Premium tix in demand

AN INCREASING number of business travellers are opting to fly in premium cabins in and out of Australia, according to Flight Centre Travel Group’s (FCTG) Corporate Booking Trends, despite a hike in ticket prices.

More than one in three business travellers are booking premium class cabins on international flights this year, representing a 3% increase when compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Flight Centre Corporate ANZ Managing Director, Melissa Elf, said, “business travel is bouncing back quicker than we could ever have imagined as the critical nature of face-to-face meetings comes to the fore.

“Corporate travellers are wasting no time in filling premium cabins and that’s leading to a shortage of Business class seats on routes out of Australia in the coming months...some carriers have no premium vacancies until well into the new financial year, such is the demand right now.”

This trend continues in spite of rising ticket prices, with return tickets reaching up to $20,000 ex-Australia to London, Europe or the United States over the next few months, The Australian Financial Review reports.

Elf believes more companies are willing to spend money on travel now after two years of virtually no travel expenses, and are choosing to book their employees at the front of the plane in order to “look after their health and comfort” and to help retain and attract the best staff.