Alexandria, Va. -- The average U.S. domestic air fare rose $12 from March 2005 to March of this year, with changes varying significantly by class of service, the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) reported yesterday.
The average unrestricted coach fare, the most common ticket business travelers buy, rose the highest, $28, according to a study of published air fares conducted by Travel Analytics for NBTA.
Meanwhile, in a survey of NBTA's travel-manager members, more than half the respondents said fuel price hikes have added an average $51 to $100 to the cost of a domestic business trip, including air and ground transportation; one-quarter report an impact of $50 or less; 13 percent note increases of $101 to $150; and 10 percent indicate a per-trip increase of $151 or more.
Asked about their responses to rising air fares, travel managers said their organizations are taking the following actions:
--Asking or requiring travelers to consolidate multiple trips into one (38 percent).
--Encouraging or requiring less air travel (34 percent).
--Driving employees to travel alternatives, such as web-based meetings or conference calls (30 percent)
--Tightening purchase requirements for business or first-class tickets, thus driving purchase of more coach tickets (28 percent).
--Implementing stricter pre-trip approval requirements (27 percent).