FamilyDestinationsGuide.com has analyzed flight data, including the average air ticket fare per family, in each state to determine how much more of families’ vacation budgets are being eaten into (literally) by flight delays.
The data revealed that overall, the average family flying out of airports across Virginia spends the equivalent of 23% of its flight ticket costs on food and drink surcharges alone while awaiting to depart, a total of $245.61, the equivalent of 23% of the family’s flight ticket costs.
The survey revealed that families flying out of Delaware airports spend the most on food and drinks, spending an average 87% of their flight costs on these purchases. By comparison, families flying out of Alaska spend an average of only 16% of their flight costs on food and drinks.
In what has become to be referred to as airport armageddon, a surge in flight delays this summer has created chaos in airports around America with the delay domino effect leaving travelers spending more time (and money) inside airports while they await their unpredictable departure. Airports are infamously renowned for their massively marked-up food and drink charges. In fact, a beer from a vendor at LaGuardia Airport recently made headlines for costing $28.
For passengers on standby (and who perhaps weren’t expecting to spend much money at the airport), flight delays can result in unforeseen, but unavoidably exorbitant, purchases of meals, snacks, and drinks. This can rack up significant costs – especially for traveling families – and particularly so if specific dietary requirements are necessary.