Business Class Travel

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Business class travel used to be done with a flourish without much thought given to controlling expenses, as business people hit the town after big meetings. This was the case for salaried or commissioned small business company employees. Even CEOs with their fingers on the budget trigger were more open to combining business with pleasure.

But rising oil prices have changed all this. Business class travel now means flying budget airlines. Today company owners want to squeeze as much productivity out of their employees and themselves as they can, while keeping wary eyes on costs, cutting wherever possible. Perks offered by the major airlines have also changed. But the impacts of skyrocketing jet fuel prices will have another, farther reaching result: some carriers will never emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Of those not under the bankruptcy umbrella, expect routes to be suddenly rerouted or eliminated and planes parked. Business class prices will increase and the battle for your travel dollar will escalate.

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Travel Perks Are Questionable

Forget about collecting frequent-flyer awards because the airlines offering these perks may not be around to honor them. Some airlines are even cutting into employee pension funds and eliminating skilled employees. Some of these are pilots and airline mechanics which makes one winder who is going to fly the planes that may be maintained by replacements fresh out of tech school.

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Hotel Business Class Travel Delights

While airlines struggle with the rising costs of fuels, hotels have increased business amenities designed to make increased productivity a pleasure. Business trips now focus on replacing expensive hotels for cheaper middle-of-the-line units offering better means to put in a full a day's work. This behavior is forcing hotels to rethink presentations and offerings, moving away from the no frills barred “Have a night out on us” to a more practical “We’ll leave the lights on” approach. Some offer translators and secretarial services. For the health conscious there are yoga studios, gyms and spas along with menus designed by nutritionists offered beefed-up meals and brain food fare.

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High-tech Provides An Edge

Most hotels now offer fast and secure Internet connections in guest and conference rooms, with additional laptop hookups poolside. Public phones have been replaced with functional ports and Wi-Fi connections. Broadband connections are on the increase. Most offer a work space with high-speed Internet access, dual phone lines and data ports. Should your computer crash before you do, some hotels offer technical assistance with quick fixes by "technology concierges," or 24-hour IT help lines. Still others offer in-room computer, scanner, fax, color printer and ergonomic furniture. All of these options mean business class travel need not interrupt your normal course of business, even if your business is heavily tied to the Internet.

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Speedy Check-in Is The Key

Some hotels provide wireless room booking with PDAs or Blackberrys. Others provide e-tickets, no-wait car rentals and pickups. Express checkout at many hotels is provided with online services requiring only a quick stop at the desk, a flash of ID and the grab of a key.

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