Month: May 2017

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Business Travel Travel Management Travel Tips

Surviving a One-Day Buisness Trip

We are all so busy that, at times, a one-day business trip can have a lot of benefits. First, it saves your company money on an overnight in a hotel. Second, it takes less time away from any personal and professional duties and can make a person more productive. While the benefits are strong, the concept of doing such a trip can be daunting to some people.

Tips to surviving a one-day business trip:

1) Stay healthy. Catching an early flight, attending meetings, and then catching another flight at the end of the day is exhausting. Combat this by drinking plenty of water and eating healthy to ensure you have plenty of energy to get you through the day.
2) Dress comfortably. Without access to a hotel, you will need to wear business clothes for the entire day. Invest in some that are wrinkle free and wear comfortable shoes.
3) Pack a small “what if” bag. You’ll need to be prepared in the event that you need to stay over. Extra undergarments, travel sized toiletries and a toothbrush can put your mind at ease.
4) Take advantage of any travel perks. If you have access to an airport lounge or a business center, these can be a great place to catch up on work. If you don’t have such access, you may consider using your extra time to enjoy your destination for an hour or two.
5) Lastly, if your trip includes a red- eye flight, you might consider purchasing an upgrade to ensure you get enough sleep to continue to be productive once you land.

A one-day business trip is eventually inevitable for most professionals.  But if you tackle it strategically, you can walk away with a productive and energetic day under your belt.

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Business Travel Travel News

JetBlue Returns to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport

TSA Pre-Check

After more than 13 years, JetBlue has returned service to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport. The carrier is offering just one destination, but already has plans to expand. The industry will be watching closely, as this is the second time JetBlue has tried to break into this competitive airport. 

The saga of JetBlue and the Hartsfiel-Jackson Airport

In a drama similar to soap operas, JetBlue was pushed out of the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in 2003 by rival airlines. Offering flights from Atlanta to Long Beach, CA, AirTran Airways and Delta Air Lines immediately released cheaper deals to the same region. JetBlue was unable to establish themselves and soon discontinued service from Atlanta. Now, as a household brand with a bigger footprint, they are entering the playing field by starting again with one destination. The flight to Boston will run five times a day. Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and New York Kennedy will soon be added.

JetBlue has distinguished itself with by providing extra perks, such as free unlimited snacks like Cheez-Its, Craisins and Terra gourmet potato chips, and free Wi-Fi. It will also sell seats with additional leg room.

I think this is a great time for jet blue to re-enter the Atlanta market. It’s always great to have a few choices when looking to fly out of Atlanta. Seems as though the prices originating out of Hartsfield have increased significantly over the last few years and with the added competition maybe we can expect to see a decrease in fares in the near future. Jet blue plans to use the airbus A-320 for the Atlanta – Boston routes.

Read next:

 

Christopherson Business Travel is a corporate travel management company with offices across the nation. We are passionate about finding solutions for companies, reducing wasted time and additional costs. To learn our multi-faceted approach, contact us to schedule a personalized demo.

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Travel News

Peloton Bikes Available In Room At Westin Hotels

I’ve always been one to exercise while traveling for business.  My stress level is higher than normal and needs to be under control when business is the mindset.  So when I read the USAToday article about Peloton exercise bikes being made available in some Westin Hotels, I was so EXCITED!!

Peloton Bikes come to individual hotel rooms

Guests are now able to choose a hotel room with a Peloton bike as a “room category” for their stay. Currently, this is only available in select cities including; Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles and Boston. They will have access to 5,000 on-demand classes taught by instructors through the bike. But these Peloton options are growing fast. In other locations like Austin, Detroit, Denver, New York City, Palo Alto, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle, the Peloton bikes will be available in hotel’s fitness studios.

Business travelers looking for more exercise options

As it turns out, I’m not the only one exercising while on the road. A recent study found that 65% of travelers say they exercise less while on the road. Though they do try — 83% said they factor in wellness programs into their travel planning. As Millennials begin to travel more, they are also pushing for more exercise options. Nearly 40% of Millennials traveling planned to cycle while on the road. Easy access to Peloton bikes appears to be a no-brainer for the future of hotel amenities.

High-scale exercise options to hotel guests are the new rage. Hotels around the world are teaming up with the hottest and trendiest studios.  Boot camps, spin classes, hula swimming, and personal training sessions are popping up across the globe. Could this be the latest in hotel networking and mingle hours provided by hotels?

Perhaps gone are the days of getting up before dawn to claim a treadmill or elliptical machine alongside other stressed-out travelers. With an in-room bike or scheduled class, exercise can take place at a more reasonable hour with more fun.

Categories
Business Travel Vacation Travel

How to Turn Your Business Trip into Your Next Vacation

relax while traveling

Have you recently taken a whirlwind business trip to an amazing destination only to be stuck inside for meetings? The views of sandy beaches or a vibrant city you have through the windows of your meeting room, hotel, or whirring by in a taxi should not be missed! Though it can be frustrating, don’t lose up hope.

Tips to turn your business trip that could turn it into your future vacation

Accommodations  

You get to see firsthand an accommodation option. If you have enjoyed your stay at the hotel then you may already have a lead on where to stay again. If not, ask around if people are enjoying where they are staying. You may find another option you did not know existed.

Networking

Networking is all about getting to know people but sometimes it is hard to come up with topics to get started. What is a more perfect way to start a conversation at a meeting than to ask if they have been to the city before or something fun they got to do there? It will give you some ideas and a great introduction topic.

Location

Location, location, location. We have all heard the phrase and it really is important! Does the location you are staying in hold some appeal for what you want to do at the destination? Or would you rather stay somewhere more central to activities you think would be enjoyable? Taking note can help decide where exactly you want to end up on your return.

You may be working but it does not mean you can’t be planning some relaxation for the future! Connect with a travel adviser at Andavo Travel, Christopherson’s leisure travel division, to plan a trip for all the things you missed seeing and more.

 

 

Categories
Travel Management

Christopherson’s Simple Implementation Process From Public Travel Sites

Hurricane Harvey

For several years, Christopherson has outlined all of the reasons why companies should use a travel agency.  We’ve outlined why public travel sites don’t work.  But what we haven’t talked about is just how simple it is to make a change to a “managed” program.

Christopherson’s managed travel implementation is simple

In some instances, companies know they need to make the change, but they’re worried it’ll take too much time and too many resources.  Will IT need to be involved?  Who will communicate the change to the travelers?  Building a custom online booking site sounds daunting.  Is it?  How do we get the travelers to use the new system?

It’s actually very easy. Christopherson Business Travel can implement a brand new program in less that 2 weeks.  We’ve been implementing accounts for decades and we have the process down to a science!  No, your IT department does not need to be involved.  Our online booking tools are web-based so there is no pull on your internal systems.  Let’s take this step-by-step:

Frequently asked questions about our implementation process

Who will communicate the change to the travelers?  Christopherson has a plethora of sample communication letters for you to wordsmith.  It’s best to have this communication come from the CEO or President, but we provide you all the content you need.

How long does it take?  2 weeks! And we hand hold you through the entire process.  After the initial implementation call (see below), we schedule as many follow up calls as needed for a simple, on-time roll out.

What goes into building a custom online booking tool site?  The first implementation call will take 30-60 minutes.  Our account managers will provide you a check list of items needed (including form of payment, policy info, hotel contracts, car rental agreement numbers, etc., when applicable).  Then, our gurus in the in-house Online Support team does the rest. The site is built, tested, and ready to go.

Who trains the travelers?  We do!  Depending on the size and number of locations, we customize training based on your needs.  In most cases, a 30-60 minute GoToMeeting is all it takes.  Need more training?  No problem.  That’s what we are here for.

There will be many complex systems you’ll need to implement for your company.  Travel isn’t one of them.  As one of our account managers says, “It isn’t rocket science”.

Let us outline how we can get your company on the path to better financial controls, travel policy adherence, safety and efficiency in as little as two weeks.  And remember, we do all the heavy lifting.

Read next:

Categories
Business Travel Travel Tips

The Power Of A Canadian Passport

Over the years, I’ve had more than a few run-ins at border crossings and airport security.  I get it — my “look” hasn’t always been the most clean-cut, especially when traveling.  But a surprising advantage I have, is being a Canadian citizen with a Canadian passport. The best example that I can share is when I was in Tunisia in Northern Africa, boarding my plane back to Malta in Southern Europe.

Traveling with a Canadian passport

On this particular trip, I was very bearded  – two weeks growth for a guy that can grow a beard in two days.  And my only luggage was a raggedy-old backpack.  Within just a couple of minutes of lining up at security, I saw soldiers starting to position themselves around the line-up.  Oddly enough, they seemed to be staring at me.

After getting into position, the soldiers closed in around me and told me to step away from the line-up.  While surrounding me with their military fatigues and machine guns, they didn’t look particularly happy and began asking questions.  Feeling a tad uncomfortable amidst the aggression and language barrier, I pulled out my Canadian passport, and the mood changed.  Angry faces immediately turned to smiles and laughter, and apologies followed.  The soldiers dispersed, and I was even placed at the front of the line for boarding! It’s certainly something that I have always remembered.

Even though I’ve experienced hiccups similar to this a few other times, I still always come to airport security lines prepared (though not always presentable). Below are a few essential pointers to smoothly get through international security lines, even with an unkempt beard.

Tips to breeze through international security lines:

  1. Have your ID and travel documents easily accessible.
  2. Ensure that you’re not carrying any items that can be deemed unacceptable in either your country of origin, or the countries that you are traveling through.
  3. Be conscious of the culture of the country that you are in and those around you, and be respectful.
  4. Be positive and responsive if questioned, as negativity and defensiveness can work against you.
  5. Dress is a presentable and non-threatening fashion, so that you don’t become a visual target for inspection.
Categories
Travel Industry Travel News

Airlines Updating Overbooking Policies

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you have probably noticed recent scrutiny over airline’s overbooking policies. In the wake of an event on a United Airlines flight, these processes and its protocol have heavily been in the media. In response, most major airlines are updating overbooking policies.

What is overbooking?

Overbooking is the process of airlines overselling seats on most flights. Using advanced algorithms airlines estimate the number of no-shows or canceled tickets. This allows them to fill flights to capacity, while saving on fuel costs and keeping ticket prices low. Read our recent blog for everything you need to know about overbooking.

Updates made to overbooking policies

United:  Their new policy says passengers will not be removed from the plane once they have boarded. Also, local police will no longer be used to forcibly remove passengers. And crew members will not be allowed to bump passengers from planes. They will require one-hour advanced notice of the plane boarding, or wait for a later flight.

Delta: Though still allowing displacement of passengers once they have boarded the plane, they raised their compensation rate.  Originally capping at $1,350, it is now $10,000. Compensation has also been increased at the gate, from $800 to $2,000.

Southwest: This airline has said they will end overbooking policies completely. Gary Kelley, CEO of Southwest said to USAToday, “We’ve been taking steps over the last several years to prepare ourselves for this anyway… As we have dramatically improved our forecasting tools and techniques, and as we approach the upcoming implementation of our new reservations system on May 9, we no longer have a need to overbook as part of the revenue management inventory process.”

American: They have updated their Conditions of Carriage policy to no longer allow passengers to be removed from the plane once it has boarded. They also stated their compensation has never been capped, and it will remain that way.