Almost three out of four international business travellers have suffered flight disruption on recent trips and two-thirds now expect disruption when they travel, rising to three-quarters in the UK.
That is according to research on behalf of corporate travel technology platform Egencia, now part of American Express Global Business Travel, which found half the respondents would prefer to cancel a trip rather than suffer travel disruption.
The survey of 2,250 frequent business travellers in the UK, France and the US at the end of July found 69% expect disruption when they travel and 73% had experienced disruption on a recent trip, including a flight cancellation or delay.
The rate of those expecting disruption to trips was highest in the UK at 76%.
Half (49%) said they would prefer not to travel in the event of disruption.
Two out of five (40%) reported avoiding certain airlines and airports and almost half (46%) booked an early morning flight to try to avoid delays.
Egencia noted three-quarters of the respondents were likely to use a digital tool to help with disruption, with 43% agreeing access to real-time updates was the biggest benefit.
More than one in four (28%) said they would welcome the automatic re-booking of flights when things go wrong.
However, 94% of respondents welcomed being able to travel again for work following the pandemic, despite the high level of disruption.
Egencia president Mark Hollyhead said: “Business travellers are increasingly concerned about experiencing problems on the road and getting the support they need.
“If you make the decision to travel, it’s an investment in time. We want to be there for customers to manage disruptions as seamlessly as possible.”
Research firm Censuswide undertook the study for Egencia, surveying 2,250 frequent business travellers – who travelled at least three times a year for business – split equally between the UK, France and the US. The survey was carried out between July 25 and August 1.