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MARCH 2019 businesstraveller.comW
elcome to the March issue ofBusiness Traveller. I hope your year has started well, and your
travels are proving successful. As frequent flyers, we can sometimes become a little jaded
with our experiences. It’s good to get out of the office, but when you are flying for the best
part of a day just to spend a week in another office, expressions of envy from friends and
colleagues can seem a little ironic.
Still, it’s important to remember how lucky we are to travel as much as we do. I was recently
chatting to someone on the businesstraveller.com forum about the joy of simply staring out of the
window. In fact, I even took a picture of the view from a recent
B747-400 journey (see right) to remind myself of the sense of wonder
we can still get when flying on the soon-to-be-retired aircraft – and,
yes, I know it will be around until 2024 with BA!
It’s too easy to focus on the times when the service on board or in a
hotel is bad, but for the most part not only is it good, but sometimes
outstanding. In the past month I stayed in a US hotel room that
smelled so musty I had housekeeping come in and spray the soft
furnishings twice during my stay. Yet only a week later, arriving early at
a European airport for a flight home, I asked for and received a seat on
an earlier departure not just for myself, but for the other seven people
on the booking, and for no charge. The willingness of the check-in
agent to go the extra mile for us – and the ability to get back home at a
reasonable hour – enhanced our whole day.
So while this month will have moments that are good, bad and
unremarkable, if travel should give us anything, it’s a sense of perspective.IN THIS ISSUE
GO OFF-PISTE
The Swiss Alps have different
yet equally rewarding pleasures to
offer in the summer months.
(Page 26)WINNERS BY A NOSE
Which airlines served the best wines
last year? We unveil the results of
our Cellars in the Sky awards.
(Page 54)FRESH HORIZONS
Despiterecentfailures,anew
crop of airline hopefuls are
preparing to take flight.
(Page 62)ODE TO OUD
The exotic, esoteric ingredient of
the fragrance world is refreshed
withamodernupdate.
(Page 74)Tom OtleyEditorial directorWELCOME
ILLUSTRATION: BENJAMIN SOUTHAN