raising the temptation stakes

As airlines vie for the business traveller trade, RACHEL JOLLEY looks at the incentives on offer to the discerning flier and the hidden catches AIRLINES throw a suitcaseful of cash into finding out what business travellers expect from their service, often just before they redesign their business class. Understandably, travellers are interested in reliability, safety and punctuality, but those qualities are generally taken as the bottom line. Business-class travel often comes with all sorts of frills, from chauffeur pickup and remote check-in to gourmet meals and onboard massage, but not every business traveller values these extras.

Research carried out by NOP for business travel agent Carlson Wag- onLit found 37 per cent of travellers rated onboard comfort as their top priority on long-haul flights, while another third rated legroom as the most important factor in choosing an airline.

Legroom can vary enormously even within the same airline, depending on aircraft and seat layout. If you are travelling in American Airlines business class on a Boeing 767-300 your seat pitch will be 48 inches and seat width 24 inches, but on the airline's MD- 11, seat pitch is 55 inches and seat width 26 inches. British Airways business-class passengers have a 50-inch seat pitch, but partner Canadian Airlines has 60 inches in its relaunched business class. Airline catering was not seen as a big attraction by the Carlson poll, perhaps because some people see it as a core service, while some regular trav-ellers don't bother with it at all. Road warriors can often be seen plumping up a pillow and struggling under a blanket as soon as they find their seat. Tom Stone, global travel manager at SmithKline Beecham, says he always takes his own sandwiches, rather than eating the food offered by the airline. "A Pret A Manger sandwich is far better for me. I am not interested in the airline food - basically food doesn't travel well at all." Stone does rate the idea now being offered by airlines, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, of offering business travellers the chance to eat their meal in a lounge restaurant before they board. The dine-before-you-fly concept is particularly practical on an overnight transatlantic flight where travellers want to maximise their sleeping time. Eric Brannan, managing director of business travel agency Hogg Robinson BTI UK, rates a Scandinavian idea of offering travellers a choice of sandwiches, pizza or other fast food at the gate. Engineer Tony Parry, who regularly takes short-haul flights around Europe, says: "What I want is polite staff who welcome you and a decent meal." On very short flights he wants to read the newspaper and have two cups of good coffee. It doesn't take an overflowing amenity bag or extensive lounge to win his approval: "I want a free newspaper even if I'm in economy." Interior designer and regular traveller Dean Keyworth, who runs London-based consultancy Armstrong Keyworth, is also won over by small touches. "I like to be given a bottle of water, rather than having to ask continually for another glass." P Restrictions on cabin baggage have become a contentious issue recently with airlines cutting back on size and number of bags; some carriers are even weighing hand luggage. This move has challenge business travellers' tendency to try to carry on all their luggage, often in the hope of a quick getaway on arrival. One business traveller claimed BA had the most handbaggage restrictions, but if he opted for American Airlines there was virtually unlimited carry on. "I can take a 14kg bag with enough room for all the items I need for a two-week stay." Carryon limits have recently come under attack from Earl Foster, who is global director of travel management for drinks giant Seagram and chairman of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives. He is annoyed by the new baggage restrictions. He says speed and convenience are the watchword of business travellers. "Experience, largely bad experience, has taught business travellers to keep essential items close at hand." Each airline is enforcing different limits so it is difficult for travellers to keep up - but garment bags and laptops, as well as a briefcase, have been refused recently. British Airways' hand baggage limit is now just 9kg. P Most airlines will have a speedy business-class check-in queue, but with many companies cutting back on travel budgets business travellers are being forced back into longer economy check-in queues. One valued option is telephone check-in. This service, offered by BA among others, allows travellers with hand-luggage to check in before leaving the office. AMERICAN Airlines offers travellers out of Heathrow and Zurich check-in the night before their flight, thus avoiding the rush. Aer Lingus passengers travelling via Dublin or Shannon to the US have the timesaving option of clearing US immigration in Ireland. The service of a chauffeur-driven limo or motorbike to the airport for business-class passengers is rated highly, as is chauffeured parking. Eric Brannan says: "It is convenient and it saves time. We have one client on the south coast of England who uses Virgin for that reason particularly." Arrival lounges are appreciated by travellers who have to get straight off a plane and head for a meeting. British Airways has just upgraded its arrivals lounge at Heathrow, doubling the number of showers. SmithKline's Tom Stone said his colleagues used the arrivals lounge regularly when flying in overnight from Philadelphia to Heathrow Terminal 4; when the service moved to Terminal 3 they were horrified. "They didn't have, on arrival, the instant hot shower, suit pressing and croissant." But Stone admitted that: "In the last 10 to 15 years things that people used to live without have become indispensable." He sees the trend towards having darkened sleeping areas in lounges, where mobile phones are banned, as a good one. But lounges vary dramatically in size and quality. Some are so small it is often better to be outside. Lounges at US airports have generally lagged behind those in the UK, and have had fewer free amenities. Jim Tweedie, Carlson WagonLit UK vice-president, agrees that some lounges are less appealing than others. In fact there is an overcrowding problem at some airports. Frequent-flier programmes are a contentious issue - expensive for airlines, but travellers love the schemes as they can win points that count towards free or discounted flights, hotel stays or other travel benefits. According to NOP, 52 per cent of regular travellers have membership of different schemes. But companies worry about schemes persuading staff to book a flight outside their corporate travel policy in order to gain those important points. The other issue that has been raised in the last year is the possibility that frequent-flier points could be taxable in the future. Legislation to this effect was recently brought in by the Swedish government. But a spokesman for the UK Inland Revenue said: "They are not taxable now and anything else is speculation." WHO WINS IN THE SEAT PITCH BATTLE Business class Canadian Airlines - 60in British Airways - 50in Virgin Atlantic (Upper Class) - 55-60in Air New Zealand - 50in American Airlines - 48in-55in Economy British Airways - 31in Virgin Atlantic - 32in Debonair - 33in Air New Zealand - 34in American Airlines - 31-32in Virgin Atlantic(Premium Economy) - 38in WHAT THE LOW-COST AIRLINES HAVE TO OFFER Low cost or no-frills airlines concentrate on keeping fares down, rather than providing fancy facilities. In most cases, food and drink on board must be purchased, and sometimes there are no assigned seats. They tend to operate to and from different airports to the main scheduled carriers. Go (0845 6054321), the low-cost sister airline to British Airways, flies from Stansted. Latest destinations include Venice and Munich. It offers cheap rail tickets for train and coach travel to Stansted. Go runs its own bus service from Rome airport to the city. RyanAir (0541 569569) has its headquarters in Dublin, but also operates out of Stansted. Destinations from Stansted include Venice, Rimini, Pisa and Stockholm. easyJet (0870 6000000) operates out of Luton. Destinations include Geneva and Zurich. It offers cheap deals on the Thameslink rail and coach to Luton airport for customers. Debonair (0541 500300) operates out of Luton and London Gatwick, with partner AB Airlines. Destinations include Berlin, Paris, Dusseldorf, Munich and Rome. It has recently introduced a business class with separate cabin, free newspapers, free drinks and frequent- flier programme. Reduced fares on Greenline buses from London to Luton. KLM UK (0990 074074) flies from City Airport and Stansted. Connects through Amsterdam to many long-haul destinations. Direct flights from Stansted include Edinburgh, Bristol, Brussels, Frankfurt and Milan. There is a lounge for KLM frequent-flier Royal and Silver Wing members, full fare and flexi fare passengers at Stansted. Free drinks and snacks on board.

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