»»Where Business Travel is Going: More Productivity and In-flight WiFi
The recession has fundamentally changed the traditional business travel model. Even though industry experts suggest business travel is slowly coming back, companies are more firmly in charge of enforcing travel policy than ever.
Charles Petruccelli, the president of the American Express Global Travel Services division, says in The New York Times that once a genuine economic recovery begins there will be some relief in spending restrictions for some travelers, but strict control and efficiency will remain in place. “The policies that have been firmly put in place in terms of the type of air fare class you must use, the type of hotel you must use — I guarantee you these will stay in place for a long time,” Mr. Petruccelli said.
Increasingly, business travel will need to be justified in terms of its effect on the bottom line.
Meanwhile, there will be more dependence on teleconferencing and other technologies to replace, or at least supplement, some routine travel. [...] No matter what fare you pay, prepare for a new demand for being constantly connected. All over the world, airlines are planning to wire their fleets for in-flight Wi-Fi services and, on foreign carriers, for in-flight use of cellphones.
Mr. Petruccelli says: “Companies will want maximum efficiency out of the traveler, Any solution that allows you to have access, to be able to work better while you’re traveling, is going to be very important.” (source)
