It’s true to say that things are definitely picking up. People are increasingly on the move.
Last month we arranged business travel for 48 crew members over a two week period for our client who operate oil survey ships off Norway. It was great to be busy, it was great to be back doing what I love.
International travel is possible, even to places where you’re not allowed to go for leisure travel – there’s an understanding that companies involved with providing services to global infrastructure need to be able to travel. So, channels are opened up so that people can go about their business in a Covid safe way.
Covid-19 Testing & Quarantine
Is business travel as straightforward as it once was? In a word, no!
- Some countries are still fairly restricted. Negative Covid-19 tests are usually required and can vary from between 48 hours and 72 hours prior to arrival so this has an impact on when and how the business traveller get tested.
- Depending on where business travellers are travelling to, and via, it can be possible to be tested “mid journey” at the transit point. A Health Declaration Form is to be completed prior to travel and is also often required on return depending on where they travelled from. Anybody returning to the UK (including UK citizens) must complete a Passenger Locator Form.
- Some countries are imposing a quarantine period varying between 7-14 days even if they have a negative Covid-19 test. This then requires staying in a regulated (usually by the local government) hotel that are being called “Quarantine Hotels”. They offer a quarantine floor/s where the guest must stay in the room 24/7; all meals are brought to them and included in the pre-agreed rate. Not all hotels offer this quarantine service, so research is needed for each new country I’m booking travel for. I booked a business trip for a client to Taiwan last week, they face a 15 day stay in a Quarantine Hotel after testing negative for Covid.
- Covid-19 testing for the purposes of international travel is not available on the NHS. Pre-travel Covid-19 tests may be available in the private sector; however, private testing processes and accuracy of results may vary. This should be discussed with the test provider before payment. If you need to travel internationally for work and require evidence of a test, you should speak to your employer or occupational health adviser. (Source fitfortravel.nhs.uk)
It all can be very confusing, even for us, as the restrictions vary greatly between countries and are changing very rapidly too.
All of this of course is in addition to the safety measures in place at the airports and during flights.
Visa Assistance
Assisting clients with their visa applications is a complex process as each embassy has their own system, approach, and ideas. It’s changing rapidly and it’s tricky to keep up with. I can’t imagine having to do this alongside your usual day job!
Airlines
In my business I work with UK based clients, but also clients from overseas travelling worldwide. This brings a further complication. Every individual airline has its own system to deal with providing a ‘Covid safe’ operation.
- This varies country to country, if the traveller is transiting, where they are transiting, and if using the same airline/through ticket all the way to end destination.
- Most airlines are observing the wearing of face masks, but some planes can still be pretty full, so social distancing is not really possible.
- Some of my clients are opting for Business Class seats, particularly across Europe as it offers more space for their employees – demonstrating Duty of Care – and Premium Economy Class for longer haul. Both are of course more expensive, but employers are aware of the need to keep their employees safe while still operating their businesses.
- Health checks are the norm now and as I talked about earlier, Covid-19 testing prior to travel too. The airlines are responsible to allow passengers to board if their destination permits them to enter (or show relevant paperwork if they are exempt) otherwise they will be refused boarding.
It’s clear to me that businesses who are reinstating their business travel plans need some help. I can’t imagine a ‘do it yourself’ approach to business travel at the moment. I’m an experienced travel manager with a wealth of knowledge and experience, plus I’ve got a huge amount of up to the minute information available through our central Travel Counsellors for Business office. Remember that TCB is a worldwide organisation, so the access we have to countries far and wide of ‘on the ground’ people is a valuable commodity right now.
Knowing where to look and how to cross-reference different information is a vital skill that experienced, and well connected Travel Management Consultants possess.
Call me, I can help: 01202 802166