The Path of Returning to Business Travel

 

Four Corporate Travel Management (CTM) employees recently embarked on their first business travel journey since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Pre COVID-19 these travelers were road warriors, flying frequently. Read about their travel journeys from coast to coast through airports, airplanes and hotels highlighting the new protocols and navigating ever changing regulations.

 

Boston, Massachusetts as told by Sean Sullivan, Director of Business Development

I recently flew for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic hit to meet my CTM colleagues. The moment I arrived at the airport, I noticed the safety measures put in place, such as plexiglass barriers and portable hand sanitizing stations.

In order to limit the person-to-person contact, the plane was boarded back to front (front to back while deplaning). As indicated in the booking process, it was apparent that the aircraft was cleaned and disinfected thoroughly, and all passengers were required to wear a face covering.

Walking into the Hilton, signs reminded myself and all other guests to wear masks and practice social distancing. When I entered my hotel room, I was immediately reassured that my room had been disinfected and cleaned thoroughly with a room seal. No cleaning or sanitizing detail was overlooked. All high-touched areas in the room (i.e. door handles, television remote, light switches) were frequently disinfected.

San Francisco, California as told by Michael Watson – Business Development Manager

When I walked into the San Francisco airport, I felt like I was the only person in the building!

California is under strict mask mandates. SFO is no exception, and had a mask-enforcement in place. As I strolled through the airport, like I have so many times before, I noticed how clean and sanitized the airport was. You could clearly see the full health and safety measures that were enforced with minimal touch points throughout the airport.

My flight on United Airlines was an overall great experience. The middle seats were blocked off and you had the ability to move seats freely. Everyone wore their masks for the duration of their flight, except for the brief time of eating or drinking.

After a successful airline journey, I arrived at the Hilton in downtown Denver and my overall experience was fantastic. Checking-in was seamless and simplified. Once I arrived in my room, I was greeted with sterilized tags in the hotel corridor and complementary snacks and water.

 

Austin, Texas as told by Paul Prator – Director, Business Development

After five months, I was finally back in an airport, traveling by plane and I couldn’t be more excited. Not only was this my first trip in months, but it was my first trip to meet my new CTM colleagues at our US headquarters in Denver, CO.

As I checked in at the Austin airport, I noticed there were plenty of kiosks safely spaced for proper social distancing. Making my way through TSA, the safety protocols within TSA PreCheck were effective, safe and provided me smooth sailing through the whole process.

Following Texas State and airport guidelines, the airport intercom sounded every 3-4 minutes to remind travelers that masks were mandated.

As I waited at the gate to board, I was alerted by CTM Mobile and the gate agent that our flight was slightly delayed due to the cleaning crews disinfecting the aircraft – no irritation here, I was further reassured we would rather have a clean and sanitized aircraft.

As I boarded the plane, I was impressed on how organized United Airlines was, and extremely pleased with their protocols boarding the plane front to back, rather than zones. It made the experience easy to keep safely distanced from other travelers.

Springfield, Missouri as told by Chris Hurst – Director, Business Development

I’ve been an avid business traveler for over 20 years – many years racking up over 100 trips.  When COVID hit, my typical work week changed dramatically to say the least.  Instead of flying to meet prospects face to face, all my meetings went virtual instantly.  While I adjusted to the zoom life,  my business life immediately became less connected.

In early August the “business traveler” part of my life started back up again. I actually had very little apprehension about taking my first flight since the COVID pandemic hit and was chomping at the bit to get back into an airplane again.

My transition to the “new normal” was fantastic!  One pleasant surprise was the plane’s new HVAC system made the air seem clean and crisp like a hike in the mountains. As my first meeting was in Denver, it only seemed fitting.

All and all, my travel expectations were vastly exceeded.  I’m really looking forward to connecting in person with friends, family and prospects across the world again.