Previous Polls

In light of the current economic downturn, Toronto Pearson International Airport has introduced significant rebates on landing fees. Specifically, qualifying carriers will receive a 50% reduction in their landing fees in the first year, and 25% in the second year. How does this rebate program make you feel about Toronto Pearson?

Improves perceptions about the airport.
64%
Worsens perceptions about the airport.
9%
Does not change my perceptions about the airport.
27%
314 Responses

UK Secretary of State for Transport Geoff Hoon recently urged President Barack Obama's administration to commit to completing a Stage 2 EU-US open skies agreement by June 2010 "with the headline objective of liberalizing all foreign ownership in airlines." Hoon's vision of opening up international investment:

Will come to fruition in 2010 as US officials realize that the struggling airline industry needs all the sources of financing it can get.
7%
Is unrealistic; US Congress is in a protectionist mood and won't be willing to change airline foreign ownership and control rules for some time.
43%
Will be partly achieved; a complete liberalization is too radical a step but EU and US negotiators will reach a compromise to begin loosening restrictions.
51%
181 Responses

The European Commission has opened antitrust investigations into four Star Alliance members and three oneworld carriers and a bill proposed by a US Congressional committee would force the US Dept. of Transportation to renew airline alliances' antitrust immunity every three years. Alliances should:

Be very worried. Governments appear likely to impose new restrictions on airline cooperation that could limit alliances' benefits.
40%
Not be concerned. The alliances have been around long enough, and their benefits to consumers are clear enough, that regulators will pull back after a brief examination.
32%
Move preemptively to change. Airlines in major alliances would do well to restructure their relationships to avoid increased regulation even if it means a reduction in benefits.
28%
140 Responses

US airlines cancelled 1.2% of their scheduled domestic flights in February, down 67% year-over-year. According to a recent study by St. Louis and Wichita State universities, US carriers' service improved in 2008 for the first time in five years and customer complaints are down after years of grumbling about service. Why?

With traffic down, the system is simply much less crowded, meaning fewer delays, less mishandled baggage, etc.
81%
US airlines, aware of their customer service reputation, have made a concerted effort to improve their performance.
9%
By charging ancillary fees for various services, such as checking baggage, airlines now have a financial incentive to provide better services.
9%
255 Responses

There were 11 fatal scheduled service aircraft crashes worldwide last year, identical to 2007, according to ICAO, which reported that the accident rate decreased only "marginally" year-over-year. Scheduled service airline safety:

Is as good as it can ever possibly be; there will always be some crashes and the accident rate of 2007 and 2008 is not likely to be lowered in coming years.
28%
Can still be improved significantly, particularly in developing parts of the world. Zero accidents, or near zero accidents, is an achievable goal.
52%
Is not really as good as is perceived; it would not be surprising to see the accident rate increase this year.
20%
225 Responses

Airlines have generated considerable ancillary revenue in recent years and continue to explore new "a la carte" charges. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary says he is "serious" about considering charging passengers £1 to use onboard lavatories. His "coin slot on the toilet door" idea is:

Brilliant; he estimates the LCC could earn some £15 million annually from charging for bathroom use and it fits with the carrier's pricing model.
7%
A bridge too far regarding ancillary revenue; forcing passengers to pay for using restrooms is simply wrong and the public backlash will be too strong for it to be worth doing.
75%
Not practicable; while O'Leary says he has asked Boeing to explore ways in which coin slots or a credit card swiping mechanism could be installed on 737 bathroom doors, it is unlikely a workable method for collecting money will be found.
18%
334 Responses

ILFC Chairman and CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy recently projected that both Airbus and Boeing will cut aircraft production over the next two years by as much as 30%-35%. The manufacturers' production rates in 2010 will:

Remain the same.
8%
Be significantly cut, by around 35%, as cancellations and deferrals increase rapidly.
45%
Be cut, but only by around 10%.
47%
230 Responses

With President Obama and a new Congress in office, long-stalled US FAA reauthorization legislation:

Will pass before the agency's latest temporary budget extension expires on March 31, providing ample funding for the multi-billion dollar transition to the NextGen satellite-based ATC system.
17%
Will continue to be bogged down by the same disagreements, namely the fight over whether business aviation should pay higher ATC user costs, keeping FAA in limbo into late 2009.
43%
Will pass in the first half of the year, but not until after another round of Congressional wrangling that will leave NextGen's long-term funding still somewhat uncertain.
40%
106 Responses

Air cargo traffic growth cratered in the second half of 2008 as the global financial crisis deepened. What will happen in 2009?

International airfreight traffic will be flat year-over-year owing to a stabilizing worldwide economy.
27%
Traffic will actually increase; given the poor performance in the second half of last year, a second-half 2009 cargo traffic rebound in year-over-year growth is likely.
17%
Traffic will significantly contract; global fiscal woes are likely to continue throughout the year, depressing trade.
56%
131 Responses

Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines are the most recent of several airlines to conduct test flights with aircraft partially powered by alternative fuel. These test flights that aim to prove the viability of new kinds of fuel, such as those derived from jatropha plants and algae, are:

The start of a dramatic revolution in the way air transport is powered; sustainable biofuels will be significantly used in commercial flights within 3-5 yrs.
22%
Not nearly as important now that oil prices have plummeted; traditional jet fuel is perfectly fine as long as prices remain low and manufacturers improve aircraft fuel efficiency.
9%
The first steps in a long, slow process; alternative fuels will be used in commercial flights, but not for at least 10 yrs.
69%
262 Responses
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