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AIRLINE INDUSTRY TAKES TOP SPOTS IN BUSINESS TRAVEL HEROES AND VILLAINS POLL

Monday, December 19, 2011

Business Travel Show, 7-8 February 2012, Earls Court, London

As the year draws to a close, a survey of 252 business travel buyers has revealed airlines were both the villains and heroes of the industry in 2011. They were also voted the brands that inspire the most confidence and disappointment among buyers.

Ryanair fared the worst, leading the charge as both the business travel villain of 2011 and the brand most buyers would like to erase. Michael O’Leary was also voted in separately as number four villain. British Airways topped the poll of business travel heroes and also voted the second highest rated brand that inspires confidence in buyers.

Top five business travel heroes of 2011?
1. British Airways    33%
2. Eurostar     22%
3. EasyJet      17%
4. Boris Johnson     17%
5. Emirates      11%

Top five business travel villains of 2011?
1. RyanAir      42%
2. British Airways     14%
3. EasyJet     14%
4. Michael O’Leary     12%
5. Heathrow Airport     9%

Top five brands, people or places that inspire the most confidence in buyers:
1. Virgin Atlantic      34% 
2. British Airways    29%
3. Emirates     11%
4. Premier Inn      11%
5. Marriott      9%

Top five brands, people or places that buyers would most like to erase:
1. RyanAir     57%
2. EasyJet     20%
3. Charles de Gaulle airport   9%
4. British Airways    9%
5. London     5%

“What this survey shows is that, when it comes to buying business travel, passions run most high when talking about the airline industry, and buyers are certainly passionate in their feelings towards Ryanair,” commented David Chapple, event director, Business Travel Show.

“With O’Leary’s no-nonsense, no-apology attitude, this result is unsurprising. However, British Airway’s positioning is interesting - who would have thought they’d have such a Marmite effect on buyers? It clearly reflects how one experience – good or bad – can really colour a brand’s values in the eyes of buyers.

“It’s great to see easyJet at number three on the heroes poll, given the airline only launched into the business travel market at Business Travel Show this year. And congratulations to the likes of Eurostar and Premier Inn. Premier Inn is a great British success story: the company is currently the UK’s fastest growing budget hotel chain. Buyers can catch up with them at the Business Travel Show in 2012.”

More than 6,000 buyers and 200 world-class exhibiting suppliers will be at the Business Travel Show in February, the most comprehensive and diverse range of suppliers in Europe.  They include airlines Virgin Atlantic, United, brand new launch Hong Kong Airlines, Air Astana, Arik Air International, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Finnair, Flybe, Japan Airlines, South African Airways, TAM Airlines and Ukraine International Airlines.

To register for a buyer pass and for any of the sessions outlined above, simply visit
www.businesstravelshow.com

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About the Business Travel Show:

The Business Travel Show runs from 7-8 February at Earls Court in London. With in excess of 200 exhibitors and 6,000 buyers responsible for a travel purse of more than £10.3billion, the Business Travel Show is the flagship event in the European industry calendar. London is the sister show to business travel events in Dusseldorf and Dubai and runs alongside complementary event Travel Technology Europe.

For more information:

Please contact Charlotte Le Rougetel or Ravi Vijh at Bastion
020 7269 7900
bts@bastion.co.uk

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