NEARLY all Singaporeans are willing to weather delays at the airport for safer air travel, according to a study released on Tuesday.

The latest Unisys Security Index, which surveyed citizens from 14 countries on security issues, found Singaporeans among the most concerned about aviation security in the region.

Of the 891 Singaporeans between 18 and 64 polled, 96 per cent believed more needed to be done to make regional air travel more secure, while 94 per cent of Hong Kongers and Malaysians believed the same.

And 97 per cent of Singaporeans were willing to go through added security measures to help make regional airline travel safer.

Almost as many Hong Kongers and 95 per cent of Malaysians feel the same way.

This despite measures that would inconvenience them, such as arriving at the airport 30 minutes earlier for extra screening, or providing more personal information, such as a traveller's identity scheme.

The latter, in use in some airports in the United States, allow frequent travellers to clear security checkpoints quicker using biometric ID cards. Essentially, the card stores identification information that can be scanned via a person's fingerprint and iris.

While more efficient for frequent travellers, it also requires the declaration of personal information and a background check by authorities.

Mr Scott Whyman, Unisys' Vice President of Asia South, said Singaporeans are more security conscious than other travellers surveyed.

Dr John Harrison, head of research at the International Centre for Political Violence & Terrorism Research in Nanyang Technological University, said that this could be due to their awareness of aviation security issues.