The GTMC has unveiled findings from research that polled more than 1,000 UK frequent international business travellers at its annual conference in Barcelona.
The survey found that 79 per cent of travellers believe increasing aviation capacity in London and the south-east is is either 'critically' or 'very' important for growth, development and competitiveness of UK businesses.
Of those working in small and medium-sized businesses – with up to 200 travellers – 51 per cent had seen international travel increase in the past two years. Only 8-10 per cent had seen a decrease. For larger companies with more than 200 travellers, 38 per cent had seen an increase, with 23 per cent reporting a decrease.
When asked how best to increase capacity, 51 per cent opted for a third runway at Heathrow, 20 per cent for a second runway at Gatwick and 17 per cent for a new Thames estuary airport. There was also some support for mix-mode takeoffs (62 per cent) and more night-flights (52 per cent). When told these measures could create an extra 8 per cent capacity, 34 per cent of the travellers voted to retain it to avoid disruptions – their biggest bugbear – while 25 per cent wanted to use it for more flights to new markets.
GTMC chief Paul Wait said this and future data gathering would help the guild in lobbying government. But he said lobbying on travel taxes would be far more effective if chief finance officers in large corporates told government they were willing to invest any savings made in revenue-generating business travel, rather than simply banking them.