Economic hard times mean business travellers have to economise – and 24 years ago, corporate travellers were doing just that. Our cover story focussed on the trend of those taking business trips having to become “conversant” with economy class.
Our conclusion was worth waiting for: “…flying in the back may be cheaper, but it is definitely uncomfortable.”
Interestingly, there was mention of a new class pitched between economy and business. EVA Air’s unnamed product and Virgin Atlantic’s Mid-Class were a trend to watch for the future.
Advertisements included the Amstrad NC200 Notebook computer and the Hewlett Packard Deskjet 310 portable printer.
We also had a destination report on Beirut, a round-up of the best accommodation options in Singapore and a feature on executive lounges in hotels.
Our insider’s guide to Rome (“The Italian job”) was followed by a piece on business etiquette in Italy (which didn’t need to be called “Pizza the action”, but it was). Finally, we had ten pages listing air fares in the days before the internet, including all-important round the world fares.
Highlights
- TRAVEL HEALTH Why vaccinations are often unnecessary and post-travel check-ups pointless.
- BOSTON GUIDE “Bean Town” was cautiously optimistic, despite sluggish growth. Massachusetts governor William Weld had a no- nonsense, pro-business approach to governance: “He makes Margaret Thatcher look like a wimp.”
- BUSINESS CLASS Lufthansa was fitting new business-class seating on its short-haul B737 and A320 jets.
- ECONOMY TICKETS Iberia and Swissair become the only national airlines to offer fully flexible economy tickets (normally the preserve of business tickets).
