Travel Tip: International Business and Business Class Travel
Travel Tip: International Business and Business Class Travel
Advantages and Suggestions for Flying Business Class – Benefits Beyond a Better Seat, Meal and Wine Selection!
By Jeannette & Dan Dudek
Travel Tip: International Business and Business Class Travel. © Photographer: Lufthansa
Flying Business Class provides benefits beyond a better seat, meals and wine selection. Typically you get priority check-in, priority baggage handling, increased no-charge check baggage limits and priority security screening. When you go from the ticket counter to the express security check-in and to the Business Class Lounge to wait for your flight, you realize the difference from flying Coach – and you appreciate the difference! This article provides insights on traveling Business Class and suggestions to reduce your cost of traveling internationally when on Business assignments.
The obvious differences between Coach and Business classes include a number of things. The seats in Business Class typically recline to 180 degrees, or as close to horizontal as practical. Your seat most likely will include a console for entertainment that includes Audio and Video on Demand (AVOD); and many airlines are now adding Internet access ports. Your meals and wine are not only better than in Coach, but the presentation makes you forget you are flying. The average ratio of one attendant per three to five passengers ensures your every need is addressed quickly. The combination of having your checked luggage tagged for priority handling; and being allowed to depart the plane before the Coach passengers, allows you the ability get to the customs area before the lines become very long, facilitating your departure from the airport.
Years ago Dan started traveling Business Class. First it was actually on business trips to Europe, from then on, all our international trips, even personal ones are now Business Class. We use airline frequent flyer points for personal travel as much as possible. We recommend that if you have sufficient points you take advantage of using them for Business Class travel as soon as possible as over the years the number of points required for such travel has constantly increased for many of the frequent flyer programs.
When we flew to Australia and New Zealand, we got US Airways Business class tickets (via points). Since there was no Business Class from Charlotte to San Francisco (and the return), the airline was required to put us in First Class for the cross-USA parts of the trip as well. This automatic upgrade to First Class for your flight to the international departure airport is a standard practice for most frequent flyer programs.
Dan has made a number of Business Class trips to the Middle East, including the one that got extended to Manila (and thus ended up as a round-the-world trip). He insisted Business Class travel be stated clearly in his contract. Flying Business Class has allowed his travel to be much more restful than flying Coach, and he utilized the time to review reports and prepare for his assignment. The larger seating area and reduced noise as compared to Coach facilitates working as well as relaxing. Arriving rested and prepared has always been beneficial to his clients.
Lufthansa Business Class Lounge in Frankfurt, Germany
One major advantage of flying Business to such areas as the Middle East or Eastern Europe is the stopover amenities in Europe. During these transfers, your Business Class ticket gives you access to the Business Class Airline Lounges. This means you get free food, drinks (alcoholic drinks included), an Internet workstation, and most importantly, access to a shower! Once you know the routine, you learn very quickly to pack a change of clothes and the necessary toiletries in your carry-on, and sign-up for a shower as soon as you arrive. Boy, it does make a difference!
One tip you might enjoy. When arriving in a country in the morning, they will serve you breakfast on your flight. Usually this means getting some coffee as well. In Business Class, the drinks are free, so consider asking for Bailey’s Irish Cream with your coffee. You would be surprised what a decadent difference this makes in starting your day! And do not be surprised if the others in your seating area start asking for the same!
Travel Tip: International Business and Business Class Travel. © Photographer: Jens Goerlich
We know how difficult it is to enjoy a country when you are there for business. Most people do not understand you basically work and sleep. However, consider negotiating some vacation time be allowed at the end of your assignment. This way you can have a few days or even a couple of weeks, to explore the country before flying back. This strategy works out very well for everyone, the client, your employer and yourself. You get to do the tourist thing, and become more familiar with the country and its customs. This makes it easier for you to understand and bond with your customer and it gives your employer an employee that has more knowledge and familiarity with the country.
On several occasions, Dan has negotiated with his employer that he would travel during his vacation time to a country (or even a state like Hawaii), and do courtesy visits to important clients in various cities along the way. For this effort, all that he required was that for each customer visited, his employer pick up a hotel expense for one night, meals for one day; and not count the day as part of his vacation time. This was another win-win-win situation. The customer got a no-cost visit and felt great about it; Dan’s employer got a very happy customer for a nominal cost investment; and Dan got to stay in a very nice downtown hotel and have a great dinner on his company’s expense account!
When Dan was single, he mentioned that he was frequently lucky enough to persuade a young lady working for the customer to have dinner with him and show him the local sites. Now that we are married, we travel on business trips as much as possible and most foreign colleagues bend-over-backwards to make us feel welcome. The incremental cost of traveling with a spouse on business is not very much. In any case, whether dining with an acquaintance or your spouse, only charge ½ of the cost of a meal to keep in good graces with the accounting staff and company owner.
Lufthansa Business Class lounge in Frankfurt, Germany
One final tip. Some domestic and international frequent flyer programs have recently been modified to state that if you have a Business Class ticket, you are eligible to use the Business Class Lounge of the international departing airport. Translation, you are not eligible to use the BC lounge of your originating airport. This makes no sense. You are typically required to arrive and check-in at your originating airport as much as two hours before your flight. If you have to take this flight to another airport for your international departure, the connection time may be such that you have to go directly to the gate of your departing international flight, i.e. no time to go the BC lounge.
What you want, and what you deserve, is to use the BC lounge of your originating airport to relax, use the Internet and get a bite to eat. Suggestion, go to the Business Class lounge of your originating airport with your tickets; if questioned as to how you will pay for using the lounge, be extremely courteous to the lounge attendant (use his/her name) and express your desire to use the lounge to rest for your upcoming Business Class international flight. The lounge attendant (and certainly the manager) has the authority to allow you access and in most cases will do so – as long as you are friendly and thankful.
By the way, we recommend First Class whenever traveling by train; the cost is not that much more than Economy, and it is typically a more pleasant and safer experience. Understand that for most European trains a “reserved” ticket posted on the outside of a cabin compartment is for seats that will normally only apply for part of the train’s route; so if you do not have a reserved seat, you can use any “reserved” seats if your travel does not overlap the segment reserved.
Bio:
Jeannette and Dan Dudek travel extensively domestically and internationally; visited over 30 countries; and have been to most U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Jeannette’s career has included teaching elementary school classes; as well as English classes for middle school students; she also as has been a business manager and accountant for several firms. Jeannette’s passion is gourmet cooking and hosting special gatherings for friends and family. Dan spent his career as an international consultant; assisting large firms implement computerized project and portfolio management systems. Besides international travel, Jeannette and Dan enjoy traveling North America in their RV, as well as handgun competitions, sailing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor sports.
