Think New Jersey travelers are flying efficiently? Not so fast!

This year at Newark Airport there are an estimated 43 million people who will travel through our airport complex. That is on target to be close to the all-time high of over 46 million people in 2019.

This holiday season passenger traffic at the airport will be very heavy and the need to travel efficiently is a must.

USA Today conducted an extensive study that surveyed travelers at major airports throughout the country on the efficiency with which they travel. The study found that here in New Jersey we rank 8th as the least efficient state when it comes to airline travel.

I was taken aback by that number because I always felt that we are such a huge hub for business travelers and frequent fliers that the efficiency rate for New Jersey travelers would be adequate.

There are many parts to traveling to your destination, some of which are taken for granted and shouldn’t be, there’s the check-in process, checking baggage, security checkpoint, boarding of the aircraft, storing carry-on, seat etiquette, disembarking the plane, collecting baggage, and leaving the airport. A delay in any one of these travel procedures could make the stress level of your trip and getting to your destination much worse than you planned.

USA Today reports that New Jersey is 8th least efficient in air travel, here are some of the findings that support that ranking:

The 10th most inefficient state at security check-in. Inefficiency is not putting all the contents of your pockets on the x-ray belt. Having too many fluids or non-acceptable items that are banned on airlines. Not taking off your shoes or belt when going through the security checkpoint.

The 4th most inefficient state when struggling with luggage. This could be large overweight luggage and trying to split up your contents at the scales holding people up. Not prepaying for the extra baggage and arguing with the check-in personnel. On a side note, New Jersey ranks 5th most inefficient when it comes to overpacking luggage. This dovetails into why we rank so high in inefficiency when struggling with luggage.

23% of all New Jersey travelers get lost or turned around when looking for your gate. Some travelers who are a little confused in finding their gate will stop in the middle of the terminal, or wander around looking for an airline employee for guidance. This can slow up the boarding process and others in the terminal.

New Jersey ranks as the 8th in most inefficient in deplaning. I understand this one. Some can’t wait to get up and stretch their legs, some sit and wait blocking others from getting out. Others stop the process by taking their time to collect their belongings. All those factors coupled with our Jersey attitude provide inefficiency in getting off the plane.

59% of all New Jersey travelers stand way too close to the carousel to get their bags. 28% stand back from the carousel and then push their way to the front to collect their bags. 28% of New Jersey travelers check multiple bags to see if it’s their bag.

I hope that you take to heart these factors when traveling. If you can take a little extra time in the preparation for your trip, it will help you enjoy it. Too bad you can’t count on the rest of the 43 million people to do the same. Safe travel.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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