13 August 2006

International Travel will be delayed

The latest travel and baggage restrictions are going to make a huge impact on business travel. The laptop PC is now an indispensible part of every business traveller's equipment. Keeping in touch via email and being able to provide assistance by bringing your office with you wherever you are has opened up the possibilities enormously.
However the new restrictions regarding on-board luggage will make any business travellers consider carefully the risk and benefits of any international travel. (Here is the list of restrictions from United Airline's website) Also, you are expected to be at the airport 3 hours before the flight - domestic and international. This may make it more efficient to drive for shorter flights. Yesterday I was commenting to Lana that I wouldn't trust my laptop in the hold. The risk of damage or misplacement would be too great.
Sadly, in an eerie case of premonition, I had a call tonight from a business friend whose luggage had been lost tonight. His laptop, electronic organiser, mobile phone and diary are all missing! Aargh! His office is now not with him and his business plans are thrown into chaos.
I expect teleconferencing, video linkups, Skype and Internet based communication to really make a huge impact now the demand will be so much greater.
(This photo is of the children waiting for their plane in Osaka airport back in July 2003 on our way to the US.)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What a perfect picture for this post!

Yes, traveling will now be a lot more complicated and inconvenient. I haven't had to work since they raised the terror alert but I heard the airport terminals are in chaos!