Airport travel can be one of the most stressful experiences (picture: Getty Images)
If there’s one thing we can probably all agree on, it’s that airport travel can be a very stressful experience.
You’ve got unexpected flight delays and cancellations, big security queues and lets not forget fellow flyers blocking your path as you speed for the gate.
But, there’s now a smart tool that can help you prepare for the airport chaos by predicting the levels of stress you could face during your journey.
Flight Finder’s Airport Stress Calculator takes into account the frequency of flight delays at your airport, luggage restrictions and the amount of travellers at the airport during the time of your journey.
While it’s no miracle-worker and it can’t banish the stress of the journey altogether, at least you’ll know what to expect before you even leave your home.
Flight Finder says: ‘We have analysed data on three of the most common sources of stress for air travellers: the busyness of the airport at the time of your flight, the stringency of the baggage restrictions imposed by your airline and the likelihood of delays at your selected airport.
‘All you need to do is fill in your time of departure, the airline you’re flying with and the airport you’re flying from. Then, the calculator will work its magic and give you the percentage risk that you will have a stressful airport experience.’
Here’s an example below.
While it’s obviously not going to be 100% accurate (don’t you just love air travel), it can paint a fairly good picture of whether you’re going to want to tear your hair out or whether you’ll be able to relax with a pre-flight pint.
It might also help you decide whether to leave extra early for the airport.
Congestion in the airport can be a major factor when it comes to stress (picture: Getty Images)
What we can tell you is that if you’re flying from Gatwick your stress levels are probably going to be pretty high, according to a recent survey.
London Gatwick has seen the second-highest number of delays across the whole of Europe, with over two in five outgoing flights arriving late (41%) at the beginning of August.
Shahab Siddiqui, CEO of FlightsFinder, said: ‘One of the main reasons why delays are so rife at the minute is that there are simply far more global flights taking off than there have been in the past few years. 2023 has marked the real beginning of travel post-pandemic recovery.
‘They are struggling to hire people fast enough to keep up with demand. While flight timetables are getting busier and busier, the staff members are only increasing very gradually and unfortunately resulting in large numbers of delays.’
And let’s not mention the chaos at Luton Airport after a huge fire in one of its car parks.
So why not give the Flight Stress Calculator a try? At least that way you might know what you’re in for when you attempt to jet off for your autumn retreat.
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At least you’ll know what to expect.