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BETTER TIMES FOR
BUSINESS TRAVELERS
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AIRLINES
FOCUS ON CONVENIENCE AND COMFORT.
BY PAM DROOG
During a recent international flight, Howard Berry, international
weapons program manager for a major aerospace corporation, fell
asleep.
“When I woke up, I was covered in a little duvet and everything
around me had been straightened up,” he says. “Like in a fine restaurant,
you don’t notice the staff, and that’s when they’re the best.”
The stealth attention of flight attendants in business class is
just one of the ways Berry believes airlines are making travel easier
and more comfortable for business people.
To do his job, Berry travels overseas six to eight times a year,
to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
“I’ve gotten around a little!” he says. As a result, he speaks from
experience. And in his experience, one of the best recent innovations
on long flights is the Bose Active Noise Cancellation system available
on American Airlines. The ANC headphones have a sensor that detects
engine noise and neutralizes it with a canceling sound wave, Berry
explains.
“You put on the headphones and don’t hear a thing,” he says. By
blocking noise, the system actually helps relieve fatigue. “On a
long airplane ride, noise can become a drain and tire you out,”
he says. “So if you can cancel it out for 10 or 12 hours, you really
do feel better.”
Berry also appreciates that many airlines have eliminated first
class in favor of business class.
“The seats are bigger,” he says. “Also, some airlines now have individual
monitors in the back of every chair so you can watch a movie. And
sometimes you can have your meal delivered right away, so you can
sleep the rest of the flight.”
On a long flight, when Berry doesn’t sleep, he works.
“A lot of airlines have power ports for laptops now,” he says. “That’s
a great perk, to be able to work for hours with no problem.”
Domestic flights are the norm for Bryan Groh, partner and civil
litigation group leader at Evans & Dixon law firm in St. Louis.
He flies Southwest Airlines for business travel, for a number of
reasons.
| "PEOPLE
WHO DON'T FLY VERY OFTEN ARE USUALLY THE ONES WHO
HAVE PROBLEMS AT CHECK-IN OR SECURITY AND THAT DELAYS
THE PROCESS." |
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Bryan
Groh
partner and civil litigation group leader,
Evans & Dixon
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“It’s easy to get in and out of the east terminal, where Southwest
is based, at Lambert International,” Groh says. “Also, Southwest’s
on-time record is excellent.”
He especially likes Southwest’s online reservation service.
“You can arrange everything on the Internet, which makes it very
easy. You can even make changes if you need to, and reserve your
car and hotel all on southwest.com,” he says. “It’s pretty convenient.”
Groh adds a big benefit of booking Southwest flights online is the
double points he earns as a member of the airline’s frequent-flyer
program.
“They go by the number of trips you take, not the mileage,” he says.
“So a trip to Chicago counts the same as one to Baltimore.” Groh
says he’s earned six free roundtrip tickets from Southwest in the
past two years.
Increased security procedures have had an effect on business travelers,
both Berry and Groh point out.
Groh says some airports require passengers to have a boarding pass
before going through security, so he always stops at the airline
counter first to get his pass. He was subjected to a random, intense
search just once.
“At Southwest, if there’s a checkerboard pattern on the bottom of
your boarding pass, you will be searched,” he says. “You can help
yourself if you know the routine: show your laptop, take off your
overcoat and run it through the machine. I always make it a point
to put everything I have in my jacket pockets into the tub, then
put in the jacket.”
Business class and other premium customers at American Airlines
can take advantage of the express security lane at the C and D concourses
security checkpoint at Lambert International Airport. The airline
has expanded its security checkpoint by 25 percent, making it a
smoother experience for its customers.
Another American Airlines convenience for business-class passengers
and others are the OneStop Self-Service kiosks at American’s ticket
counter on the south side of the terminal. At these kiosks, customers
with electronic tickets can check in for a flight, select or change
their seats, check baggage and obtain boarding passes.
Travelers still can check-in outside the airport at American’s mobile
curbside units. Customers with paper or electronic tickets can check
bags, receive a boarding pass and go straight to security and then
to the gate.
Some business travelers choose to avoid the airport altogether until
they’re ready to fly, using American’s online Flight Check-In on
AA.com. Rob Friedman, managing director, Interactive Marketing at
American Airlines, says, “Today, customers traveling with domestic
electronic tickets can check-in and print their boarding passes
from the convenience of their homes, offices or anywhere they have
access to the Internet and a printer.” Travelers also can select
seats and request certain upgrades online.
The service is available beginning 12 hours prior to the scheduled
flight and up to one hour prior to departure. Upon arriving at the
airport, customers can check their luggage at a mobile curbside
unit, and then proceed to the security entrance with their boarding
passes.
“Most airlines are pretty good about giving you preferential treatment
for business class check-in,” Berry says. For example, Groh points
out, “If you’re really late and want to avoid a line you can do
it. Just tell the person when you check in what you have to do and
they’ll tell you where the secret, shorter line is. But,” he adds,
“The airline personnel probably will check your ticket to see how
late you really are.”
One gripe Berry has, however, is that even when airline personnel
mark business travelers’ bags as priority handling, “ninety-five
percent of the time it makes no difference when my luggage arrives
at the baggage claim versus a coach passenger. My time on the ground
is valuable, especially if I’m overseas and have to get to a meeting,”
he says. “I’m nobody special, but if you mark my bag then make it
matter.”
Groh notes, “People who don’t fly very often are usually the ones
who have problems at check-in or security and that delays the process.
But the business traveler knows what to do and gets through it pretty
quick.”
Berry agrees and shares some advice regarding flying for business.
“My best tip is never believe what’s on the board when it says the
plane is departing on time,” he says. “And always try to check what
you can, because the less you bring on the plane, the better. Also,
always carry on a day’s worth of clothing in case you and your baggage
get separated.”
Berry also suggests business travelers treat airline service personnel
with respect.
“That’s a good general rule, but if you say good morning and call
them by name, they’ll go the extra mile and take good care of you.”
He adds, “Most of the staff on an airplane are so enjoyable. I like
to talk to them because they’ve seen a lot of interesting places
and have great stories.”
Finally, he says, “Go with the flow! If the plane is late, there’s
nothing you can do about it. Sometimes you just have to take it
as it comes, and yelling at someone won’t change the fact that the
plane is behind schedule.”
The same goes for customs, Berry says. “A lot of people freak out
when they pass through customs, but most customs officers are just
trying to do their jobs. If they tell you to stand there for 30
minutes, take out a book and answer their questions respectfully.”
Though business travel may seem glamorous, “it’s not. It’s hard
to leave your family,” Berry says. “But traveling really is not
a big deal anymore, especially with today’s conveniences. It’s nothing
more than a glorified bus ride at the end of the day.”
Pam Droog is a frequent contributor to St. Louis Commerce Magazine.
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