Awareness and perceptions of future flight in London
The number of air travellers requiring special assistance is rapidly increasing and numerous accessibility issues for disabled people when travelling by air persist. The advent of a “new age of air travel” through Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) looks to radically change air travel in the UK. Led by Transport for London with in partnership with the University of Birmingham, this project seeks to address these current persistent accessibility issues to embed disabled experience into the design and implementation of AAM.
Transport for London (TfL) was awarded £30k from the Future Flight fund to complete research into public attitudes, awareness and perceptions of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in London. This research takes inspiration from the University of Birmingham’s national study and is tailored to explore the unique perceptions of Londoners.
The research is important to address a gap in our knowledge of Londoners’ awareness and perceptions of AAM, at a time where the technology and the associated policy and regulatory landscapes are rapidly evolving. While national research shows that urban residents views can differ from those in rural or remote areas, there are currently few London-specific insights. The findings of this research will provide a robust evidence base to inform policy, guide public and stakeholder engagement and, support the responsible implementation of AAM.
TfL’s research seeks to address the following questions:
- What do Londoners currently know about AAM technologies? How familiar are they with drones and eVTOLs?
- How do residents perceive the benefits and risks of AAM?
- What use cases and where do Londoners perceive the use of AAM as more desirable or acceptable?
- How would Londoners expect the licensing/permitting/ regulation of AAM to work?
- How do attitudes differ across central, inner, outer London, by demographic and by housing type?
The research includes an online survey of 2000 London residents and 4 focus groups to explore the findings in more depth. The project is being led by Rachel Buck, Athina McManus and Leena Kataria from TfL. YouGov have been commissioned to carry out the research, having previously conducted the University of Birmingham’s national survey. Comparisons will be made between the London findings and the national picture.
If you would like to find out more, please get in contact.