NBTA President & CEO Craig Banikowski, CCTE, C.P.M., CMM, posted a statement on the NBTA blog At the Gate about the business travel community navigating the current international travel crisis caused by volcanic ash. “As volcanic ash has forced closures of significant portions of European airspace since April 15, I have witnessed first hand the power of the business travel community. I’ve also heard from many…
NBTA President & CEO Craig Banikowski, CCTE, C.P.M., CMM, posted a statement on the NBTA blog At the Gate about the business travel community navigating the current international travel crisis caused by volcanic ash.
“As volcanic ash has forced closures of significant portions of European airspace since April 15, I have witnessed first hand the power of the business travel community. I’ve also heard from many of you over the past few days, sharing ideas and resources as we navigate this international industry crisis:
– Travel managers have ensured every affected traveler was quickly identified and provided with regular updates, using people-tracking systems and working with TMCs.
– Working with hotel partners, and rail carriers where possible, companies have changed bookings to make sure business travelers were accommodated in extremely challenging circumstances.
– As air space begins opening again, partnerships with airlines will be invaluable in getting travelers where they need to go as quickly as possible.
It’s the value of the managed travel community in action! And I’ve watched it all from an interesting vantage point: I’m a travel manager, I work for a global hospitality company, I am the elected president of the world’s largest business travel association, and I myself have been stranded overseas a result of the closures. On the whole, I am proud of how our industry has managed through another crisis.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
