finds an overall sense of safety prevails.

Three-quarters of Spaniards (75 percent), more than seven in ten Britons (72 percent), more than two-thirds of Americans (69 percent) and Germans (68 percent), and more than three in five Italians (64 percent) and French (62 percent) all say they consider air travel to be safe. In fact, one-third of Britons (35 percent) and Americans (32 percent) say they consider it to be very safe.

These are some of the findings of a Financial Times/Harris Poll conducted online by Harris Interactive among 6,130 adults aged 16-64 within France (1,097), Germany (1,070), Great Britain (871), Spain (1,003), the U.S. (1,044) and adults aged 18-64 in Italy (1,045) between November 9 and 16, 2010.

Other interesting findings of this survey include:

  • Considering some of the new airport security measures that have been put in place, such as removing shoes and no bottled water, around half of Germans (52 percent), French (49 percent), Americans (49 percent), Spaniards (48 percent) and Britons (47 percent) all say these current airport security measures are adequate and should not change. Italians are more torn, as two in five say both that these measures are adequate (41 percent) and the same number say that they are not rigid enough and should be made more rigid (41 percent).
  • About one in five adults in each of the six countries (between 18 percent and 25 percent) believe that these security measures are too rigid and should be relaxed. When these adults were asked what should be relaxed or removed completely, adults said the limit on liquids (between 64 percent and 90 percent), having to fit cosmetics and liquids into a plastic bag (between 55 percent and 74 percent), and removing shoes and belts (between 45 percent and 75 percent) top the list.
  • As full body scanners are rolled out in the United States, adults in all six countries say they support these devices being used. Strong majorities in Italy (68 percent), Great Britain (68 percent), France (65 percent), Germany (64 percent), the U.S. (62 percent) and Spain (59 percent) all mostly support the introduction of full body scanners in all major airports.
  • One additional security measure is being discussed in the U.K. -- profiling airline passengers at security, or targeting specific groups. Over half of Britons (54 percent), almost half of Americans (48 percent), and two in five Germans (43 percent), Spaniards (42 percent) and Italians (41 percent) would mostly support this additional security measure. French adults are of a different mindset with 41 percent saying they would mostly oppose this practice while 38 percent would mostly support it. There is also a great deal of uncertainty on this security measure as one in five adults in all six countries say they are not sure if they would support or oppose this measure.

Featured

  • 12 Commercial Crime Sites to Do Your Research

    12 Commercial Crime Sites to Do Your Research

    Understanding crime statistics in your industry and area is crucial for making important decisions about your security budget. With so much information out there, how can you know which statistics to trust? Read Now

  • Boosting Safety and Efficiency

    Boosting Safety and Efficiency

    In alignment with the state of Mississippi’s mission of “Empowering Mississippi citizens to stay connected and engaged with their government,” Salient's CompleteView VMS is being installed throughout more than 150 state boards, commissions and agencies in order to ensure safety for thousands of constituents who access state services daily. Read Now

  • Live From GSX: Post-Show Review

    Live From GSX: Post-Show Review

    This year’s Live From GSX program was a rousing success! Again, we’d like to thank our partners, and IPVideo, for working with us and letting us broadcast their solutions to the industry. You can follow our Live From GSX 2023 page to keep up with post-show developments and announcements. And if you’re interested in working with us in 2024, please don’t hesitate to ask about our Live From programs for ISC West in March or next year’s GSX. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX
  • People Say the Funniest Things

    People Say the Funniest Things

    By all accounts, GSX version 2023 was completely successful. Apparently, there were plenty of mix-ups with the airlines and getting aircraft from the East Coast into Big D. I am all ears when I am in a gathering of people. You never know when a nugget of information might flip out. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles. 3

  • XS4 Original+

    XS4 Original+

    The SALTO XS4 Original+ design is based on the same proven housing and mechanical mechanisms of the XS4 Original. The XS4 Original+, however, is embedded with SALTO’s BLUEnet real-time functionality and SVN-Flex capability that enables SALTO stand-alone smart XS4 Original+ locks to update user credentials directly at the door. Compatible with the array of SALTO platform solutions including SALTO Space data-on-card, SALTO KS Keys as a Service cloud-based access solution, and SALTO’s JustIn Mobile technology for digital keys. The XS4 Original+ also includes RFID Mifare DESFire, Bluetooth LE and NFC technology functionality. 3

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions. 3