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ASBTA Survey Reveals Small Business Travelers Want More Global Air Alliance Competition

Dépèche transmise le 16 mars 2009 par Business Wire

ASBTA Survey Reveals Small Business Travelers Want More Global Air Alliance Competition

FLOWER MOUND, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A recently completed American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA) survey indicates that an overwhelming percentage of small business travelers feel they would benefit from more global competition among air alliances and believe that allowing more airlines to partner together will help lower costs and offer greater travel flexibility.

“International travel is increasingly becoming more important to small businesses, so they must continue to identify new ways to reduce costs,” said Chuck Sharp, ASBTA President. “Clearly today’s sophisticated small business traveler demands more from the airlines, so to meet their needs the partnering of airlines makes sense.”

The survey, which included responses from more than 330 small business travelers (SBT), found that:

• Eighty-three percent (83%) surveyed would like to see increased competition to the Star and SkyTeam network alliances for trans-Atlantic flights
• Eighty-eight percent (88%) surveyed would like to see airlines partner together to provide more flexibility in their business travel options
• Ninety-two percent (92%) SBT surveyed believe allowing more airlines to partner would benefit small businesses
• Ninety-four percent (94%) surveyed would like to have the ability to use their airline miles across multiple airlines
• Ninety-three percent (93%) surveyed would value the ability to purchase “combinable fares” that allow travel in one direction on one carrier, with the return flight on another member of the alliance
• Eighty-seven percent (87%) surveyed would like to have more flexibility with flight schedules and connections on trans-Atlantic flights

• Seventy-seven percent (77%) surveyed think having more flexibility with flight schedules/connections on trans-Atlantic flights will help reduce costs
• Ninety percent (90%) surveyed would like all airlines to compete on equal regulatory footing - (having the same rules applied for all airlines)
• Ninety-one percent (91%) surveyed like having the opportunity to purchase airline tickets from a network of airline partners

About ASBTA:

ASBTA is a national organization dedicated to serving and educating small business travelers by providing information regarding travel and mobile technology. If you're a small business owner and want to learn more or become a member for free, visit our sites – www.asbta.com. Members of the media can receive a free copy of survey results by contacting ASBTA by phone at 469-648-0190 or email at [email protected].