A ray of sunshine

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 24 total)

  • PatJordan
    Participant

    I was absolutely delighted to read (on social media) that Business Traveller magazine Print edition is returning.

    It was great to read the many valuable contributions on this forum, and I cannot thank Tom and the BT team for providing the forum during these very strange times. That said, I am a tad old fashioned and love the tactile experience of magazines and books.

    All that remains is to await the thump of the magazine dropping in to my post box…..and I promise to resist the temptation to sing “Please Mr.Postman” !!!

    Best wishes to all, and hopefully we can soon return to our travels.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    [quote quote=1009541]It was great to read the many valuable contributions on this forum, and I cannot thank Tom and the BT team for providing the forum during these very strange times.[/quote]

    Couldnt agree more Pat.

    Whilst I am a subscriber – I still preference that chance to pick up a hard copy in the T5 lounge to read on board…. hopefully longhaul travel to Asia will resume soon…..

    4 users thanked author for this post.

    CathayLoyalist2
    Participant

    Marytn, I would not hold your breath. IATA back in late June said that long haul travel demand is next to zero. With 9, 10 or 12+ hours with a mask is not pleasant not to mention those who will disregard the rules, remove their mask and potentially put crew and passengers at risk. As much as I would like to travel, also to Asia it isn´t practical not to mention few countries are allowing tourists in. Friends we have in Vietnam reckon the country will not open its borders to international travellers until Easter 2021


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    [quote quote=1009626]Marytn, I would not hold your breath. IATA back in late June said that long haul travel demand is next to zero. With 9, 10 or 12+ hours with a mask is not pleasant not to mention those who will disregard the rules, remove their mask and potentially put crew and passengers at risk. As much as I would like to travel, also to Asia it isn´t practical not to mention few countries are allowing tourists in. Friends we have in Vietnam reckon the country will not open its borders to international travellers until Easter 2021[/quote]

    Initially I thought Dec 2020, but now I think it will be April / May 2021 next year earliest – unless a vaccine appears earlier…

    One point about wearing a mask for 10 – 12 hours, I agree it will be uncomfortable, but again, my understanding is the requirement is to wear a FACE COVERING not necessarily a formal medical ‘type’ mask. Again, not wishing to get into the “are they any benefit” or “how effective are masks” discussion – BUT – there are some very comfortable FACE COVERINGS that can be used and are certainly not as a harsh fit as some masks.

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    cwoodward
    Participant

    Yesterday as something of an experiment I wore a large well made disposable mask in the office for 8 hours.
    It felt a little strange at first but after half an hour I became immersed in normal work and totally forgot about the mask. After a 40 minute for a sandwich and soup lunch I again donned the mask and totally forgot about it until I had driven home at little after 6 p.m.
    I am reasonably sure that I am not atypical and perhaps anyone fearing wearing a mask on a LH flight would be reassured by donning a mask for a few hours in the course of their normal day.

    Will the HK based edition of Business Traveler be returning soon ? I enjoy the window on the world that this website and forum offers but I do miss the print copy of the magazine. My print copy of the magazine lapsed and I have not rushed to renew it as I read it in the Cathay lounge or on flights.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    FrequentTraveller
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1009550][/postquote]

    I was in the BA Galleries Lounge Terminal 5 South on Monday this week. There was no printed media available. No magazines and no newspapers.


    Inquisitive
    Participant

    It is not that travel long haul is difficult with mask etc. will be reason for lower demand, the main reason of less demand in business travel in foreseeable future is due to the fact that most companies realised that many travels could be eliminated and replaced by teleconferencing.

    Last 5 months, many companies managed the business without travel. And every manager and accountant is thinking hard why this cannot be the new norm.

    We all know remote work and telecommunications has diminishing return, but it will be very hard to justify frequent business trips in the coming years.
    And without business travellers, airlines cannot make much money, so they have to increase ticket price and it will become a catch-22 situation.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    SimonS1
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1009733][/postquote]

    Ditto. Wore a mask for 15 hours yesterday apart from eating. You get used to it. Like everything the fit needs to be right, then again I wouldn’t travel in clothes 2 sizes too big/small either.

    I used to pick up my BT in the Emirates lounge, just like T5 mentioned above all paper materials have been removed.

    I wonder if this will be a convenient point to permanently cut them, and also remove in flight magazines. There must be cost advantages to not flying tons of surplus paper around the world.


    CathayLoyalist2
    Participant

    What this virus highlights, and reflected in the work I carried out across multiple industries,is people do not like change generally.


    GivingupBA
    Participant

    Inquisitive said, “It is not that travel long haul is difficult with mask etc. will be reason for lower demand, the main reason of less demand in business travel in foreseeable future is due to the fact that most companies realised that many travels could be eliminated and replaced by teleconferencing.”

    Maybe, but what I see stopping business travel for now are the large number of entry restrictions, e.g. in my case I need to go to Hong Kong (only residents can enter: and every passenger must do 14 days quarantine on entry) and also South Korea (every passenger must do 14 days quarantine on entry). Other places are equally, or more, restrictive.

    5 users thanked author for this post.

    cwoodward
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1009789][/postquote]

    I totally disagree with your contentention that there will be a lack of business class (or any class) demand.
    There will in my view be an increased demand in all classes particularly in business class.
    All of my business is international and I talk every day with a dozen or so providers and customers in many countries. None has expressed any reduced need to travel in fact in many cases the opposite view has been expressed during normal conversation.
    I need desperately to take 5 business trips and it is a similar case with most of my business friends and colleagues based both here in Hong Kong and around the world.
    Business travel is not a holiday,a reward or some sort of ‘jolly’ it is in the vast majority of cases an absolute necessity. To suggest otherwise is I believe rather naive and shows a lack of understanding of what are the primary the drivers of business travel.

    5 users thanked author for this post.

    Stevescoots
    Participant

    36 hours for me in a mask apart from eating the other day, 3 hrs in a taxi to LHR, mask on entire flight to HKG, 9 hrs in HK, flight to SGN, 3 hours in SGN and to qurantine. its not fun but part and parcel of doing what we do now

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    PatJordan
    Participant

    Today was the day that the postman delivered my Business Traveller magazine.

    To me it’s a small indication that a little normality is returning, and I look forward to reading BT later with a nice cup of tea, or maybe even a nicer glass of something stronger!!

    Thanks again to Tom and his team for keeping the forum open during these strange times.

    Stay safe everybody,

    Pat

    10 users thanked author for this post.

    SimonS1
    Participant

    More evidence at Heathrow today….plenty of BT magazines on the racks through Terminal 2.

    Always a reassuringly consistent read….star letter from someone saying how marvellous BA are etc etc.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    Stowage222
    Participant

    Same for me Simon, BT magazine on display in GLA and LGW last month, along with plenty of newspapers and other magazines. A real treat. LHR – nada!

    1 user thanked author for this post.
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