Old Habits catch out FLYERS

[woody]

Firstly, I feel sorry for those people that are stranded because of the ASH CLOUDS. Those people NOT on business I mean.

For ages after 9-11 the business community shunned planes in favour of Internet calls, Skype, Conference calls etc. Before thinking........."Do I really NEED to fly abroad"?

NOW, they are back to their old ways - on a jolly to Prague, USA, Timbuktu. Taking days out of the office as a perk of the job.

It has now caught up with them, and I hope they will revert back to post 9-11 again.
1. It saves the fuel
2. It saves the planet
3. It saves large expenses bills
4. IT MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE

So, Mr. Mrs. or Ms Business person stranded away from your loved ones.............TOUGH!

[PhilM2]

I agree with you up to a point Woody. But, sometimes, when trying to resolve technical issues, there is no substitute for being there in person. See the people producing the parts, talk to them on the production line, see how they are being assembled and tested in situ. You are right, often things can be discussed at distance with conference calls between the right people, and video. When things need to be resolved quickly though, it is sometimes very useful to be there in person.

Personally, I do not like business trips, if I can achieve the same thing with email or telephone calls then I will do it that way. I certainly dont regard tralling long distances to spend a few days in offices and wandering around factories as a jolly, it is tiring, and it uses up a lot of time. So I agree with you, if it can be avoided, then I'm all for that.

[woody]

PhilM I wasn't talking about curbing ALL business trips, as a businessman I do understand there are times when FACE to FACE is essential. However 90% of trips are on a whim, using up resources for the sake of a JOLLY away in a foreign country and hotel.

One rarely gets a Director of TESCO or Direct Line turning up to discuss your car insurance or price of potatoes.

My point was................ Hundreds of thousands of business staff are now lost in foreign countries, many of them it is self inflicted just so they can say "I was in Turkey last week".

I say, repatriate those unfortunate teachers a kids that are on vacation first (after all, they pay more to go during the school hols anyway. For those on spurious business trip, leave them to last, and then justify their trip to their line managers after the event. I dare bet their will be some PROBING QUESTIONS asked!