The purpose of this task is to develop improved models of air travel demand at a market and national level, as well as many other analyses that form the basis of local, regional and state airport system planning, requires information on the characteristics of the air passenger trips that comprise the existing pattern of air travel.  The only practical way to get most of this information is to ask the travelers themselves through an air passenger survey.

 Surveys are performed at different times, using different survey instruments and different sample sizes, combining the results of such surveys is technically challenging, even after the hurdle of actually locating and obtaining the data has been overcome.  Some of the challenges involved in undertaking air passenger surveys and making use of the results of such surveys were discussed at a recent workshop on Air Passenger Survey Methodology, which was held as part of the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in January 2004.  Among the issues addressed at the workshop were the need to be able to combine the results of surveys at different airports in order to support regional aviation system planning and a proposed research agenda in air passenger survey methodology in order to develop improved guidance on the design and conduct of future surveys.

 In order to address these needs, access to, and the use of, air passenger data would be greatly facilitated by a national archive of air passenger survey results, together with appropriate information on the survey methodology used.  The ability to compare the results of local surveys with those conducted elsewhere would provide some incentive to airport authorities and other agencies to contribute their survey results to such an archive. 

Contact Project Lead: Keith Bagot

Last Update: 05/18/09