Business travel was one of the major segments to be rocked following the rise of the global health crisis. However, Rossen Dimitrov, Chief Officer of Customer Experience at Qatar Airways, told Simple Flying that there is good news for this segment as the business cabins are filling up across the carrier’s operations.
Back in business
There was plenty of speculation about the future of business travel during the early days of the pandemic. Certain analysts were concerned about the return of travel in this market, with the world getting used to working remotely and meeting virtually.
Nonetheless, with travel opening up again, Qatar Airways is seeing that there is still a strong demand for those traveling in business class. In fact, the airline’s leadership feels that there is presently extraordinary attention when it comes to premium seats.
“If you would have asked me several months ago where I would have thought business would be, I would have been puzzled to give you a proper answer. Today, what we’re seeing in terms of load factor, the demand is outstanding,” Dimitrov told Simple Flying.
“Sometimes, I think we’re breaking records, and it is really, really good to see and for us to know. Not only the business traveler but the customer, in general, is the priority. Obviously, there are different services that are offered for different enhancements, but to us, the customer has the same value regardless of the cabin they’re traveling in.”
A shifting market
Dimitrov adds that while many of the current crop in the business cabin are traveling primarily for business reasons, there is a good mix of passenger segments.
Numerous people have been separated from their families and friends for a long time amid the global travel restrictions. Moreover, several travelers are still concerned about traveling as the pandemic continues. Therefore, there are more passengers flying to see loved ones that are going the extra mile and booking a premium ticket.
Source: Qatar Airways Says Business Travel Is In High Demand - Simple Flying