Corporate travel comeback expected

by Tom Johansmeyer on

When you look at the woes experienced by the airlines through this recession, it’s hard to escape the fact that there’s only one solution: the business traveler. Recreational travelers may be important, but that’s not where the real money comes from. Airlines salivate over the M&A banker who books a last-minute flight every week. As businesses were laying off and cutting costs, corporate travel suffered, dragging the airlines down with it. With a turn for the better expected this year, airlines are now looking for ways to attract these valuable passengers and the budgets the command. Bed-like seats are starting to pop up, and first class service is finding its way onto regional carriers.

According to airline consultant Bob Harrell, “The business traveler is the most profitable part of the traveler segment.” As much as these folks can be a pain in the ass (and I sure was back in my day), they are probably the most important passengers the airline has. Harrell adds, in USA Today, that even in coach, the smallest domestic refundable fare paid by the business traveler tends to be five times higher than the rock-bottom price paid for a comparable ticket by a leisure traveler.

So, to bring the valuable customers in the door, airlines are rolling out the perks. Luxury lounges, in-flight gourmet meals and other amenities, the airlines hope, will put the corporate traveler back in their seats. The airlines are even paying handsomely for the business traveler: Delta, for example, is pumping $1 billion into enhanced up-market services through 2013.Business travelers represent a unique opportunity for airlines, in that they command travel budgets that are quite large relative to their incomes. They travel frequently and often have some degree of choice in the airlines they use. Further, business need may render price effectively moot. This is the sort of passenger that any business would love, and the airlines are no different.

Cash, it seems, is the universal language.

Click here to gain more business traveler insights in my weekly “White Collar Travel.”

Get upgraded to first class for free – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

Work for a company that will only reimburse coach fares? Book a full-fare economy class ticket with a Y booking code.

Commonly referred to as “Y-up” tickets, travelers with a Y booking code may request complimentary upgrade to first class seating. Airlines created the Y booking code to get around tighter corporate travel policies, while still catering to their most lucrative passenger segment.

Galley Gossip: Special requests, two cubes of ice & a man’s pair of pants

by Heather Poole on
Dear Heather,

So the other day I was on a flight from Boston to San Francisco and I thought you might get a kick out of the following conversation that took place between the flight attendant working in first class and the passenger sitting beside me…

FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Miss did you get a chance to look at the menu?

PASSENGER: Unfortunately


FLIGHT ATTENDANT: (Pauses. Smiles) Will you be dining with us tonight?

PASSENGER: I don’t like anything on the menu, I mean clam chowder and steak – gross and gross!

FLIGHT ATTENDANT: I’m sorry, but that is all I have tonight.

PASSENGER: I mean, all of us are from California. We don’t like CLAMS or STEAK! I want two portions of salad, the dessert fruit plate as my meal, with still water – not sparkling, and red wine – but not with my nuts, WITH my meal, and NO dessert!

FLIGHT ATTENDANT: (repeats the order) Got it!

PASSENGER: Wait, can I just have almonds? Oh forget it. I’ll pick out what I don’t want.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT: (smiles, glances at me) And what will you be having for dinner tonight, Sir?


ME: I’ll have the chowder, please.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT: (Big sigh, wink) Thank you!…. (walks away)

Just thought I’d share…

Sincerely,

Ron

(A.K.A. Frequent-flyin-two-timin Ron)

Dear Ron,

Boston – San Francisco? Oh no no no, Ron, you must be confused, because your flight sounds a lot like my flight, only I worked the New York – Seattle route last night. I mean that was you, wasn’t it, sitting behind the first class passenger who wanted “just a little bit” of ice with Diet Coke, the passenger who looked absolutely disgusted when I placed a drink on her tray table with – count em – one, two, three, four cubes swimming around inside the glass? This, of course, resulted in a request for a spoon, ya know, so that she could scoop out two cubes and then drop them into the palm of my hand.

Yeah…umm…thank you, Ma’am.

Or was that you sitting across the aisle from the first class passenger who decided to change out of his business suit right as we were about to begin the meal service. Remember, him, Mister sparkling water with lime? The passenger that exited the lav wearing jeans who asked if I could hang his gray trousers in the closet, which I did, and that was fine. But then, right before landing, I stood in the aisle holding a man’s pair of pants and felt…well…kind of strange just standing there in the aisle holding a man’s pair of pants in front of other passengers while waiting, waiting, waiting, for him to put away and stow a computer. I mean I didn’t want to give anyone the wrong idea or anything.

ME: Sir, your pants?

PASSENGER: (takes them and lays them across his lap, no response)
Weird, right? I mean you’d think a person would thank a flight attendant for handing them their own pants in public!

Anyway, more wine for you, Ron! Thanks for being so observant. Here, go ahead, take the bottle. You’re my kind of passenger.

Sincerely,
Heather Poole

Photos courtesy of Melissa Maples and Telstar Logistics

Daily Pampering: Dash off to the Bahamas in style

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Travel would be great if it weren’t for airports, right? Even if you fly first class, there are still plenty of ways for the experience to go sour — from the morons in line at front of you at the security checkpoint to the long wait for your bags at the carousel. And on the plane, you have to cope with flight attendants and first class seating that falls short of the luxury you’ll experience at your destination. The solution, of course, is exclusive jet travel, and Linear Air has just what you need.

This upscale service takes the headache out of travel, making your experience top-shelf from start to finish — not just from arrival to departure. If you’re in New York or Boston and want to escape the cold for a while, take advantage of a special that Linear Air is running, with one-way fares dipping below $9,900 to the Bahamas. Once you set foot on one of the company’s Eclipse 500 jets, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered to fly with the
prolies.

Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

[Photo courtesy of Linear Air]

Galley Gossip: 10 signs there’s a newbie in first class

by Heather Poole on

1. PHONES HOME – As soon as the first class virgin settles into the big, comfy, leather chair, they immediately begin to phone everyone they know during boarding to share exactly where they are, and they do so in a very loud voice as they recline the seat all the way back, giving a detailed description of just how far the seat actually goes. Amazing, isn’t it? Calls are followed by a self portrait which gets sent via text. Hi mom!

2. WON’T GIVE UP THE COAT – Flight attendants working in first class hang coats during boarding. Because the virgin is unfamiliar with airline procedures, they’ll usually wad up the jacket and shove it inside an overhead bin. If a flight attendant offers to hang it in the closet, the virgin always looks a tad bit worried about parting with the item. Don’t be afraid, coats will be returned fifteen minutes prior to landing.

3. STRANGE USE OF HOT TOWELS – Hot towels are distributed in first class before the meal is served. Most passengers use the steamy cloth to wash their hands, while some will use it to clean their eyeglasses or wipe down the tray table, all of which are acceptable uses of a hot towel. The virgin has been known to do things a tad bit differently. I’ve witnessed quite a few passengers giving the old armpits a good rub down. A couple of coworkers have even spotted passengers trying to eat the thing as if it were a spring roll.

4. ORDERS THE BREAD BASKET – Menus are passed out in first class. Inside passengers will find a selection of appetizers, entrees, desserts and wine. Off to the side it mentions that sourdough and multigrain rolls are served alongside the main course. The virgin has been known to order the bread basket as an entree choice.

5. GETS UPSET OVER MEALS – It’s common knowledge amongst frequent fliers the order in which meal preferences are taken in flight and the elite flier chooses their seat accordingly. Because the airplane is catered with the exact number of meals as there are passengers on board, not every passenger in first class will be offered more than one meal choice. Flipping out and using the word “ridiculous” only screams newbie on board!

6. LOOKS DAZED AND CONFUSED – Nothing says first timer more than a passenger who just stares blankly when the flight attendant appears with an armful of table linens. After the flight attendant discretely asks the passenger to pull out the tray table, the confusion kicks in when the first timer starts frantically searching around for it. Check the armrest next time

7. DRINKS NONSTOP: Except for a cup of coffee or a glass of water, the frequent flier can be counted on to stick with their drink of choice throughout the flight. The virgin samples all four wine choices after finishing off the entire bottle of Champagne. For dessert Baileys is poured over ice cream and Kahlua is stirred into coffee. Mmm…smells good. They’ll even ask for a couple of minis to go.

8. BINGES – The first class service is elaborate. There are appetizers and drinks, salads made to order, entrees presented with an assortment of bread, followed by fruit, cheese, gelato, and more. The frequent flier has had enough of the never ending (never changing) service and would rather work than eat. The virgin samples it all. Go ahead, enjoy!

9. CAN’T FIND THE TOILET – The virgin has no idea where the lavatory is, which is why they’re trying to open the closet, or even worse, the cockpit door! Don’t panic, the air marshalls know what they’re doing. Just like flight attendants they’ve seen it all. Otherwise there’d be one less newbie in flight.

10. COLLECTS SOUVENIRS – Those little salt and pepper shakers are kind of cute, aren’t they?

Photos courtesy of Creepyed and Vkiperman