AIRPORT EXPECTATIONS
While smooth check-ins, technology integration, quick security and immigration services, healthy F&B options and accessible charging points have been a necessity for quite a while, today, there is a heavy focus on these factors by the new-age business traveller.
When travelling, new-age business travellers make the most of credit card benefits, which help them enjoy discounts on air fares, special discounts on select websites, airport lounge access, and excess baggage allowance, among others. Some of the premium cards include benefits such as concierge service for pre-trip assistance, base fare waiver on flight bookings, offers on hotel reservation and flight bookings baggage insurance, entertainment bookings and so on.
Moreover, they are increasingly veering towards technology for virtually all answers for to travel needs.
Frequent flyer Shuchir Suri, an entrepreneur and founder of Food Talk India, says, “A modern traveller demands technology integration within all aspects of travel like an app for web check-ins or loyalty programmes with a preferred airline. Also an exclusive lounge access can enhance the travel experience by leaps and bounds.”
A seamless airport experience is also becoming an important factor for these travellers. More and more travellers are looking for airport concierge services designed to help passengers not only to relax and enjoy their travels without hectic queues and long waiting hours but also prefer affiliated services that go beyond the airport experience and assist travellers throughout their entire trip.
On the subject of concierge services, Suri adds, “I use the Platinum American Express Concierge Services for smoother booking of flights, hotels, car services as well as reservations for dining and entertainment. A tap of a button enhances convenience and saves time, two very important factors for a traveller on the go.”
Healthy F&B is the need of the hour for today’s business travellers.
Frequent traveller Amninder Sandhu, celebrity chef at Mumbai's Arth restaurant, agrees. “I look for smoothie bowls, and fresh salad options that one doesn't usually tend to find easily, especially at airports across India.” This points in the direction of F&B experience at airports, across the world, and the need to provide healthy options for a diet-conscious traveller.
A new-age business traveller looks for an experience within an airport, an expedited security screening to start with, then moving on to access to premium lounges, an ideal place for getting on with your work. These lounges must be spacious and noise free so one can also catch a quick snooze before an important meeting - Shuchir Suri, Entrepreneur and Founder of Food Talk India {Also, Apart from serving meals at airports and lounges, they should serve more options of beverages and light bites such as protein bars and pressed juices rather than the sweetened alternative. having multiple coffee servings will score brownie points among all coffee addicts Mumbai-based Santoshi Shetty, travel, fashion and lifestyle blogger