Two thirds (65%) of consumers have said that it is time for air travel to become more sustainable, according to a study undertaken by electric aircraft manufacturer Lilium.
According to the survey, of 4,000 people across the US, UK, France, and Germany, 60% said that they would ‘like to try’ electric aviation, while 73% were concerned about the contribution of traditional aviation to pollution.
Some 76% of German respondents said that they were concerned about pollution levels from traditional aviation, as well as 67% in the US.
Across all markets included in the study, 70% also said they were concerned about the role of aviation in climate change.
‘A wake-up call’
“The findings from this research should serve as a wake-up call for Europe and elsewhere to boost support for electric aviation,” commented Klaus Roewe, chief executive, Lilium. “The demand and excitement for this new form of transport is clear, and the potential of electric aviation to contribute to solving the broader environmental issues and challenges in air transportation is significant.
“Aviation is at the heart of the global economy, whether it’s for tourism and travel or logistics—but equally, it’s responsible for around 2.5% of global CO2 emissions. Our industry can do this in a sustainable way, and we hope the US and Europe take the lead in establishing electric flight commercially.”
Sustainable choice
Another takeaway from the study was that younger consumers tend to make travel decisions based on how sustainable their chosen mode of transport is.
In the US, for example, adults 18-34 are two-and-a-half times more likely to focus on sustainability than those aged 55+ when making travel decisions.
Respondents were asked about their preferred modes of travel for a journey of approximately 100 miles. Cars were the most popular choice, with US respondents particularly likely to choose air travel as their second option, favouring flights over trains and buses.
The top scenarios for these journeys included ‘getting around while on holiday’ (29%), ‘exploring places within my country’ (28%), and ‘exploring nearby regions’ (23%). US respondents showed a strong preference for domestic travel.
Cost was also identified as the most critical factor in making travel plans, with over half (54%) of respondents ranking it as their top priority. Comfort (46%) and convenience of access (39%) were also important considerations, according to the study.
In terms of the areas in which they had dissatisfaction with traditional air travel, 38% of consumers across all markets indicated that reducing the amount of time spent at airports should be a primary focus for improving the air travel experience. Read more here.
