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Men and Women Flying Statistics
Men, Women and Airports: Stress Worse for Women

by Jessica Howell

Long security lines, agitated airline attendants and cramped wait-ing areas at departure gates are a few of the common complaints heard among travelers at the airport. No matter the formula, airports are very rarely able to satisfy anxiety-ridden tourists-to-be and frequent-flying business folk - whatever the gender.

A recent study, however, reveals surprising data that incriminates women as - gasp! - the less patient of the sexes.

Curious researchers at Amadeus, a travel technology company, studied 500 traveling men and 500 traveling women over the course of a year, tallying reactions to several travel frustrations and trends.

What they found may surprise some:

  • Men are the most frequent flyers. Of the 1,000 travelers surveyed, 41 percent men and only 22 percent of women flew more than six times within the past year, making men the sky champs by nearly double. Men are also slightly more likely to be members of a frequent flier program; and a whopping three times as likely to have earned "elite" status. (C'mon, ladies, take advantage of the perks!)

  • While men are typically dubbed the more impatient gender, women are more likely to gripe about flight delays. The same is true for getting snappy over lost luggage -- 42 percent of women become agitated compared to 32 percent of men.

  • When it comes to stress, women rank highest. Not only are females more stressed while traveling, 63 percent also worry more about running to catch a connection, while only 47 percent of men feel the same.

  • One area where both men and women equally score is in discontent with gate and ticket agents, who bear the grunt of their frustrations. Nineteen percent of men and 18 percent of women have argued with an agent at the airport or over the phone.

  • Both sexes admit to an occasional mistake too. Thirteen percent of men and 11 percent of women have accidentally gone to the wrong airport or terminal to catch a flight.

Fear not. Says Robert Buckman, airline futurist and Director of Airline Strategies for Amadeus North America, "Hassles such as flight delays, missed connections and being directed to the wrong gate or terminal may all but disappear in the next several years thanks to new technologies."

Amadeus is currently working with several major airlines including United Airlines and British Airways, to implement better ways to transport passengers more efficiently and streamline operations. The future of flying, says Buckman, will be a lot less stressful in the future.