Airlines are continuously adapting their services to improve the overall experience. What do business travelers want from airlines, and what changes are airlines making to revolutionize air travel?

A commitment to traveler health and safety

From a travel management perspective, companies will need to analyze an airline's commitment to passenger safety to fulfill their duty of care. Airlines who demonstrate a dedication to addressing the myriad of health and safety concerns will go a long way towards convincing both business and leisure travelers that it can be safe to fly again.

Transparent information

The travel landscape is constantly evolving, making it challenging for travelers and travel managers to stay informed about compliance with the latest regulations. Airlines often need to enforce their own additional set of rules, creating an extra layer of information that fliers must access and understand quickly. Hiding measures in terms and conditions or within a mobile app isn't particularly user-friendly, especially for older demographics. Presenting booking terms and updates in a transparent and digestible manner will remain an ongoing challenge for airlines moving forward.

Flexibility

Business travelers have always desired more flexibility from their fares. Business needs often require corporate travel plans to be adjusted or canceled. Flexibility in booking options has become a key priority, with corporate travel policies increasingly making flexible rates non-negotiable, and leisure travelers also seeking more generous cancellation policies. Fortunately, airlines continue to innovate in offering flexible fare options to meet these demands.

Alternative perks

In recent years long-haul airlines have been changing their approach to pricing. Taking inspiration from low-cost competitors, more are moving from selling different seating tiers to a more experience-based model. While passengers can still select from economy or business class seats, they can also choose from a new generation of perks that speak to current needs.

The good news for corporate travelers is that a lot of this regeneration has business travelers in mind. Whether it's increased flexibility on fares, lounge passes, or complimentary Wi-Fi, airlines are getting creative with the extras they offer to win back business travelers.

Loyalty programs

As a business traveler, you are no doubt signed up to a couple of loyalty schemes. Most airlines will have their own points system or priority club, but they vary wildly in their generosity. The best loyalty programs allow for point sharing so that business travelers can share their miles with family members or friends.

Many airlines also pair their loyalty programs with credit card companies to offer travelers more opportunities to rack up points. However, for years frequent flyers have been left disappointed by complicated tier structures and the time scales provided to spend points earned by years of loyal custom. Recently many airlines are removing the red tape and extending the period clients have to spend their accrued miles to encourage travelers back.

The most generous and savvy airlines also give their club members extended cancellation policies on new bookings as another perk to thank them for their business.

Wi-Fi connectivity

Corporate travelers always want to make the most out of their business trips. Traveling for work is time away from loved ones and can easily lead to a backup of tasks waiting for them on their return. Keen to eke out every opportunity to be productive, having access to Wi-Fi during their flight is helpful for professional and personal reasons.

It allows busy travelers to get ahead on emails, send out reports and check in with loved ones so they can hit the ground running when they land. If getting online costs a small fortune with one airline and comes complimentary with another, you can guess where business travelers will be spending their corporate travel budgets.

Increased space

Universally whether it's for business or leisure, all travelers would like more space when traveling by air! But for business travelers, it's more than simply an argument around the amount of legroom an airline offers. As well as being able to get online, business travelers need adequate space to work while on-board.

As business travel accounts for around 75% of profits generated, airlines would be foolish to disregard their needs. In recent years airlines have been getting more creative with their seat configurations. In business class, more airlines are moving to offer customers suite-style seating where corporate fliers can enjoy more privacy to work on potentially sensitive or confidential material.

Are you a frequent flier? What changes would you like to see airlines make in the coming years? Let us know in our LinkedIn thread!