Marc-Pierre Lebault, Sales Director American Express Business Travel

What are the main expectations of business travellers?

Marc-Pierre Lebault: Optimising travel time and making their trip more comfortable are their two main expectations! That's why, as a travel agency, we have to analyse our customers' specifications in order to offer them the most appropriate solutions. To do this, we also take into account two other parameters: the length of their stay and the location of their meetings, whether in the city centre or the suburbs.

What do you mean by travel comfort?

M.-P. L. : This refers to all the services offered to passengers, not only on board a plane or train, but also before and after the journey. On board, business travellers want to be able to work on their computer, use their telephone, be placed in a clearly defined business area, have access to wi-fi... These are all the little extras that make the journey smoother. For example, the SNCF offers specially adapted catering timetables, the option of booking a taxi, arrival and departure points with access to business lounges modelled on those used by airlines... Electronic tickets are also among the services appreciated by this clientele, as are all the online tools. In short, business travel should be as productive as possible in as comfortable a space as possible!

Rail's share of the business travel market is growing steadily, particularly in France. Do you think it will overtake air travel on short journeys?

M.-P. L. : It's true that for short journeys, the train is a real alternative to the plane. But it shouldn't be offered as a matter of course. We have to recommend the most appropriate solution for each trip, taking into account the length of the stay and the location of the meetings. It also depends on the cost and the company's desire to reach its destination more or less quickly... Hence the importance of the mission order, which must be as precise as possible.