A telephone survey shows the cost of air travel has replaced safety as the No. 1 concern for travelers, the American Automobile Association said Sunday in another signal of public worries about the economy.

The AAA "Hassle Index," which is based on a survey of 1,000 adults nationwide, found 23 percent cited the cost of travel as their major concern. A year ago, only 7 percent mentioned costs, the survey said.The survey showed 42 percent said air fares had become worse in the preceding year, compared with 34 percent who cited worsening air fares in 1990.

Safety remained a big concern for travelers, with 22 percent citing it as a factor. In 1990, 21 percent of those surveyed cited safety as a factor.

Nearly half of those questioned said air fares had worsened in the past year, while other factors, such as lost or damaged luggage and limited flight destinations, all improved during the year, the survey showed.

The survey, conducted by the U.S. Travel Data Center for the AAA, showed 10 percent felt aircraft conditions was a concern, 8 percent cited air traffic congestion and 7 percent mentioned terrorism.

On the ground, the survey found 18 percent of those surveyed said travel by auto had improved, 12 percent said it grew worse and 64 percent felt conditions were unchanged.

A year earlier, 15 percent said road travel got better and 21 percent said it had become worse, the survey showed.

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