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Business Travel

Frazzled About Flight Delays? You Are Not Alone.

National On-Time Arrival Performance (January – December, 2014)

On a recent trip, two of the four legs of my flight were delayed. My purpose for flying, in this instance, was for leisure, so while the delay was inconvenient, I did not have to make many adjustments to my schedule. As a fairly savvy traveler who rarely gets upset about travel difficulties, I found myself observing the reactions of the other passengers on the aircraft to see who was affected and how.

The majority of delays occur for the safety of the passenger (ie. weather or mechanical), however in the height of a frustrating situation, one might feel that they are the only person who is late, uncomfortable, and tired. But in reality, we are all affected by delays and schedule changes. Here is how:

1) The Airport

One delayed flight will result in dozens of gate changes and schedule alterations due to runway capacity restrictions. This is very similar to when your doctor runs late on their first appointment of the day causing them to run late on every appointment for the rest of the day–only on a much larger scale.

2) The Airline

Studies have shown that airlines with higher delay percentages have higher operating costs. Not only are they compensating passengers should they be at fault for the delay, but they are also having to pay their flight crew and gate agents for extra time, as well as any extra fuel and necessary maintenance. In the instance of longer delays and cancellations, there is always a percentage of travelers who make other arrangements, resulting in a less than full flight. Additionally, there is the cost of the food and beverages consumed on-board should the delay occur after the plane is already boarded.

3) The Flight Crew

As much as you want to get to your destination, remember that your flight crew also wants to get to theirs. Before you yell at your pilot or flight attendant for your discomfort, keep in mind that they might be on their last flight of the day and the delay is causing them to be late for something important as well. Delays result in cranky passengers, whom the flight crew now has to deal with.

4) The Passenger

Aside from the frustration of waiting for the resolution of a situation that is out of your control, the passenger’s biggest loss is time. Meetings get cancelled, dinners get missed, client presentations get called off, and tensions rise. Not to mention that extra snack or best seller you are going to buy to help you pass the time while you are waiting.

So next time your flight is delayed, try to keep in mind that there are many factors at play and a lot of people affected. A little patience can go a long way. The attached graphic details airline on-time performance for the entire country for 2014 as reported by the US Department of Transportation. Click here for more information.

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Business Travel Travel Industry Travel Management Travel Tips

Travel Managers: Tips to keep your travel expenses in line with your 2015 budget

travel managementAs businesses move toward the end of the first quarter, let’s take a look at some travel issues that could affect your bottom line should they go unchecked.

1. Frequent Flier Programs

Be aware of changes to frequent flyer programs as they can affect traveler habits which, in turn, could increase a company’s overall travel expenses. Miles flown has always been the driving force of these programs, but two major U.S. carriers (and my guess is that the third will soon follow suit) have replaced miles with ticket price for both status and rewards.

Come third and fourth quarters, companies could see increases in spending habits as travelers seek to ensure they retain their status for 2016 when these changes go into effect.

Delta and United Change Loyalty Programs: What Does That Mean for the Business Traveler

2. Hotel Fees

Hotels are adding more and more fees. One fee policy to watch for in particular is cancellation. Many properties are now requiring a full 24-hour cancellation rather than the 6:00 p.m. day of arrival cut off. Marriott is among those properties to have made a formal announcement, with others to follow. Not educating your business travelers to watch for these fees and policies, especially when booking online, may result in no-show bills.

Hotel Cancellation Policies Becoming More Stringent

3. Fuel Surcharges

With the current price of fuel dramatically decreased, some airlines are opting to reduce their fuel surcharges while others are not. These fees were initially instituted when the cost of fuel began climbing. Communicating–be it through websites, Twitter, Facebook, or other social media platforms–to our “favorite” U.S. carriers that they consider a surcharge reduction may be in order, particularly since many competitors are now making these reductions. Many international carriers have conceded to lower these fees. Perhaps having a public conversation (the positive and negative of social media, certainly) might persuade U.S. carriers to be more aware of their loyal customers.

Falling Cost of Fuel and Airline Surcharges: Business Travelers Take Note

At Christopherson Business Travel, our Account Management team works to keep our clients aware of these and many other present and pressing business travel management issues. Through our consultative approach, we analyze a client’s travel program and make recommendations of where to make changes to save money and stay on budget.

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Business Travel Travel Industry

Christopherson Sponsors Concur Ignite 2015

Concur_TMC_Preferred_PartnerAs a Concur Preferred Partner, Christopherson Business Travel had the privilege of participating in Concur’s annual sales kickoff event, Ignite 2015, in Bellevue, WA. Nearly 20 Concur business partners joined 1,100 Concur executives, management, business development, and account management team members as they prepare for another year of making travel and expense management better for companies and travelers around the world. With the recent sale of Concur to SAP, the event was full of energy and excitement about the future of the combined organizations.

Our colleagues at Concur were interested to learn more about Christopherson’s travel management solutions and our integration with Concur Travel and Expense. As the 11th largest Travel Management Company in the U.S., Christopherson provides customers with a powerful end-to-end travel management solution and is confident of the value our exclusive travel technologies, like AirPortal 360 and AirPortal 360 Mobile, can bring to Concur customers.

Christopherson values our Preferred Partnership status with Concur and enjoyed this opportunity to participate in Ignite 2015.

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Business Travel Travel Tips

Three Ways to Keep your Miles and Points from Expiring

100990904-173696213.530x298Are you tired of losing points and miles on your loyalty programs? Here are three simple ways to keep those points and miles active.

1. Leverage Shopping Portals

By registering your program and shopping on websites for small purchases, you can earn points and extend the life of your miles.

2. Be Social

Airlines are becoming more and more active on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. In turn, they’ll sometimes reward customers for liking or sharing their newsletters and promotions and allow you to add points or keep less used programs active for doing so.

3. Make A Transfer

Transferring miles from credit cards or other loyalty programs can keep miles active and from expiring. Transferring just one point from a qualifying program could reset your points for another 18 months.

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Business Travel

9 Car Rental Reminders for Business Travelers

Renting a car on business trips can provide an advantage over long waits with public transportation and expensive taxis. While car renting is generally simple, here are nine items to consider.

Top 9 car rental tips for business travelers

  1. Insurance – For corporate travel, check with your company to see if insurance is included in your negotiated contract. Often the counter agent will try to ‘sell-up’ insurance coverage, resulting in extra, unnecessary costs. If your company car rental contract does not cover insurance, check to see if your corporate credit card or personal credit card provides this coverage. If there is no coverage, review your company’s travel policy to see if they will reimburse you for the extra costs.
  2. Cost of damage – Depending on the insurance coverage, not all costs may be covered. Your credit card company may cover the damage of the car but not other fees incurred by the rental car company, leaving you personally responsible.
  3. Under 25 drivers – If you are a business traveler under the age of 25, be prepared to possibly pay extra. Car rental companies are reluctant to rent to young drivers because of their inexperience behind the wheel. If traveling for work, check your company’s travel policy as young drivers can be negotiated in a contract and no additional fees will be added.
  4. Extra drivers – Most business travelers travel independently, but on occasion there may be two or more people sharing a rental. Be aware, there could be extra fees for extra drivers. Think about designating one driver or keeping the driver number at a minimum to keep costs low.
  5. Stay on the road – It seems simple enough, but when the customer service agent reviews what you can and cannot do, pay attention to this one. Most car rental companies prohibit the use of their cars on unpaved roads. Even with collision damage waivers or car insurance, damages incurred can be voided if the car is driven on unpaved roads.
  6. Fuel – Fill the tank prior to your return. Car rental companies will ask if you want to purchase a full tank of gas prior to you returning it, but many times you don’t use a full tank of gas or can’t time it right to return the car on ‘E’. If they charge you to fill up the tank, the price per gallon can be two to three times as much as the price at a local gas station. As you leave the airport, look to see where the nearest gas station is so you can stop prior to your return. Again, check your company’s travel policy. Some companies will not reimburse this charge as it is considered extra fees.
  7. Airport fees – Car rental companies are obligated to pay airport fees and in turn, pass that expense to the traveler. To avoid this, catch a shuttle to your hotel or downtown area and rent a car from a different location. Many airports now have car rentals off-site, but it is still considered airport property and these fees are still assessed. You can find a list of these fees on your reservation to see if you are being charged.
  8. Bring your own extras – GPS, car seat, satellite, etc. can be charged separately on a daily basis. Bypass these fees and use your phone for GPS, bring your own car seat, and listen to the radio or phone for music. Corporate travel policies may exclude these items and you end up paying for it personally.
  9. Tolls – Many cities have toll roads and bridges. Do research prior to your business trip to see if there are tolls in the destination city. Many car rental companies will have toll boxes mounted on the windshield, but charge you a per-day fee to use them in addition to the toll fees. These usually are not on the final bill and charged later. As it can be difficult to find a receipt for expense reimbursement for the tolls, make sure you know how the receipt will be delivered. If no toll box is included, tolls will be charged to the license plate number, which in turn is sent to the car rental company and gets tracked back to you or your company. In some states, this is the only way a toll is invoiced. When there is a toll booth, it’s best to have cash, while some accept credit cards.
  10. Research new area – Savvy business travelers get in and out of city with ease because they are familiar with the processes. When traveling to an unfamiliar city, do a little research to make your travel experience smooth and possibly less expensive.
Categories
Business Travel Travel Management

Why should I use a travel management company?

mergerjpg-ebd28bdd261f4f90As a business development executive for the 11th largest travel management company in the U.S., I am often asked, “Why should I use a travel management company?”

Smart companies looking for ways to save on travel understand that having a managed travel program is a business function that will help align their employees requirements and desires with corporate goals. A managed travel program helps to realize cost tracking and control for organizations and gives employees the opportunity to adhere to the company’s travel and entertainment policies, not to mention the ability to generate savings through negotiated discounts, specifically with hotel and car rental vendors.

Through Christopherson’s proprietary technology tools, like SecurityLogic® for example, corporations have instant access to data and information to assist in maintaining Duty of Care requirements. With Christopherson’s tool AirBank®, travel managers and executives have access of all their travelers’ unused tickets. Another example is AirPortal 360 Mobile, Christopherson’s mobile app, which allows travel managers and planners the ability to manage the company’s travel program from anywhere, at any time.

For more information on how Christopherson provides a clearer path to your company’s goals, please contact a member of our business development team.

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Business Travel Travel Tips

Pet Resort Opens at Denver International Airport

Soon after our post “Traveling With Your Four-Legged Friend” was published, we learned that Denver International Airport held a grand opening of their new Paradise 4 Paws, a pet boarding resort located just east of the Pikes Peak shuttle lot.

The pet resort is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, so pets can be dropped off any time day or night. They also offer tours to prospective guests.

The Denver location offers:

  • Overnight accommodations
  • Doggie daycare
  • Spa & grooming
  • Veterinary care
  • Dog training
  • Massage therapy
  • Boarding Lounge™
  • Airport parking
  • A la Carte services
  • Paradise Club (for loyal customers)

Paradise 4 Paws has three other locations in the United States–two in Chicago (one near Chicago O’Hare International Airport and the other near Chicago Midway International Airport), and one in Dallas/Fort Worth on the north side of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

For more information such as rates and what your pet can expect during their stay, visit the Paradise 4 Paws website.

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Business Travel Travel Industry

Christopherson Business Travel: 2014 in Review

Growth-ArrowIn 2010, Christopherson Business Travel’s executive team set a goal to double in size—from a $240 million company to a $500 million company—by 2015. One year early, we have reached that goal, booking $510 million in travel during 2014.

2014 Was A Year of Big Growth

  • We increased our sales from $384 Million in 2013 to $510 million in 2014–a 33% increase.
  • We implemented 84 new corporate clients last year. We now manage travel for more than 900 companies and organizations across the country.
  • We added 40 new team members, bringing the total number of travel professionals employed with Christopherson to 365.
  • We built 136 new Concur booking sites for both new and existing clients.

Christopherson’s Plans for 2015

In 2015, we plan to leverage the benefits of our larger scale and resources in the following ways:

Strengthen our Operational Excellence

  • We will review, evaluate, and combine the best practices from each of our five offices.
  • We will build a better disaster-recovery plan into our expanded geographical footprint.

Continue to Invest in Unique AirPortal® Technologies

  • We will invest in a UI/UX makeover and responsive design for our AirPortal platform.
  • We will invest in new, revolutionary technology that is useful, elegant, and intuitive.

Increase AirPortal Adoption

  • We will continue to listen, prioritize, and act upon feedback from our clients.
  • We will provide more training to a “higher, wider, deeper” group of client users.

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