With an average 2,100 flights cancelled across the world each day, getting to that important meeting or event on time can be a challenge for business travellers.

According to global travel management platform TravelPerk, which makes booking and managing business travel easier for over 6000 companies worldwide, four in five business travellers experienced travel disruptions in 2023.

Their survey of 4,000 people who travel for work found that transport delays (of at least one hour) were the most common disruption (40%), followed by cancellations (24%) and weather related events (22%). That’s why businesses are increasingly after stress-free cancellation cover, and easy access to customer support, to give their employees flexibility and peace of mind when things might not go to plan.

But what does good customer support look like, in the age of automation? When trips don’t go to plan, only 8% of business travellers say they want help from an AI chatbot. Having a direct line to a real person is still the preferred choice, as two thirds (66%) prefer to talk to a human agent when they encounter hiccups on the road.

To help navigate travel disruptions, TravelPerk has outlined its top tips to have a smoother journey:

  • Book flexible options: A business travel program like FlexiPerk allows business travellers to cancel up to 2 hours before departure, and claim 80% of the money back in travel credit. No questions asked.
  • Arrive a day earlier, ease last minute panic: Adding more travel time or arriving the day before is the new way of travelling for business. Many TravelPerk customers are already doing this! In 2019, 33% of all short-haul flights booked on their platform were day-return trips. In 2023, this number decreased to just 24%.
  • Opt for round-the-clock support, wherever you are: Find a travel management company, like TravelPerk, that provides 24/7 customer care from anywhere in the world and connects you to a real human quickly when you need it. And never at an additional cost!
  • Consider slower-business travel: By adding an extra night, you can join the other 44% of business travellers who use work trips to explore new places.

As a pioneer in the future of business travel, TravelPerk’s all-in-one platform gives travellers the freedom they want, whilst providing companies with the control they need. Its industry-leading travel inventory ensures customers get the best rates, as well as offering the most New Distribution Capability (NDC) airline connections in corporate travel.

The SaaS travel management platform also has over 25,000 pre-negotiated hotel rates to save up to 25%, meaning customers can stretch their budgets to stay longer and get the most out of connecting in person.

Travel disruption isn’t going anywhere so having one business travel tool will help you smoothen the journey, at every step of the way.