OPINION
WORDS SCOTT DAVIES
THE REAL COSTS OF TRAVEL DISRUPTION
Delays and cancellations take a toll on business travellers in ways that are not always quantifiable
I
WAS RECENTLY DELAYED for six hours on a journey to a conference. The long-haul flight was held up after the first airplane suffered a
“cleaning issue”. The second plane clapped out on the runway. When the flight finally commenced, the onboard crew couldn’t provide a full service due to being out of hours and requiring longer breaks than usual, so in general, it was all a bit rubbish. I was travelling with a
(literally) merry band of industry colleagues so there were times when the delay was amusing – even entertaining – and other times when it wasn’t. We stood in the gate area for two hours and pondered whether we were going to a conference that day or, in fact, going home. We got there safely and that’s all that really matters, but it made me think about a few things. First, you can travel as smartly and as comfortably as you like (our group were seasoned experts and spread across all cabins, and all suffered equally), but large parts of the traveller experience are ultimately outside of our control. Second, the only currency that we really have is time, and how we spend
154 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
it. Whether a delay like this subtracts personal or business time; it is a real cost, and much more significant than money.
DOWNSIDES OF TRAVEL This experience was a sharp reminder that we should always prioritise the needs and wellbeing of the traveller in our thinking, wherever we sit in the business travel value chain. Those who don’t travel for work tend to think regular travellers are fortunate and are whizzing around to new places, and probably luxuriously over- fed and watered. Yes, some of it is like that, and if travel gets into your blood, it can become an essential part of a fulfilled life.
However, by definition, road warriors will frequently endure this kind of disruption. It takes its toll. Maybe you missed the chance to FaceTime the kids from the hotel. Maybe you’ll get less sleep before that important meeting in the morning.
Delays of this magnitude are eligible for financial compensation and, thanks to tightened regulations, many hundreds of pounds will be due to each of the 350 souls on our flight. Given that each business traveller’s ticket was paid for by their company, this will generally not benefit those individuals. Some airlines offer miles as an additional gesture and this is, of course, welcome. I don’t imagine the technology will exist in my lifetime to actually give me back my six hours and, depending on your temperament, you may react to a day like this in different ways. I ended up feeling more for the crew than my own situation, as they were also tired and having to manage hundreds of disgruntled and frustrated flyers through no fault of their own. Cabin crew are often purveyors of calm, aren’t they? One told me recently that their partner asked them why they slept so well and worried so little when travelling as a passenger. She replied that it was because she knew more than most, that she had no control whatsoever over the next few hours, and so she felt a sense of utter peace. “Accept what is and adapt,” as a wise man once taught me.
LARGE PARTS OF THE TRAVELLER
EXPERIENCE ARE ULTIMATELY OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL
Scott Davies is chief executive of the Institute of Travel Management (
itm.org.uk)
buyingbusinesstravel.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158
