In the early 1980s, as a manager in the UK electricity supply industry, I recall the marketing director proudly displaying the business class menu from a Gulf Air flight on his wall.
Other managers were all suitably impressed by the global glamour and exclusiveness of it all. Yet if Ascend's 2011 Corporate Travel Survey is any indication, after 30 years of significant aircraft, product and technology improvements, it seems the modern executive may now be looking for sympathy - rather than envy - for their globe trotting feats.
The question: "what is your biggest complaint about global business air travel?" elicited comments such as "decreased level of service", "having to travel - the time waiting at airports is hell", and "less quality service on board; less space" from jaded business class travellers.
For economy class (business purpose) passengers, the responses were more succinct: "long queues, bad food", "lack of comfort and personal space" and "chicken or pasta?".
MINIMAL GROWTH
Overall, the results of the 2011 survey, completed by more than 380 frequent global air business travellers, did throw up some messages of encouragement for airlines. The survey suggests corporate travel budgets in 2011 were being increased by 5% and planned flights would up by 5%, after two years when the same survey had indicated either decline or minimal growth in both of these areas.
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The survey suggests corporates are retaining tight controls on air travel costs, and multiple options for achieving greater cost efficiency are actively being pursued.
These strategies range from better use of travel agencies to internet searches for deals and from cutting the number of staff travelling to a careful choice of hotels.
The survey asked for perceptions about "what elements of global air travel have got worse over the last two years?"
Respondents noted in particular - from a list of nine items - "crowded planes", "security queues" and the "decline of onboard service".
North American respondents were particularly jaundiced, with 70% saying that in their view onboard airline service has declined over the last two years.
Looking on the positive side, respondents gave plaudits for improvements they saw over the same two-year time period for "internet-based services on check-in and pre-flight", for a "greater range of low-cost airline competition", and for "cheaper fares". However, it was notable that for the North American sample, who were offered a range of nine possible items that might have improved, about 40% of respondents felt that "nothing has got better".
This was twice the level of unhappiness reported among Asia-Pacific respondents. Back in 1993, a similar study among corporate travellers asked for views on the likely impact of airline mergers on business travellers.
Some 40% at that time felt this would make things worse for business travellers. In the most recent survey, some 70% agreed that airline consolidation would result in higher prices and less choice, indicating growing scepticism about the effects of industry mergers on the corporate travel environment.
OPEN-ENDED DISLIKES
There was a solid recognition of the success of airline internet service initiatives, with 70% of respondents agreeing that airlines were "using the internet effectively for the benefit of business passengers". The relationship with low-cost airlines has been a source of animated debate for some years among airlines, business travellers and their company travel departments.
In the survey there was a clear 50:50 divide between respondents' companies that made significant use of low-cost airlines for short-haul flights, and those that did not.
As might be expected, it was the small and mid-sized companies that made more use of low-cost airlines.
The open-ended dislikes for global air travel expressed by corporate travellers are dominated by the likes of "security", "airports", "delays" and "wasted time". Security, delays and the efficiency of the travel process were key bugbears.
What is clear is that the respondents think of their journey as a whole - from access to the origin airport to leaving at the other end, and they are looking for service consistency and quality, no matter where in the process. Where things have improved - such as with user-friendly check-in services - business travellers recognise this.
They also recognise the benefits from increased low-cost airline competition.
What is unfortunate is that the potential wisdom of experienced businesses from around the globe cannot be used to return air travel - if not to the 1980s - at least to a more consistent, coherent and less inefficient basis than is now felt to be the case.
HIGH VALUE
As one traveller expressed: "It is very clunky. Compare a London-Paris trip and aviation comes a poor second [to rail]."
For another: "Still having to take my laptop out of my bag 10 years after 9/11", and again: "better customer relationship management [is needed] for high-value business travellers".
Business travellers do not accept that "the industry is always right" regarding ticketing terms, conditions and restrictions.
"No other industry gets away with penalties like these!", one respondent added.
There was also a warning note for US airlines.
"For most domestic trips we now use company-owned general aviation."
There was also a message for the US Citizenship and Immigration Services and Transportation Safety Agency. "The USA needs to chill out.
"If I make a cross mark on my immigration form it's a mistake, that's all."
SHOPPING EXCITEMENT
On the evidence of the survey, it will be some time before corporate travellers are moved to "tweet" the shopping excitement of airports where they have been delayed for 4h.
They are also unlikely to nominate a Facebook "like" for an airline that has just caught them with a non-refundable long-haul ticket. Travel suppliers need to focus on the real problems that business travellers experience, not on the things they find easy to provide. While most airlines will happily broadcast their special offers via email, how many will answer one quickly, or in a crisis?
This is a target market that all suppliers freely admit is the most profitable business sector, and one that perhaps deserves better treatment than a cry of "Gotcha!".
There will be many in the industry that think they have heard these complaints from business travellers a thousand times before. To which I would reply: "And your point is?"
Peter Morris is chief economist with Flightglobal's data and consultancy arm Ascend
Source: Airline Business
