Business travellers are feeling the effects of widespread travel chaos, with 73 per cent of recent trips disrupted according to travel tech platform Egencia.
A survey of 2,250 frequent business travellers across the UK, France and the US found that more than two-thirds (69 per cent) now expect disruption when they travel. This was higher amongst UK business travellers, at 76 per cent.
To limit the possibility of disruption, 46 per cent book an early morning flight and 40 per cent avoid certain airlines and airports.
The research also found that 49 per cent of business travellers would prefer to cancel their trip than deal with travel disruption.
Nevertheless, 94 per cent of those surveyed still see the benefits of travel, citing face-to-face meetings as important.
Egencia also found that 74 per cent of business travellers are more likely to use digital tools to deal with disrupted trips, with 43 per cent listing access to real-time updates as the biggest benefit.
The survey also revealed a desire for more automated options, with 28 per cent wanting flights to be automatically rebooked when things go wrong.
Egencia President Mark Hollyhead said:
“Business travellers are increasingly concerned about experiencing problems on the road and getting the support they need. Whatever the purpose for a trip, if you make the decision to travel it’s an investment in time. We want to be there for our customers and provide the technology and service to manage disruptions as seamlessly as possible.”
Egencia is owned by American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT).