Business Travel Tips

A study evaluating travel management trends and policies has been released by The NBTA Foundation, the research arm of the National Business Travel Association, and Egencia, the corporate travel arm of Expedia, Inc.

The study, Corporate Travel Policy: Benchmarking and Insight, shows how companies could significantly reduce travel costs by enforcing travel policies.
67 percent of companies interviewed in the survey stated there are few or no consequences for travel policy violations, with sixty-two percent of respondents saying travel policy is more a guideline than a rule.

Other key practices to achieve significant annual travel savings identified by the study include:

- Requiring Non-Refundable Tickets
The study found that non-refundable tickets average 49 percent less expensive than refundable tickets on some U.S. domestic routes, and 56 percent less expensive on some international routes.

- Providing Guidance on Premium-Class Travel
The premium charged by airlines to upgrade to first class in the U.S. and business class internationally averaged 223%, or $3,327 more than economy class on a selection of trips sampled between U.S. and international destinations. Limiting premium-class travel is an effective way to control costs, and many companies have put this into practice over the last two years.

- Defining a ‘Lowest Logical Fare’ (LLF) requiring travelers to use departure windows and accept reasonable connections.

- Using preferred suppliers, at least where they offer the lowest fares.

- Working aggressively to increase the average time before travel that airline tickets are purchased.

The report Corporate Travel Policy: Benchmarking and Insight Study is available here.

According to the findings of a survey from Consumer Reports, luggage charges, added fees and rude and unhelpful staff are the things that annoy air travelers the most.

The survey, carried out among 2,000 Americans, asked about their top complaints regarding air travel, hotels and rental cars.
Gripes are scored on a 10-point scale, 10 being most annoying.

- Top Air-Travel gripes
1. Luggage charges (8.4)
2. Added fees (8.1)
3. Rude or unhelpful staff (7.7)
4. Can’t reach a live service rep (7.6)
5. Poor communication about delays (7.1)
6. Seatmates who hog your space (7.0)
7. Flight delays (6.8)
8. People who hog carry-on space (6.7)
9. Long waits at baggage claim (5.9)
10. Long lines for security or check-in (5.2)
11. Puny/no snacks (5.1)
12. Crying babies, unruly kids (4.9)

- Top Hotels gripes
1. Rude or unhelpful staff(7.8)
2. Added fees (7.6)
3. Inadequate A/C or heat (7.5)
4. Uncomfortable beds (7.3)
5. Room not ready at check-in time (7.2)
6. Insufficient or chintzy linens (6.7)
7. Pricey in-room snacks (5.6)

- Top Rental-Cars gripes
1. Rude or unhelpful staff (7.9)
2. Added fees (7.7)
3. Dirty or damaged car (7.0)
4. High-pressure pitches (6.5)
5. Ordered car unavailable (6.1)
Source: The Consumer Reports National Research Center.

Avis is offering Lufthansa Miles & More bonus for each rental.

As a base member of Miles & More, Avis will reward you with:

- 1.000 Miles for your second rental
- 1.500 Miles for your third rental
- 2.000 Miles for your 4th to 6th rental
- 2.500 Miles for your 7th to 10th rental
- 3.000 Miles starting with your 11th rental

Miles & More elite members can get better bonus.
Traveller and Senators will earn 1.000 award miles with their very first rental.
HON Circle members will receive double miles on the base promotion.
Details of the offer are available here.

As states and municipalities in the U.S. look for revenue to balance their budgets in recessionary times, taxes imposed on renting a car are becoming a way to close budget gaps.

Some figures

There were 114 separate state and local excise taxes for renting or leasing a car in 43 states as of the end of last year.
In 1990, there were only 14 of them, according to the Coalition Against Discriminatory Car Rental Excise Taxes, a group formed to combat the proliferation of the taxes and which tracks them.

Michael McCormick, executive director of the National Business Travel Association, which represents about 4,000 corporate travel managers and suppliers, says taxes can cost a Fortune 100 company $5 million to $10 million a year. […]

Rental-car companies aren’t happy with them either. They don’t want to be tax collectors. Nor do they want to hear disgruntled renters complain about the charges on their bills.
So three years ago, eight rental-car brands and the National Business Travel Association formed the coalition to publicize the taxes, educate consumers about them and lobby against them. (Source)

Hertz has launched a promotion in North America, Europe, and UK.

The offer, a 15% off daily rental rates, applies only for Hertz vehicles booked before 30 June 2009, for rental between 1 June and 31 August 2009, at participating corporate rental locations in the UK, Europe, USA and Canada.

You are required to rent for a minimum of five days.