THE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE CORPORATE TRAVEL EASIER

When you’re travelling for business, time is money. We’ve all been there, fumbling around in our bags looking for our passport and important flight documents while stuck in a lengthy queue…but the good news is that in 2018, many international airports and leading airlines are making considerable efforts to become more hands free and save travellers time.

A report by Travel Weekly showed how Dutch airline KLM are testing a time saving process for passengers flying from Aruba to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The trialled approach enables passengers to navigate from check-in to boarding without a ticket.

Passengers have their photo taken, their face is then checked against the image in their e-passport and once approved, they can then pass freely through the airport without requiring a manual identity check. These areas are usually where queues build and irritation can build.

In 2017, Singapore’s Changi Airport also introduced an innovative new system that allows passengers to navigate through a ‘self service’ check-in, bag drop, immigration and boarding process. This system is ideal for corporate travellers needing to breeze through the airport quickly and on to their meeting.

And there’s more… biometric technology isn’t just reserved for those thoroughly important security checks, it can be used at all stages of the passenger journey. Biometrics can allow access to the departure lounges and it can make duty free purchasing quicker and easier. Here at Gray Dawes Travel we look forward to seeing how more intelligent biometric technology continues to roll out in airports internationally.

Four out of five UK adults have a smartphone, the equivalent of 37 million people. It’s no surprise that more and more smartphone applications are created to make corporate travel easier and more dynamic.

Virtual assistants are becoming more and more popular. Broadly speaking they aren’t a new technology – in fact, quite the opposite. Virtual assistants are an advancement that started out as a bit of a novelty (some may argue a gimmick).

However, with the rise of voice command technology such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home, they are now relied upon more and more. With a few voice commands, your smartphone can organise meetings, give you directions, act as a translator and remind you of crucial transport timings. Are you taking advantage of this when travelling overseas?

Across the globe, there are many different plug socket variations and it’s not unheard of for even the most seasoned traveller to forget their adapter or, more importantly, their USB charging lead.

With wireless charging, you simply place your device onto the charging pad without the need for messy cables. What’s more, wireless charging is a feature that more and more airport lounges, cafes and restaurants are rolling out so you’ll be sure to find more and more areas to charge your phone whilst enjoying a coffee and catching up on emails. Smart luggage with built in charging ports also alleviates the concern of a missing adapter, which means that dreaded low battery symbol will soon be a thing of the past!

Seeking the help of a travel manager of course! Here at Gray Dawes Travel, we specialise in corporate travel management to give you the piece of mind that all aspects of your business travel is taken care of at all stages.

If you’d like to discuss how we can help you with end-to-end travel arrangements for your company, contact us today.