The research highlights the business facilities available at London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester Airports, and compares amenities such as phone charging stations, business parking services, free Wi-Fi access and meeting room space.
According to the results from the latest Travel Leaders Group Survey (January 2015), business travel is expected to increase by over 7% during 2015. With this figure in mind, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH), the long-stay airport parking operator, has created a guide comparing the business facilities on offer at some of the UK’s busiest airports to highlight how the business traveller is being catered for.
The research highlights the business facilities available at London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester Airports, and compares amenities such as phone charging stations, business parking services, free Wi-Fi access and meeting room space.
With Wi-Fi access an essential tool for those travelling for work, business travellers will be pleased to know that complimentary Wi-Fi is on offer at every airport however the length of time available to passengers was found to vary. For instance, Birmingham Airport offers free unlimited Wi-Fi throughout the airport whereas at London Gatwick Airport this is restricted to just 45 minutes per passenger and at Manchester Airport and London Stansted Airport, to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, London Heathrow Airport offers up to four hours free Wi-Fi and allows passengers to then pay for additional access if required. Likewise, at Manchester Airport and London Gatwick Airport, passengers are offered the option to buy add-on packages costing up to £5 per hour and £3 respectively for additional access.
With the constant need to also charge electronic devices and be able to keep in touch with the office, both London Gatwick Airport and London Heathrow Airport offer dedicated phone and charging facilities throughout all terminals. However, the costs were found to vary with Heathrow Airport offering its charging facilities free of charge to all passengers but Gatwick Airport charging £1.50 for 30 minutes.
For those business travellers looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the terminal, each airport surveyed offers extensive pre-book and on-the-day lounge access. The most expensive paid-for lounge was the Plaza Premium Lounge at London Heathrow’s Terminal 2, charging a pre-bookable entrance fee of £35, which allows guests to enjoy a host of luxury facilities including relaxation rooms, a tapas bar and shower rooms. Meanwhile, travellers flying from London Gatwick’s North Terminal can enjoy the Servis Air Lounge (Aspire) from just £15.99, including unlimited Wi-Fi, charging facilities, complimentary soft drinks, wine, beer and selected sprits, as well as complimentary hot dishes and snacks.
Travellers considering booking an airport lounge would be wise to book in advance as purchasing a ticket on-the-day can cost as much as £5 more at London Gatwick’s North Terminal No.1 Traveller Lounge, London Stansted’s Escape Lounge and all Manchester Airport’s Escape Lounges when compared to pre-booked tickets.
Each of the airports in the survey also offered dedicated fast track services, with those travelling through Birmingham Airport able to dodge the queues from as little as £3 and at Manchester Airport from £3.50. The fast track priority service at London Gatwick Airport is offered to those travelling in Business Class only and at London Heathrow Airport, the departures fast track service through security is only available to First and Business Class passengers and American Express and Centurion card holders. Meanwhile at London Stansted Airport, the facility is only available to those passengers making a Valet Car Park booking, Mid Stay Express booking, Stansted Express First Class booking or those who are travelling as part of a premium airline seat reservation.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
