Brits would forgo complimentary food, drink and magazines for cheaper flights

A survey conducted by worldwide luxury holiday specialist Kenwood Travel has revealed British travellers would gladly forgo complimentary in-flight items such as food and drink, WiFi, magazines and even in-flight entertainment, in return for cheaper flights.

The survey of more than 1,000 British holidaymakers found the in-flight magazine would be the first to go, with more than half (56%), saying they would be happy for airlines to ditch these complimentary mags, if it meant less costly flights.

The survey also reveals that whilst many flyers enjoy the on-board complimentary treats, available on most mid-to-long haul flights, more than one in 10 (12%), say they would be satisfied if airlines no longer offered free food and drink, as long as this meant cheaper flights. Despite more and more Brits owning their own smartphones and tablets, it also seems the majority of travellers would rather use the onboard entertainment system and WiFi.

According to the survey, eight in 10 British flyers (80%), would rather enjoy watching the seat-back TV or movies and take advantage of the onboard WiFi, rather than using their own devices, even if it meant airlines could offer cheaper flights if they ditched in-flight entertainment and WiFi.

Alex Stuart, head of sales at Kenwood Travel said: “Our survey reveals that for many British travellers, cost is king, and if airlines cut back on services such as complimentary food and drink, they wouldn’t mind, as long as the savings were passed on and the seats themselves were cheaper.”