Corporate Travel Outlook Weakest for Two Decades, Says Ascend

LONDON--(Business Wire)--
A survey of frequent business travellers projects an overall drop in corporate
air travel spend of 7.5% over the next twelve months, according to aerospace
specialists Ascend (www.ascendworldwide.com). The poll found 52% who said their
company`s air travel budget was set to drop significantly and 46% expected the
number of flights taken would fall significantly.

Ascend surveyed 280 frequent business travellers from over 35 countries about
their expected air travel habits over the next year, 60% of whom would typically
fly business or first class on long haul.

"This is the weakest outlook for international business travel in nearly 20
years," says Ascend Chief Economist Peter Morris. "The combination of fewer
premium travellers seeking to pay less is a huge challenge for airlines.

"There`s a much higher level of control over corporate travel budgets than in
the 90s, with only 20% of business travellers now allowed full freedom to choose
whom they will fly with. About 50% of companies now have rigid policies. In
terms of corporate strategy for reducing air travel spend, the majority
preferred reducing conference-related travel (55%) and the overall number of
business trips (53%), using the internet for fares (48%) and using the cheapest
available airline (41%)."

More Information

* 280 regular business travellers from around the world responded to the survey.

* 26% said their company`s number of flights would drop by 10%; 20% said their
company`s flights would drop by 20% or more.
* 27% said their company`s air travel budget would drop by 10%; 26% said it
would drop by 20% or more.
* Some 60% of the respondents normally travel business or first class on long
haul.
* 50% of respondents were in Europe, 36% in North America and 12% in Asia
Pacific.
* These reflect policies across many large international companies and
corporations, not just individual respondents.

Click here for powerpoint slides about the survey data

Click here for pdf slides about the survey data

For further information, including detailed charts and data, or to speak to
Ascend, please contact Tannissan Mae Communications.

About Ascend
Ascend (www.ascendworldwide.com) is the world`s leading provider of specialist
information and consultancy services to the global air transport industry. For
over four decades it has supplied the most reliable, trusted and up-to-date
aviation industry information and insight available anywhere.

Today, all of Ascend`s market-leading products and services are built to deliver
decision-support information, insight and consultancy across a wide spectrum.
Offerings include:

* Aviation Fleet Information
* Valuations and Appraisals
* Technical and Commercial Solutions
* Market Analysis
* Airport Economics
* Air Safety
* Space Analytics

From aircraft manufacturers to operators, financiers, lessors and suppliers, the
aviation industry relies on Ascend to help make informed decisions and capture
new opportunities.

Ascend is headquartered in London with offices in New York and Hong Kong.

Tannissan Mae Communications for Ascend
Nancy Prendergast
+44(0)20-7243-4440
nancy@tannissanmae.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009