Carl Lonergan
The global Covid-19 pandemic has impacted all industries including corporate travel. With such drastic changes on how we travel, there is a lot of confusion on how travel has changed and how it will continue to evolve into the future.
Are you considering restarting your business travel programme? What changes will you likely encounter at the airport, hotel or train station? How has Covid-19 impacted on the way we travel and what can you do to prepare for the new requirements?
We try to answer some of these questions in the below Q&A with Carl Lonergan, our head of Business Development.
Carl: Firstly, you will notice if you try and book a flight anywhere now, there is a lot less availability than there would have been pre-pandemic. Most, if not all airlines, have drastically cut back their schedules and even stopped operating certain routes altogether in a bid to keep costs down. So, one of the first things you may notice before you have even gone anywhere, is that you may need to use a new airline or take a new route to some of the destinations you previously travelled to.
Carl: There is still uncertainty around when travel will open up properly and what you will need to travel. Do you need to be vaccinated? Do you need to have a PCR test or a travel cert? The rules and parameters are continuously changing so it is important to keep yourself up to date right up to the date on the latest government guidelines, at home and at your destination, before you travel.
Another thing to also consider is the validity of your passport. Many of us have not looked at our passport for the last 18 months and you need to make sure it is in date. Also consider that passport applications and renewals are taking a lot longer now so make sure you get your documentation in order well in advance of a return to travel.
Carl: As I mentioned, the guidelines are continuously changing so it is important for everyone to do their own research right up to the date of travel and make sure they are able to meet the requirements for departure and entry into a different country. The Department of Foreign Affairs is a good starting place and has up to date on the latest advice from the Irish Government.
Our Global partner, American Express Global Business Travel also have a fantastic resource Travel Vitals https://travelvitals.amexgbt.com/ which is dedicated to providing the latest updates on travel restrictions and entry requirements around the world. It is an extensive resource that has already proved invaluable to many of our clients and indeed our own staff when researching the latest developments around COVID-19 around the world.
All organisations have a responsibility to keep their employees safe when travelling on business and a requirement to provide assistance when they encounter an issue on the road. This is more important today than it has ever been and all companies must revaluate their travel programme and safety measures against the reality of travelling in the current environment.
Atlas Travel are delighted to announce they have been awarded a Deloitte Best Managed award for the 4th time, following a lengthy re-qualification and judging process in which the complete performance of a business is assessed, moving beyond finances to such areas as operational excellence, strategy, and human resource processes.
Atlas Travel are delighted to announce they have been awarded a Deloitte Best Managed award for the 3rd time, following a lengthy re-qualification and judging process in which the complete performance of a business is assessed, moving beyond finances to such areas as operational excellence, strategy, and human resource processes.