We’re all going on a summer holiday… well, most of us

We’re all going on a summer holiday… well, most of us

With violent protests in Thailand and Greece, and a volcano interfering with European air travel, we asked Kipp readers if they were changing their vacation plans. The results are in.

May 31, 2010 12:39 by Sam Potter

In Thailand, or more specifically Bangkok, violence between troops and anti-government protesters persisted for weeks, and a curfew remains in place across the capital. Tensions remain high, judging by a report in the Telegraph.

And in Greece, citizens angry at the government’s austerity measures (necessary to help the country remain economically viable) have been protesting across the country, which has led to some violent clashes and even fatalities.

All the while, the Eyjafjallajokul volcano in Iceland has been spewing ash into the atmosphere, disrupting air travel across the European continent, with a knock on effect to the destinations both served by and serving European cities.

How have these dramas affected the travel plans of Kipp’s readers? Not much, it would seem. Only 7 percent of those polled have cancelled their trips, while the largest group of respondents (37.5 percent) said these incidents didn’t have an impact on their plans. And another 12 percent figured it would all be fine by summer.

A significant number are in wait-and-see mode, meanwhile; 22 percent will watch what happens before changing their plans.

The remainder – a not insignificant 21.5 percent – have actually altered their plans and will be going somewhere else to avoid the chaos. Kipp just hopes they’ve not booked with a certain international carrier.

We posed the poll question before the latest bout of strikes, so for those who are traveling, we hope for your sake it’s not with British Airways. The airline continues to be plagued by industrial action, reports Bloomberg.