ADVERTORIAL
RAIL
BEST FARE OF THE DAY – ARE YOU MISSING OUT?
Virgin Group founder Richard Branson at the Azuma launch
Virgin Azuma to cut journey times
LITERALLY TRANSLATING AS ‘EAST’ IN JAPANESE, Virgin’s new Azuma trains will increase capacity into King’s Cross by 28 per cent, with 65 trains providing an extra 12,000 seats. The new trains will enable faster journeys because they can accelerate more quickly than existing stock – around one minute quicker to get to 125mph (the current top speed allowed on the line). Virgin East Coast claims that this will reduce London- Edinburgh journey times by up to 22 minutes. The operator says it has
also created a cross-industry working group, including Network Rail, to “investigate the potential for the East Coast route to enable their operation at 140mph”. Other
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features of the new trains will include faster and free wifi, power sockets for every seat, more overhead luggage space and extra leg room, as well as ergonomically designed seats in both first and standard classes. The new trains are manufactured by Hitachi in County Durham and are claimed to be “lighter and more energy efficient, making them some of the most environmentally friendly in the UK”. They will also feature an onboard shop for passengers. Virgin Trains recently began a re-fit of existing rolling stock and, from this month (May), will increase the number of frequencies between London and Edinburgh.
THERE’S NO QUESTION THAT TODAY’S AIRLINES ARE OPERATING in a fiercely competitive – and often difficult – marketplace. Low-cost carriers have penetrated the European market significantly, which has resulted in more competitive, cost-effective options for travellers. Cheaper flights are available every day, with no rebate or points required to see significant bottom-line savings. So if you’re still working with an outdated policy or request for proposal (RFP) process, why haven’t you started incorporating best fare of the day?
By asking your employees to select the true best fare of the day – that is, the real best fare of the day – you are not only achieving bottom-line savings for your organisation, but you are empowering your travellers to make travel decisions in the same way they would for their own leisure travel. What’s more, if you are incorporating low-cost carriers into your policy mix, you’re future-proofing your travel programme. The travel industry has changed dramatically over the past five years and is set to continue changing at the same rapid rate. With low-cost carriers, travel that simply wasn’t possible or affordable ten years ago is now cheap and easy. So think ahead another ten years, and consider whether the carriers in your policy will still be flying the routes you require most regularly. Perhaps low-cost carriers could be the only airlines flying short-haul across Europe? A travel policy should deliver maximum return on investment (ROI) to your business, and part of that ROI is in the reduction of the cost of travel. Therefore, including low-cost carriers in the mix is logical.
If it is time to incorporate best fare of the day, speak to your travel management company (TMC) about refreshing your policy, to ensure that supply and demand drive the savings your organisation receives. True best fares of the day are usually £100 or less, so get off the RFP and policy fence, and begin looking at real efficiencies and savings for your business.
Anthony Drury Head of business, easyJet
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