Gateway Magazine - Issue 1

GATEWAY The magazine of Corporate Traveller Issue 1 • Autumn 2017

D es t i n at i o n Zo n e:

SHANGHAI

Business travel jargon

Explained

5 genius traveller

hacks

Hot topic: Duty of

CARE

Welcome to a new daily service between London and Tokyo A new direct service between London Heathrow and Tokyo Haneda is launching on 29 October 2017 by Japan Airlines (JAL), increasing the daily total to four flights between the two cities.

The new outbound flight is the earliest direct service to depart from London to Tokyo: perfect for the savvy traveller who wants to beat the morning rush. The return flight gives you a full day in Japan,

comes with lounge access for all, and is the only direct flight from Tokyo to arrive in London early in the morning.

With morning arrival times in to both cities, this new flight is ideal for

those who have onward connections to catch, business to conduct

on their day of arrival, or for those who simply want to get back home.

Contact your Corporate Traveller Consultant to book now.

WE L C O M E & C O N TE N T S Welcome to the first issue of Gateway – the new quarterly magazine of Corporate Traveller. We hope there’s something for everyone, from the person responsible for booking travel to the people who regularly go away on business.

I n this iss ue

We kick off what will be a regular Destination Focus feature with Shanghai, China’s enticing city that blends East and West. There’s a focus on important issues such as duty of care and changes to the way airlines can sell their products, while we’ve also put together a handy at-a-glance jargon buster to make understanding business travel a little easier.

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Q&A: Pret a Manger’s business-trip booker tells all

Business travel is all about people and we’ve got a Q&A with the person responsible for managing travel for Pret a Manger, as well as news from Corporate Traveller’s offices around the UK.

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Quiz: What sort of business traveller are you?

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Village Vibes: News from Corporate Traveller’s UK regional offices

Finally, grab a coffee and try our quiz to find out what sort of business traveller you and your colleagues are.

We hope you enjoy the magazine. Do get in touch to tell us what you think and what you’d like to read about in future issues.

Lisa James

Editor editorgatewaymagazine@corptraveller.co.uk

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News: What’s happening in the world of business travel

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Hot Topic: Duty of care

8-9 Get Ahead: Jargon buster Destination Zone: Shanghai

13 Traveller Hacks: Five things that could make life on the road a little easier

Contact d etails Editor:

Lisa James

Designed by: Popi, Unit 11 West Point Business Park, Aylesford, ME20 6XJ www.popi.co.uk Contact:

Corporate Traveller, 11th Floor, CI Tower, High Street, New Malden, KT3 4TE corptraveller.co.uk

Email us at:

gatewaymagazine@corptraveller.co.uk

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tr avel

n e w s & D e v e lopm e n t s

We’re getting NDC ready

T

he way airlines sell airfares and their associated products – such as preferred seating and early boarding – is changing and, while all change can be daunting, the benefits should outweigh any negatives and ultimately give customers wider choice and more options.

New Distribution Capability, or NDC as it’s widely known, is simply a standardised XML-based language for airlines to distribute their content to travel agents or other third parties, including the traditional global distribution systems (GDSs).

While the major GDSs of the world have invested heavily over the last few decades, the core technology hasn’t changed since the 1960s.

At the same time, airlines have invested billions in new products and services and have been looking at new ways to distribute them to their travel management partners.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) – the governing body of global airlines – has been working with carriers to standardise XML data and launched the NDC strategy in 2012.

Some airlines have been working towards this ‘new standard’ for several years, while others are content with the more traditional GDS methods of distribution. British Airways and parent company International Airlines Group have been particularly supportive of NDC.

F irst British fe m a le j um b o j et ca p tain hangs up her wings

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nyone who’s ever flown long-haul with Virgin Atlantic may well have been travelling in the capable hands of Captain Yvonne Kershaw, the first woman in the UK to captain a jumbo jet, who has just retired after 27 years as a pilot with the airline.

Yvonne joined Virgin in 1990, initially flying smaller aircraft, before gaining captaincy for the Boeing 747 in 1993. Since then, she’s clocked up over 2,000 flights totalling 18,000 flying hours in the flight deck of the 455-seater aircraft, which has long been a favourite for pilots.

Captain Kershaw retired in August, saying: “It has been a privilege to fly the flag for female captains over the past 24 years.”

Following in the footsteps of Yvonne, 30% of Virgin Atlantic’s pilot cadets are women.

So what will NDC mean for the industry? To begin with, it should mean travel management companies will be able to offer many of the ancillary services that airlines currently offer on their own websites.

Today, services such as paid seats, paid baggage or meals have to be booked directly on the airline’s website, either by the travel consultant or the booker.

Over time, airlines will be able to also offer more enhanced products and services. For example, an airline might introduce an economy fair that comes bundled with a lounge.

Through NDC the airline could offer this to travel management companies.

Ultimately, NDC will mean that all products and services that airlines offer on their own websites could be made available to travel management companies that are NDC ready.

Corporate Traveller and parent company Flight Centre Travel Group have been working on being NDC ready since 2016 and have been working closely with partners to develop their NDC roadmap.

As always, aggregating content that is seamless and easy to book is the core function of any travel management company and while most travel buyers, bookers and travellers won’t see any dramatic changes, access to new and improved content should ultimately improve business travel.

See also p18

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Hand luggage chec k- in fr om eas yJet

E

asyJet is now offering Hands Free, allowing passengers to check in hand luggage at the bag drop desk, where it will be tagged as priority and looked after through to the arrival airport where it will be among the first to be delivered on the baggage belt.

The airline says the service, which costs £4 per person or £10 for a group bundle per flight, gives passengers a stressfree experience as they don’t need to take baggage through security or carry it around the airport.

Hands Free customers will be given small plastic bags to carry essential items and are free to take on board any items purchased at the airport. They are also among the first to board, after those who have booked Speedy Boarding.

EasyJet’s ancillary revenue director Andrew Middleton said: “We’re confident once you go Hands Free, you’ll never want to drag cabin baggage through the airport again.”

NE WS I N BRI E F à la Qatar Qatar Airways is rolling out pre-select à la carte dining in long-haul premium class from Doha. Passengers can book one main course between 24 hours and 14 days before take-off on selected flights to Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, with other destinations to be added soon.

The new entrance into LJLA’s departure lounge

Teabags top traveller miss list

Mo re retail bran ds open at LJL A

B

usiness travellers flying out of Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) may wish to turn up earlier than usual to check out new shopping and eating experiences.

In recent weeks, the airport has seen a number of new retail brands opening up, including high-street shops Dixons and Accessorize, plus bars and restaurants including a premium Cabin Bar that offers the best views across to the runway, a new Ritazza coffee shop and a Beer House, serving a selection of beers, wines and pub food.

The additional outlets are part of the LJLA’s £3 million latest phase of terminal improvements, which includes an upgrade to the upper floor of the departure lounge, creating a more comfortable space for passengers to shop, eat and drink, or simply pause for a moment before their flight.

Other improvements include new stores for existing retailers, completely new washroom facilities, large flight information screens, new seating and lighting to create a lighter and brighter passenger environment.

Work will continue during autumn and winter on the next phase of improvement, costing a further £2 million, which will see an expansion and redesign of the existing World Duty Free shop and improvements to other areas.

The airport’s commercial director Lucy O’Shaughnessy said: “We believe these latest improvements have created a real ‘wow factor’ for passengers as we welcome them into the departure lounge, further enhancing the customer experience.”

The classic cup of tea has been revealed as the number-one food or drink that travellers miss while away. Also on the list, compiled by insurance providers NFU Mutual, are a Sunday roast, Marmite and fish and chips. Meanwhile, easyHotels reports the mobile phone charger is the item travellers are most likely to forget to pack, followed by laptop charger, toothbrush, toothpaste and razor.

Virgin claims wifi first Virgin Atlantic says it has become the first European carrier to offer wifi across its entire fleet. Prices start at £2.99 for a ‘messaging pass’, although the airline says its most popular package is the ‘full flight’ access, at £14.99.

Belfast-Newcastle service UK regional airline Eastern Airways is now operating a daily weekday service from Belfast City Airport to Newcastle.

The airline’s Northern Ireland commercial manager Andy Mathieson said: “The short flight and weekday departures make this option particularly convenient for business travellers.”

Room f or i m p r ov e m ent

T

wo out of three UK business travellers belong to at least one hotel loyalty club, yet nearly half are unsatisfied with the rewards they get.

A new report says 45% of corporate travellers report ‘low levels of satisfaction’ with their loyalty club, and 86% would prefer a scheme that prioritises experiential rewards aligned with their hobbies and interests before points or air miles.

A further 14% of British business travellers are unsure what a loyalty scheme is to begin with.

The figures were revealed in the findings of the 2017 Travel Loyalty Report by Wanup, a new loyalty club for hotels, which launched last year.

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H O T T O P I C : T a kin g c a r e of y ou r

t r a v e llin g s t a ff Most travel managers have to deal with the unexpected every so often – be it a member of staff who misses their flight or loses their passport. But how would your company manage in a real crisis and would you know where your travellers are in an emergency?

Safety has always been an important aspect of business travel, but as terrorist attacks become more prevalent and indiscriminate, traveller security has become even more of an issue.

In the event of an emergency, companies of all sizes have a duty of care to track members of staff quickly and to give the traveller access to immediate assistance.

Duty of care and travel risk management programmes should be at the forefront of a company’s security planning and the key is to start by understanding what the risks are.

t he k e y is to start by un de r stan din g w hat t he r isk s a r e

For example, Paris, a relatively ‘safe’ destination for decades, has over the past two years been the subject of several terror attacks that have made international news. Yet, less publicly known is a recent spate of robberies outside airport hotels in the city, with assailants on mopeds stealing baggage and wallets from people simply waiting for the shuttle bus.

Business travellers can be easy targets because they stand out from the crowd – by looking or dressing very differently, driving a hire car, not speaking the language or being jet-lagged.

Corporate Traveller’s head of account management Luke Thickett says: “Duty of care is much more at the forefront now.

“Customers are always interested in what happens when there is an emergency situation; what the procedure is and what tools are available.”

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Companies with a relatively small travel spend don’t have the resources in-house to handle traveller safety and risk management, so it’s much easier when flights and accommodation have all been booked through one central source.

The travel management company can provide vital support, including out-of-hours emergency assist service. Corporate Traveller’s CTProtect is a real-time traveller tracking and alert tool that gives clients critical duty-of-care support at a level not usually offered by TMCs to companies with a small to medium-sized travel spend.

If a major event happens, Corporate Traveller will run a report that will show any travellers that could be affected and will then contact them and do what is necessary to get them out.

Alternatively, tools are available for the customers to run reports themselves, but, because TMCs are available 24/7, most customers are happy for their agent to contact the traveller on their behalf.

Duty- of- Care Checklist • Advise travellers on general and specific risks • Keep a record of when this has been done • Think about domestic travel too, or when staff are moving from office to office • Have a dedicated response process, including who in the organisation is going to respond during an incident • Test it in a trial run exercise before something really happens • Test regularly

H ealth and we l lbeing Health and wellbeing are also becoming more of an issue for companies and many are now integrating their health and safety policies within their travel policies.

It’s important to put adequate insurance and medical assistance programmes in place; ensure there is a single emergency number to call in health emergency and that travellers have access to it.

Consider: • What’s your business travel policy to ensure travellers arrive rested?

• What’s the company’s position on employees self-driving after long flights, especially crossing time zones when jet-lag is a factor?

• Where do travellers go for a single source of truth on health risks and vaccination advice?

I n t he e v e n t o f a n e me r g e n cy, co mpa n ie s o f all siz e s hav e a du t y o f ca r e to t r a ck me mb e r s o f staf f q u ick ly a n d to g iv e t he t r av e ll e r a cce ss to imme diate a ssistan ce

• Should extra layers of approval be built into travel approval policy for destinations with high health risks?

• Do you have a traveller feedback mechanism and listen to traveller feedback about hotels that are included in the travel policy (is the hotel noisy, preventing sleep? Has anyone reported poor room sanitation or food hygiene on the premises?)

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GET A H EA D

B usin e ss kno w - ho w , t ips a nd mo t iv a t ion t o h e lp y ou a chi e v e y ou r g o a ls APEX

Advance purchase: a fare rule. A fare with a 14-day Apex cannot be purchased within 14 days of travel and can’t be changed within 14 days of travel once issued.

APIS

Advance Passenger Information is specific passport information required prior to check-in for travel to certain countries including the US, UAE and Spain.

BAR

Best Available Rate: A term used when booking hotels.

Billback

Pre-authorisation for a hotel to charge a client’s stay to the travel management company (TMCs) saving the traveller from having to expense the cost of the room as the company is invoiced later for the booking.

BSP

Billing and Settlement Plan is an electronic payment system between airlines and TMCs. Terms changed last year, meaning Corporate Traveller is one of the only TMCs still able to provide credit facilities to customers.

Cancellation rule

A fare rule: whether a flight or hotel room booking can be cancelled. In many cases, cancellations mean money will be lost and fares that can be cancelled can often only be done so by paying a penalty.

Codeshare

This is an agreement between two airlines where one places its flight code on the other’s service. For example, Virgin Atlantic and Delta codeshare on UK-US flights.

Dynamic discount

A negotiated hotel rate that is not a fixed amount but a percentage discount off the BAR.

ESTA

Electronic System for Travel Authorisation to the US.

ETA

Estimated time of arrival.

The form of payment, for example credit or debit card.

GDS

Global distribution system is a booking system used by TMCs to sell travel products.

Holding seats

Most TMCs can hold seats on flights for a period of time determined by the airline’s rules. This can only be done with the passenger’s correct passport name.

IATA

International Air Transport Association is the independent governing body for all air travel.

IT fare

Inclusive Fare Tour is a fare that must be sold in conjunction with a land product and priced together as a package.

Often cost effective, but not available for all airlines.

J-class

The fully flexible business-class fare, often the highest on the market, allowing full refund and changes.

Key account manager

The main point of contact allocated by a TMC to a client, who reviews travel spend and booking patterns to suggest ways to streamline travel to save the company money and time.

Loyalty schemes

A company scheme offering incentives and offers for repeat customers. There are lots of airline, hotel and car-hire loyalty schemes that are worth joining as they reward the travellers. There are many company schemes too, such as Corporate Traveller’s scheme, CT Loyalty.

LRA

Late-room availability is a negotiated hotel rate that is valid until the last room is full.

MI

Management information describes the reports produced by a TMC on a company’s travel spend.

Membership numbers

Airline membership schemes for businesses and individuals to collect points and benefit from exclusive offers.

NDC

ETD

Estimated time of departure.

Fully flexible ticket

A fare that allows cancellations or changes free of charge.

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FOP

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NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a travel industrysupported programme launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based data transmission standard. The NDC Standard enhances the capability of communications between airlines and travel agents.

Don’t know your BAR from your FOP? Get stuck into our JARGON BUSTER to help clear up any confusion

Negotiated rates

Exclusive rates a business will have access to at a hotel, after negotiating room-night volumes.

Non-ref

A non-refundable ticket. If cancelled, payment will be retained by the airline, hotel or other supplier.

OBT

An online booking tool is offered by TMCs to clients to book their own travel.

Open jaw

A journey where the passenger flies into one city, but out from another.

Passport names

It’s essential to have the passenger’s name as it appears on their passport when booking travel for them.

PNR

Passenger name record, also known as record locator, relates to an individual booking reference.

Queues

Bookings that require action by a travel manager, for example, because of a schedule change, will appear on a GDS queue system.

Reissue

If a client wants to change the travel date on an issued ticket, it would be reissued with the new dates.

Restricted ticket

Usually at the lower end of the pricing scale for the cabin, this ticket does not allow refunds or changes.

Semi-flexible ticket

The ticket is non-refundable but changes can be made for a fee.

SME

Small to medium enterprise is a term used to describe the type and size of companies that spend between £50,000 and £2 million per year on travel.

TMC

Travel management company is a company that sells business travel to other companies.

TTL

Ticketing time limit is the deadline in which a ticket must be issued before it expires and the fare becomes invalid.

Travel policy

Many companies have a travel policy in place to control spend. The policy can include budget perimeters and permitted class of travel and hotel.

Upgrade

When a guest or passenger is offered a better room or cabin class than he or she booked.

Void

Airline tickets can sometimes be voided on the same day as issued, subject to the individual airline’s terms and conditions.

Waitlist

When flights are full, a booking can be placed ‘on waitlist’, in the event that someone may cancel and the seat becomes available.

XIN

The IATA code for XingNing, a little-known Chinese airport.

Y-class

The fully published economy-class fare.

ZYR

The code used for Brussels Midi/Zuid station when booking Eurostar.

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D e s t in a t ion Z on e :

DOING BUSINESS IN SHANGHAI Shanghai is China’s largest and richest city – a thriving port metropolis fusing East and West, ancient and modern. Situated on the Huangpu River, where the Yangtze meets the East China Sea, its Pudong district is a globally important commercial and financial hub. But it’s also developing a worldwide reputation for fashion, design, film and the arts.

Let ’ s get d o wn to bu siness Being unprepared or arriving late is frowned upon. Calm, composed and organised is the key.

Handshakes are accepted business practice. Address business contacts by their title followed by their last name.

Receive and offer business cards with both hands. Take time to read the one you’ve been given.

Small talk before getting down to business is commonplace – as are long silences in the meeting. Don’t expect business to be concluded swiftly – one or more meetings may be necessary before the deal’s sealed.

The gesture of accepting gifts is frowned upon in business.

However, if you are invited to someone’s house, it’s seen as polite to accept.

At a business lunch, wait to be seated; sample each dish but take it easy as there may well be many different courses.

Before the trip, it’s a good idea to learn to use chopsticks properly.

FYI Time zone: GMT + 7 Flight time: Approx 11.5 hours Currency: Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY) £1=8.8CNY approx Arriving: Pudong International Airport is the main international gateway; Shanghai Hongqiao Airport serves mostly domestic flights.

Climate: Shanghai is humid and subtropical, with midday temperatures in the height of summer reaching 35–36°C (95– 97°F); it’s chilly in the winter. Springtime can be cloudy and rainy; autumn is mild to warm and sunny.

Getting around: Most taxi drivers don’t speak English, so get the destination written down in Chinese so they know where you want to go. There should also be a phone number in the back of the taxi so travellers can contact an English-speaking agent for help.

The Shanghai Metro has signs and station arrival announcements in English and a ferry operates every 10 minutes between the Bund and the Lujiazui financial district in Pudong.

A Shanghai Jiaotong Card can be pre-loaded and used for transport, including taxis.

Tipping: Not expected

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Di d you know…

8 6 4

is the luckiest number as it sounds similar to the word for ‘prosperity’

A b o at t r ip o n t h e H ua n g pu R iv e r i s a po pu lar e xcu r s i on

is considered lucky in business

on the other hand, is considered unlucky

Things to do Can’t sleep?

Book a private tour of night-time Shanghai, which includes a boat trip on the Huangpu River to see the illuminated skyscrapers, a guided walk along the Bund promenade, famous for its 1920s architecture and awesome views across the river and the lively Nanjing Road.

Time to spare?

Wander the Bund and the old town or go to the top of the World Financial Centre for a bird’s eye view of the city. The Jade Buddha Temple and its Chinese garden provide some calm amid the chaos.

Hungry?

Book a Shanghai street-food night tour, taking in a classic Shanghainese neighbourhood, sampling dishes such as stewed crawfish, grilled lamb, wontons, fresh fish, shrimps and eel.

Retail therapy?

Nanjing Road, almost 3.5 miles long, is a busy shopping avenue.

The Yuyuan Bazaar, near the Bund, is good for Chinese crafts and jewellery; or bargain for jade and memorabilia at Dongtai Road Antiques Market.

Day to spare?

Take a day trip out of the city and wander back in time where life has remained relatively unchanged at the gardens of Suzhou and the ancient Zhouzhuang water village. Or visit Shanghai Disneyland Park.

Wh e r e t o s tay ?

Fairmont Peace Hotel 21st century Art Deco masterpiece, with complimentary spa treatment, wifi and room upgrade, if available.

Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Centrally located in the Pudong business district. 40 minutes by taxi from the airport; breakfast and wifi included, plus 500 bonus IHG rewards points per night.

Hotel Indigo Shanghai On the Bund Right on the Huangpu river front.

Breakfast and wifi included, plus complimentary checkout, if available.

To find the best deals and see all available hotels visit http://corptraveller.co.uk/offers and check out our smartSTAY range.

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5 G e nius

TRA V E L L ER H A C K S Check out the latest apps, products and tips designed to make travelling on business easier

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L a n g u a g e l e a r nin g m ade easy

L ov e i t o r h at e i t ?

A recent Best App winner at the 2017 Google Play Awards, the Memrise app helps travellers quickly learn to converse in a different language. Brush up on your school French, Spanish or German, or start from scratch with a more unusual language, such as Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic or Polish. Words and phrases are learned with a rich variety of games, chatbots and native speaker videos.

After finding out recently that Marmite was the numberone confiscated branded food item at London City Airport, Unilever, the maker of Marmite, has just come out with a smaller, travel-friendly 70g jar that can be packed, sealed and unopened in hand luggage – meaning lovers of the yeasty stuff needn’t be without their savoury spread while abroad on business. After all, Marmite is the second most-popular grocery product travellers take abroad – after tea bags.

B in a u r a l b e at s a pp

RRP £1.

Ever heard of binaural beats? No, neither had we, until we stumbled across the fab Pure Binaural Beats app.

The repetitive beats have a soothing effect on the mind – helping to reduce jet lag and reset your sleep clock.

This useful app can also be used to improve focus and alleviate anxiety.

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Th e pu r r - f e c t e y e - m a sk When it comes to cat-napping on the plane, this blacksatin-fronted mask is the cat’s whiskers. Available exclusively through Catbird in New York, we think it’s simply purr-fect for the frequent traveller.

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J us t t h e t onic G&T for the face? Rosalena Skincare’s Goodness and Tonic Face Mist was a Bronze Award winner at the FreeFrom Skincare Awards 2017. Available as a travel-size duo with Frank & Sense Face Oil, they’re the perfect accessory for time-poor business travellers who can keep their skin moisturised and energised on the go. Both are 100% natural, free from allergens, chemicals, additives and other nasties.

Rosalena Skincare’s Summer Lovin’ Duo retails at £58, in stores and online. • www.rosalena.co.uk

$24 • www.catbirdnyc.com

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I N TER V I EW W I T H A

TRA V E L B O O K ER Law student turned travel booker

DAKSHA STANCILAS, director’s executive assistant

at Pret A Manger, London, talks business, boxing and the one thing she can’t start the day without What’s the worst bit about booking business travel?

Tell us a bit about yourself: I’m 36, from east London. I enjoy spending time with my four-year-old son and I do boxing to keep fit. It’s a good stress reliever.

Last-minute changes.

How long have you been in your current job?

What would make life easier for

Since January 2014. Initially, the post was for six months but I ended up staying.

Ensuring that dates and itineraries don’t change much as it’s

you when booking travel?

Tell us about your career path

difficult to get amendments made with certain airlines.

I wanted to be a lawyer and I studied for an LLB in Law with Psychology at Greenwich University. After graduating, my first job was at the Department of Trade and Industry as an insolvency investigator. I then worked in paralegal roles and as a PA for an art dealer.

What advice do you have to someone new to booking travel?

Keep abreast of emergency situations, visa application details and changes to travel as directors will rely on you to answer their questions. I always

That’s quite a career change.

make sure I can access the directors’

Yes, but I have a lot of transferable skills, including analytical and financial knowledge and written, organisational, communication and IT skills.

travel information easily as sometimes I need their passport, frequent flyer and

How much of your work time is spent booking business travel?

emergency contact details. Most of the time, you are the emergency contact.

15%.

Also, have a reliable and resourceful

What else does your job entail?

travel contract, which will make life

I manage diaries and budgets, write reports, prepare presentations, manage events for up to 800 people and organise strategy away days.

I support the UK managing director, people director and brand director, as well as Pret’s US president. I book travel for UK executives, which include operation managers, regional directors as well as head of departments.

easier. I have found this most useful.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you first started?

Be aware of the importance others place on you.

Where do they travel to?

Don’t expect every trip

It varies from the US to Dubai and France as well as within the UK.

to go 100% smoothly!

And be prepared

Do you organise other elements of their travel?

Occasionally I assist with visas, maps, train and pedestrian routes to our shops in Hong Kong or New York.

Do you ever get to travel on business yourself?

I went to Dubai with the operations team for a work trip, where I arranged logistics, activities and incorporated work for the team, including market research.

Pret now has a shop in Dubai airport.

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to answer late calls due to time differences.

“ B e awa r e o f the impo rtan ce ot he r s place o n yo u ”

And finally.

What’s your favourite Pret takeout?

I cannot live without my hazelnut cappuccino every morning and I adore the roasted red pepper, basil and halloumi toastie.

THE LEADING GLOBAL GROUND TRANSPORTATION PLATFORM FOR CORPORATE TRAVEL GroundScope provide a global taxi service that lets travelers choose a service in over 500 cities across the world and book the safest, most reliable and cost effective option for their trip.

We offer a powerful booking platform which provides access to rigorously vetted ground transport partners supported by GroundScope’s experienced staff offering 24/7 customer care.

Our service is available online, on your mobile and through TMCs via our GDS and proprietary OBT connectivity.

Our mission is to manage, streamline and simplify the fragmented ground transportation landscape for clients, and offer a seal of quality that guarantees a licensed, insured, competitively priced and high quality service in every taxi, car or coach booked.

Contact us to find out how we can help your organisation put in place world class ground transportation arrangements.

Ask your Key Contact at Corporate Traveller for more information

www.groundscope.co.uk

Wh a t so r t of busin e ss t r a v e ll e r a r e y ou ?

TR y ou r quiz Q 1 . Th e r e ’ s a no t h e r busin e ss t r ip comin g up.

You r r e spons e …

t o find ou t

Q 2 . D o y ou p a ck …

A As little as possible. You’ll get your suit and clothes laundered on company expenses

A Not Dubai again!

B Tea bags, Marmite, favourite pillow

B I’m going to miss my cat

C Swimming costume, party outfits and spare bags for shopping

C Yay! A few days out of the office D Fab! Another destination to tick off the list E I’ll grab my ‘go bag’

Q 3 . You r fli g h t ou t of t h e U K is d e l ay e d . D o y ou …

A Ring the office. They can’t do anything about it, but you need to vent your frustration on someone B Facetime your Nan

D Selfie stick, other gadgets E Carry on luggage only. You want to get off and go

Q 4 . H o w do y ou f e e l a bou t y ou r comp a n y ’ s t r a v e l compli a nc e polic y ?

A More red tape! Bring back the days when you could book your own travel and stay wherever you liked

C Head to the bar – for food and beer on company expenses

B It keeps me within the rules so I know where I am

D Use it as an opportunity for some retail therapy

D It’s part of travelling on business

E Just relax, these things happen

E Necessary, although I know how to bend the rules a little

Q 5 . O n t h e fli g h t do y ou …

A Glare at all your fellow passengers and wonder how on earth they managed to get into business class B Stare forlornly at the plane tracker, getting sadder the further it moves away from the UK C Quaff champagne

C What is a travel compliance policy?

Q 6 . H o w soon do y ou fil e y ou r e xp e ns e s ?

A My assistant does them B As soon as I get back to the office C Still on my to-do list

D Read up about the destination

D After I’ve shown everyone all my photos and souvenirs from the trip

E

E I keep a track as I go along

Have a nap, watch a film, and do a little work preparation

T ot u p the scores …

Mostly Es Mostly Cs

Mostly As The weary business traveller The novelty of corporate travel wore off a long time ago and now everything is a hassle. But it beats staying in the office with colleagues. You hanker for the good old days, when travelling on business was much more glamorous.

Now they let anyone in business class!

The traveller with a lot to learn You’re new to business travel and it shows.

Be careful, as you’re in danger of getting a reputation for not taking it seriously and not following company policy.

The business travel veteran You’re well-travelled, a people person and you enjoy your business trips.

You’ve been doing it so long, nothing really phases you.

You don’t let the occasional problem get to you. You’re a travel manager’s dream!

Mostly Ds - Passionate

Mostly Bs The reluctant business traveller I miss my own bed!

You enjoy your trips to a certain extent, but you get anxious and worried. Time drags when you’re away. You miss your family and friends – and yearn for your own bed.

You really appreciate the fact you’re able to travel. Given half a chance, you’ll tag on a few days’ holiday at the end. You don’t mind what hotel you stay in – it’s all part of the fun.

Generally, your travel manager likes dealing with you, although your frequent requests to change your return flight can be a bit annoying!

No overall lette r There’s a little bit of you in every category.

Try to enjoy travelling a little bit more – and don’t turn into a weary business traveller when you get older!

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V I L L AGE V O I C E S G earing up for charity Good sports Hannah Jones and Lea Duchemin raised almost £4,000 for mental health charity Mind when they completed the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 in July.

Lea, who is client relationship manager at CT Vauxhall, added: “I’m addicted to cycling now. I’ve since done the London to Brighton and I’m considering doing London to Paris next year.”

Hannah, senior manager at the CT Bristol office, pictured left, said: “The atmosphere was like nothing I have ever experienced before. I cried when I crossed the finish line.

Having a ball

Waterway to go!

Staff at CT Leeds and CT Hull celebrated their successes with an end-of-year party on the water, which they themed ‘Barging Our Way to Success’.

CT Vauxhall’s clients heard travel updates and thoughtprovoking presentations at a recent event at the Courthouse Hotel in London’s trendy Shoreditch, before battling it out on the bowling lane and socialising over a few drinks.

Surcharge -free for B A an d Iberia International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns British Airways and Iberia, has announced that, from November 1 2017, it will introduce an £8-perone-way surcharge on bookings made via traditional global distribution system (GDS) channels used by travel management companies and agents.

The charge for a typical trip comprising two components – outbound and inbound – will be £16.

A p p ointm ent Cameron Bengart has joined the CT team as regional operations manager for Scotland, Birmingham, Yorkshire, Newcastle, Manchester and Liverpool.

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The new surcharge represents a change in the airline’s distribution model.

British Airways and Iberia want to offer a better shopping experience and richer content by distributing their products via a connection called New Distribution Capability (NDC).

NDC is currently still in developmental stages and not yet fully functional.

In the meantime, through Corporate Traveller’s strong relationship with IAG, we have agreed a transitional period with BA, Iberia and our technology provider that allows our clients to be exempt from the surcharge for both offline and online bookings.

Through Corporate Traveller’s regional UK hubs, clients have access to a team of local experts to ensure they get the most from their corporate spend. Each issue, we’ll bring readers a round-up of office news – and ask some of the team a travel-related question.

This issue, we ask:

“What’s your must-have travel gadget or item?”

Cara Dzivane, business development manager, Scotland “Would my MAC ‘Feels So Grand’ lippy count? I honestly couldn’t travel without it. But for a less girly answer, it would have to be the Trtl pillow. This has literally changed the way I travel. I still can’t figure out how it works, but it does.

It holds the head and neck in a better ergonomic position than a traditional travel pillow. Trtl founders Michael Corrigan and David Kellock are geniuses.”

Bruce Teatheredge client relationship manager, London

Edinburgh Glasgow

“Hair wax! I’m far from precious about the way I look but several years ago, my friend and I were covertly drugged by two locals and had all our possessions stolen. We only had spare change in our pockets and nowhere to stay, no way to access money and no way to contact home. My friend insisted that we spend our last coins on hair wax: ‘If you take care of your appearance, your appearance will take care of you,’ he said.

Newcastle

Leeds

Sure enough, we tidied ourselves up and found the confidence to approach strangers for help. We found our feet and within 24 hours were winding down in the local spa.”

Hull

Manchester

Francesca Hackett, account manager, Loughborough “My iPhone! Whether it is to check in online, check my emails (work never ends even when you are on holiday), call home (tell the family I have arrived safely), take a picture (I love posting pictures on social media to create a little holiday envy), listen to music or use apps, my phone is the travel gadget I cannot live without.”

Liverpool Loughborough Birmingham

Oxford City Bristol

London

Woking Crawley

Clerkenwell Chancery Lane Vauxhall Wimbledon New Malden Waterloo

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