Holidays provide the perfect opportunity to switch off from the hustle and bustle of daily life, yet it seems we Brits can’t do without the comforts of modern life while abroad.
A recent poll by HolidayExtras.com revealed that almost half of British holidaymakers say that gadgets are an essential requirement on flights.
For this group, a flight would be unbearable without at least one of the latest gadgets to stave off boredom. Popular electrical flight companions include e readers, mp3 players and tablets.
Yet it’s not just gadgets and gizmos that we need on a flight, a third of us couldn’t fly without a magazine or a good book to read.
A little surprisingly, it seems that it is women – rather than men – who find it harder to just relax and chat on a flight.
The survey found that 23 per cent of men are happy to go gadget-less on a flight, compared to just 15 per cent of women.
Further figures from the survey revealed that just over a third of travellers want in-flight films as standard on short-haul flights.
“Passengers have so much entertainment at their fingertips today, and they don’t have to rely on the airlines to provide it,” said James Lewis, head of Online Partnerships at HolidayExtras.com.
“Though the best airlines are now enabling travellers to connect to their systems via their own electronic devices – that’s exciting.”
Recent research from comparison site GoCompare.com revealed that younger Brits, dubbed “Generation i” for their reliance on modern technology, are reluctant to be out of touch with friends and colleagues when they are on holiday.
It was found that 92 per cent of this group will take their mobile phone on holiday with them, 45 per cent will take their iPad or other tablet device and 47 per cent will take their laptop. Whatever happened to getting away from it all?
(Images: Tom Raftery, Jetstar Airways, The Hamster Factor)
