The perennially popular city of New York graced the cover of our June 1995 issue, with a shot of the dramatic, yet real, building used in Ghostbusters (55 Central Park West). The cost versus comfort of flying transatlantic was a hot topic then, just as it is now.
The Business Traveller staff drew straws, with one journalist going by Concorde, costing £2,271 one-way – around £4,292 in today’s money – and others travelling subsonic. The former got from the office in London to the iconic twin towers of World Trade Center in a mere six hours and 40 minutes; a 30-minute check-in deadline in the days before stringent security checks helped. The journey via BA in Club World and public transport took 12 hours, but cost less than half that price.
The growing phenomenon of flight code-sharing was causing a stir, with then technical editor Alex McWhirter interviewing key figures in the industry, one of whom observed that, “Code-sharing is like a car dealer selling a Mercedes but delivering a Volkswagen.”
In a separate feature, McWhirter was given a business style makeover by an image consultant, who advised him to start wearing designer suits; Hugo Boss was the winning look of the 90s.
HIGHLIGHTS
Dubai
The Business Traveller Privilege Club was offering half-price accommodation in a hotel in Dubai with “expanses of marble”, while pointing out that Dubai was turning into a slick business destination, and now had a luxury shopping complex.
Seoul
We reported that the previously tightly controlled South Korean economy
was now deregulating, and opening up to foreign investment – particularly in high-tech industries.
Tokyo
Even though Japan was past its asset price bubble (which burst in 1992), the daily cost of a business trip there was still 76 per cent higher than equivalent visits to London or New York.
Adverts
Qantas was advertising an extra ten inches of legroom to help you cope with the long-haul kangaroo route, and the innovation of headrest “wings” to stop your head rolling around when sleeping upright.
