CHICAGO, IL – Despite numerous indications that businesses are curtailing travel expenditures in a tightening economy, many business travelers aren't sacrificing comfort. In fact, a majority of those surveyed this month by Orbitz for Business are willing to pay for added services, benefits and flexibility while traveling, as sixty-five percent say they would pay extra for benefits such as refundable fares, priority/exit row seating and other conveniences. Additionally, when it comes to seating upgrades, 40 percent of business travelers surveyed say their company would cover the cost of a seat upgrade of $50 or less at check-in, the March Orbitz for Business corporate traveler survey found.

"Many airlines are catering to business travelers and have enhanced service offerings to make the travel experience more enjoyable," said Dean Sivley, senior vice president, COO and general manager, Orbitz for Business. "We're certainly helping our customers identify cost savings, and while that's top of mind for many, companies also like to ensure their travelers are well-taken care of while away from home."

Traveling with the boss

There appear to be pros and cons to traveling with your boss. When asked whether they would prefer to sit alone on a flight or sit next to their boss, 58 percent of those surveyed say they would rather sit alone. Forty-two percent prefer to take advantage of an opportunity to sit with the boss.

The Orbitz for Business survey also looked into flight time restrictions and found that a majority of business travelers can fly whenever they choose, however some are prohibited from flying during normal business hours if at all possible.

• 56 percent say their employer places no restrictions on when they book flights for business travel.
• 36 percent say at times they may be required to travel before or after normal business hours, but can otherwise select their own flight times.
• 8 percent say that their employers mandate traveling before or after business hours unless it is not possible to do so.

The Orbitz for Business Corporate Traveler Survey was conducted online using a MarketTools panel of 261 adults ages 18-65 who have traveled for business this year. MarketTools is a market research firm that directly manages a nationally-representative online panel of more than 2.5 million individuals, with a global network extending to more than eight million consumers worldwide.

Copyright 2008 Questex Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. From http://www.hotelmotel.com.
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