Feature: Airport Ancillaries
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where free, high speed internet access, decent snacks, a great range of international newspapers and magazines, a quiet zone, plenty of light and power sockets, and a very generous bar are all on offer. Stewart Harvey, group commercial director of travel management company HRG says some travellers have mixed views when it comes to paying for ancillary services, particularly those charged by airlines. “The current ancillary fee services present clients with more challenges than solutions,” says Harvey. While in principle many are happy for a menu structure to exist and to pay for services as they are required and used, the primary concerns are visibility of the costs. Harvey says the lack of transparency throws
up two fundamental questions: firstly, are total fares truly lower as a result of an ancillary services menu and, secondly, is there a
“Are total fares truly lower as a result of an ancillary services menu? And is there a correlation between ancillary fees and lower air fares?”
correlation between ancillary fees and lower fares? This is more of an issue in the
face of another recession when companies are pulling back on business class and more often opting for low-cost carriers. Indeed, research by the Department for Air Transport at Cranfield University found that business travellers have not only given up extra comfort in favour of economy class on domestic
and European flights, but they are also willing to trade ticket flexibility in return for low fares. This has opened new windows of opportunities for low-cost carriers like easyJet who can now unbundle their product. They, and others carriers, can now charge for services that might once have been included in the price of a ticket, including lounge access, baggage check- in and seat selection, not to mention added costs for emergency seats that provide extra leg room, as well as on board basics of food and drinks. The North American market is well
ahead of Europe in this respect, with some carriers even charging fees for the likes of pillows and blankets. According to Harvey, ancillary menus require
a very specific policy to ensure every traveller knows what is included and what is not. Without such control, he warns, it becomes almost impossible for a corporate to evaluate the total value of ancillary items and, therefore, the total value of airline spend. “We are definitely seeing a real industry-wide
call from our clients for standard structure for services and to see options in advance of booking and the ability to elect a choice for each of their travellers,” says Harvey. Such a structure would provide a standard method for both content and access, together with a choice for both product and payment. “For the business traveller,” says Harvey,
“the value equation includes the total travel experience of the airport, queues, security checking, boarding, seating and lounges – and today’s business traveller doesn’t just need to be able to get a drink in a lounge, they also need a viable workspace.”
76 I THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 18 I THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
GATWICK AIRPORT
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