Although it’s in our company name, in my opinion the word ‘extras’ has never quite sat right when it comes to corporate travel. It suggests something ‘optional’ or ‘indulgent’, something which adds to the enjoyment of a trip. But in the world of business travel, extras are rarely about indulgence.

When travelling for work, the margin for disruption is much smaller and the consequences of delays or stress are significantly greater. Travel ‘extras’, such as fast track or lounge access, can ensure a traveller arrives on time, feeling prepared and able to perform at their best ability. They can make or break a trip.

Time constraints

After all, business trips begin at the front door, not at the airline gate. They can often involve early starts, tight schedules, pressure to be on time and to be prepared, and often travelling alone. There is minimal tolerance for disruption.

Travel ancillaries are operational necessities for travellers. Airport parking and fast track increase efficiency by reducing uncertainty and queueing time. Reliable, pre-booked parking and transfers reduce the risk of missing a flight, being delayed, or suffering last-minute stress.
Airport lounge access enables time to work, prepare or recover, improving wellbeing, performance and readiness for meetings. Our research shows 55% of travellers use the time in the airport to work, but this is challenged when nearly 80% find the experience stressful.

Nearly 80% of corporate travellers say airport stress has an impact on their onward work performance and over 70% of said ancillary products, like airport parking, lounges and fast track, positively affect the quality of their business trip overall.

The true cost

But this value is perhaps not seen or fully appreciated by those booking trips or deciding travel policy. Often, they prioritise flights and hotels, not the door-to-door journey. While these might be perceived as the most costly elements of a business trip, let’s look at it another way. What about the cost of a missed flight, or the cost of a poor client meeting? What about the cost of traveller stress, or lost productivity? What if you compare these potential ‘disruption’ costs with the relatively low price of adding fast track or lounge access?

Upfront savings

Planning ahead can also reduce the cost of these ancillaries. For airport parking, you can save up to 75% by booking in advance rather than on the day. Lounge access could end up costing the same as buying food and drink in an airport restaurant. Furthermore, booking all this up front means there are no additional expenses to process and no policy leakage. Over 90% of the travellers we surveyed said they would prefer to book all elements of their trip in one place.

There needs to be a shift from travel ‘extras’ to journey ‘essentials’ or trip ‘opitimisation’, and not just in the minds of the travellers. Travel managers, travel management companies and online booking tools also need to embrace this change in mindset. Policies need to allow – better still, encourage – these ancillaries for specific trips. We need to see a cultural shift to value the full trip experience, not just the ticket price.

If we want travellers to arrive prepared, on time, and able to perform, can we really afford to treat these ‘extras’ as optional?

Kayleigh Dawkins is Senior Partnerships Development Manager at Holiday Extras for Business, specialising in business travel partnerships and ancillaries. She champions experiences delivering greater value for both the traveller and the procurement team supporting them.