Passengers would rather engage in leisure activities than work while on a plane, according to GO Airport Express.

The Chicago based ground transportation company surveyed more than 640 respondents about how they chose to spend their time while in flight.

Preferring to get some shut eye and sleep was 14 percent of respondents,  seven percent watched in-flight movies while two percent played computer games.

Just 10 percent of travellers said they work while on the plane and 12 percent read business books and publications.

Two percent of those surveyed admit to engaging other passengers in conversations and two percent also said they do nothing at all.

Indicating people prefer to use their travel time to relax and pursue leisure activities instead of catching up on work is 19 percent of travellers who stated they do a combination of all activities listed on the survey.

Others activities engaged included watching their own movies, listening to audio books, knitting or doing puzzles.

Go Express president John McCarthy said these activities may change however as more airlines offer low-cost or free in-flight WiFi.