Booking an Economy Class flight does not always pay off – Reaching your destination rested and relaxed, working during flights: Business Class can make sense, not only on long-distance flights – What counts is having clear travel policies.

The trend in business travel has remained unchanged for the past few years – Economy rather than Business Class. The reasons include the increasing, and indeed sensible, introduction of travel policies and the acute pressure to economize due to the recession over the past two years. Large companies were the first to react to the crisis; smaller ones followed soon after. However, saving money by booking Economy Class tickets does not necessarily show the whole picture of long- or short-haul flights. The health of the travelers and the potential opportunity costs must also be considered when booking a flight.

Duty of care

Companies must comply with their duty of care vis-à-vis their staff at all times, including during business travel. On one hand, health considerations that apply to certain groups of travelers, such as an increased risk of thrombosis, need to be considered. On the other hand, economic aspects must be taken into account. Will the travelers get enough rest during the flight to successfully conduct negotiations at their destinations? Can they make effective use of flight time to get work done?

Book the class of flight that suits the circumstances

When taking all concerns into consideration, at the end of the day it becomes clear that booking a flight is a mere question of weighing costs and benefits: negative negotiation outcomes resulting from stressful travel may entail higher costs for companies than Business Class flights. In this context it should, for example, be considered whether a flight is taken during the day or the night and whether the traveler takes the trip during his or her work hours but can neither sleep nor work due to lack of space.
Flight classes also make a difference in terms of travel-related concerns, for example, “time is money” applies to the Fast Lanes and priority boarding and deboarding that Business Class travelers enjoy. In addition, Business Class travelers have access to lounges, thus saving time and providing opportunities to make efficient use of waiting times.

A question of travel policies

Flight class bookings should not be based on corporate hierarchy level, but on distance travelled. However, not all long distances are the same – spending money for an Economy Class ticket plus a night in a hotel may also pay off. To ensure transparency and effectiveness, leeway in the interpretation of travel policies should be allowed. Travel policies should be clearly formulated and, if required, complemented by a world map indicating Economy and Business Class destinations. In addition, travel policies should be reviewed regularly and compliance should be strictly controlled.

Two years ago Anne Richter, a graduate of the Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel University of Applied Sciences, conducted scientific investigations on classes of business travel. Her study titled “Travel Classes on Long-Distance Flights for Business Travel – Analysis of Travel Policies and Bases for Decisions in German Corporations” is available in German and can be ordered by e-mailing communications@airplus.com.