Holiday travel brings out worst in all of us

By now, most Canadians have already made travel plans for the hectic Christmas season. Flights are booked, cars are rented, and accommodations have been reserved. But no matter how organized the plans are, most Canadians have not prepared for the frustrations they may face getting to their holiday destination.

According to Travelocity.ca's Air Travel Tolerance poll, 97.5 percent of Canadians say they expect to sometimes or always experience travel delays, either at the gate, on the tarmac, or in the air. Naturally, when people are faced with unforeseen travel delays, tempers fray and emotions can erupt. The bad news, according to the poll findings, is that Canadian travellers in this heightened-security world are not getting any more patient when it comes to handling such situations. Thirty nine percent of respondents believe their travelling cohorts are less polite than in years past.

    "Travelling doesn't always bring out the best in people," Jennifer Gaines, contributing editor, Travelocity.ca, said.

"Everyone has their own idea of what constitutes rude behaviour and not all Canadians will be thrilled by their fellow travellers. It's important to prepare for crowds and delays, and keep your cool if things go wrong."

   Chatty neighbours and a less-than-cordial flight crew are the biggest annoyances for travellers.

Dirty or malfunctioning bathrooms (16 percent), poor air circulation (15 percent) and not getting a preferred seating assignment (12 percent) were all deemed less bothersome for travellers. Many also complain about the lack of food on flights nowadays.