Tokyo and Bangkok are Singapore’s favourite business travel destinations

Business travellers in Singapore have rated Tokyo, Japan and Bangkok, Thailand as their top business and leisure travel destinations in a YouGov study for premium luggage brand Samsonite.

The survey found that Hong Kong is Singapore’s third-favourite business destination. Indian cities Mumbai and Bangalore as well as Indonesia's Jakarta were the least popular, according to more than 500 respondents who participated in the Smoother Journeys Survey. London and Tokyo tied for the top spot among business travellers aged below 34, while Tokyo was the top choice for those between 35 and 44. Those aged over 45 preferred Bangkok.

No.	Favourite business destinations		Least-favourite business destinations		Favourite leisure destinations
1	Tokyo	16%	Mumbai	19%	Tokyo	20%
2	Bangkok	14%	Bangalore	14%	Bangkok	18%
3	Hong Kong	12%	Jakarta	13%	London	10%
4	London	8%	Hong Kong	7%	Hong Kong	8%
5	New York City / Shanghai	8%	Shanghai	6%	Melbourne	7%

The Smoother Journeys study was undertaken to find out what drives Singapore business travellers, as well as some of the things they liked – and did not like. Overall, Samsonite found that one in five (22%) of Singaporeans enjoy overseas business travel a lot; 30% like it "a little", and 37% are ambivalent.

“The Smoother Journeys survey revealed some surprising insights,” said Satish Peerubandi, GM – Samsonite Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines & IndoChina. “For starters, we were surprised to see how strongly Asian cities did. We were also happy to see that a majority enjoyed business travel, even as it has a reputation for being tough for those who travel often. Only 11% of respondents said they did not enjoy business travel, with the majority liking it for the opportunities it brings.”

The study found that many Singapore business travellers enjoy the opportunity to visit new places (94%), leave Singapore for a short while (91%), and work in new environments (88%).

While 60% said they believe they travel “just the right amount", many still crave for their home comforts. Being apart from family and the fear of missing out on what is happening at home topped the reasons for people disliking business travel, with 57% and 41% of respondents selecting these reasons respectively.

Business travellers identified traffic jams, flight delays and airport transfers as the most significant stress creators during their trips. When it comes to things they have control over, factoring in downtime and more effective packing and luggage are essential, they said. The study found that those who enjoy business travel are also those who are more likely to undertake activities that will help alleviate stress. Many also allow for time to go to the gym or to shop, while close to half said they like to plan time for meals with colleagues or friends.

For a significant majority, efficient and effective packing was seen as a critical method to help ease stress, while many said that having a proper bag with easy access to laptops and toiletries when passing through airport security would improve their experience.

The Smoother Journeys survey was timed to coincide with the launch of Samsonite’s EVOA campaign. EVOA is an evolutionary luggage line that combines strength and style. Its Aero-Trac suspension wheel technology contributes to smoother journeys. 

Available in brushed black and brushed silver styles, EVOA is available in five sizes and specifications – starting with the carry-on classic 29-litre Spinner Rolling Tote to the 75 cm tall Spinner that can hold up to 124 litres. The range is also packed with internal organisers and features an integrated anti-theft zipper that provides maximum protection for important belongings.

“The Samsonite EVOA collection allows business travellers to travel in style without compromising on the functionality of their luggage and bags. The EVOA is a nod to modern minimalist aesthetics, while featuring Samsonite’s signature durability and innovative Aero-Trac suspension wheel technology. It is the absolute epitome of form and function,” added Peerubandi.

Other key findings:

- Younger women are more likely to travel then younger men (46% vs 26%).

- About half (52%) of business travellers spend an average of three to four days on business trips.

- Four in five admitted to working on the plane for some part of the flight, while 35% of business travellers put their time in the skies to productive use by working either 50% of the time or more.

- Looking professional while travelling for work is essential for Singapore’s business travellers. Fifty-three percent of travellers said they wore business attire while flying either half of the time or more, of which 75% said this was because they would go straight from the airport to work meetings.
The desire for style also extended to luggage, with 90% insisting that having professional products reflected positively on their appearance as businesspeople.

Source: Samsonite website. The ice blue colour on the left is a limited edition colour.

- Sixty-four percent of business travellers said that professional and well-designed luggage can help make their business trips smoother, and 68% are willing to invest in this.

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov. The sample size was 511 Singaporean adults who travel for business three or more times a year. Fieldwork was undertaken between 27 and 30 July 2018. The survey was carried out online.

Samsonite announces the suitcase that will always tell you where it is

Samsonite has introduced the Track&Go suitcase that is likely to reduce luggage theft by ensuring the suitcase can always be identified, similar to the way prank calls disappeared after caller ID was introduced. 

The suitcase contains a Bluetooth beacon which uses Eddystone Ephemeral Identifiers (EIDs), an open privacy/security protocol by Google. Designed and manufactured by Accent Systems, the beacon enables the Track&Go suitcase. It has to be registered by the owner through the Travlr by Samsonite app, which is available free of charge. The app was launched in September 2015 to offer flight tracking, tips and reminders when travelling. 

The new Track&Go feature will soon be built into the existing app, allowing users to easily check the location of the suitcase within a distance of 70m, and also be notified if it is being moved closer or further away from the user. Should the suitcase go missing, the owner can easily flag it as lost in the app. Once flagged as 'lost', the app leverages its user base to help the suitcase's owner find it. Should anyone else, using the app, pass within 70 m of a lost suitcase, an EID-based signal is picked up and triggers a notification with location and time details of the suitcase to be sent out to the owner. 

According to Accent's web page, its Bluetooth low energy beacons can last up to about 100 months depending on the model and what it is used for.

"We're excited to work with Google on this project to make sure that our beacons support Eddystone EIDs. Missing or permanently lost luggage is the nightmare of every traveller. As the world's largest luggage manufacturer, we wanted to find a way to make this issue a thing of the past," says Ramesh Tainwala, CEO of Samsonite. "As Samsonite is known for its innovative and reliable luggage and bags, we also wanted to work with an equally as innovative and reliable technology partner.By leveraging Google's robust, secure and cross-platform approach, we feel confident that our customers will welcome this new solution."

Interested?

Samsonite aims to launch the first suitcases featuring the Track&Go solution in the European market at the end of 2016, followed by other international markets.

New Air China rules for flights departing from Beijing

Air China passengers departing from Beijing are advised to reach the airport early. Air China has changed the check-in closing time for domestic flights at Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport. Prior to August 20, 2015, passengers were allowed to check in 30 minutes before departure. Since August 20 passengers have to check in at least 45 minutes before departure.

The check-in closing time for international flights is 60 minutes prior to departure.

Additional time should also be factored in for checked baggage inspections. According to the airline, the following items are not accepted in checked baggage on flights departing from Beijing Capital International Airport. Items in the following list suspected to be present during the security check, will require the passenger's baggage* to be opened for inspection, after which the items will be confiscated:

(1) Bullets, ammunition, weapons, knives, crossbows, and other arms and dummies
(2) Items of an explosive nature
(3) Inflammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive and radioactive materials
(4) Lithium batteries, mobile chargers, lighters and matches
(5) Other prohibited items specified by the state

The airline has also updated its rules on lighters and matches on its flights departing from all airports. Passengers are not allowed to carry either item with them on Air China flights, whether in carry-on baggage or in checked-in luggage. The rule applies whether passengers purchase Air China tickets from the official website, via a distributor or through retail agents.

*Baggage may not be loaded onto a flight if it is delayed because of inspection procedures.

Air China offering 50% lower excess baggage fees to North America if prepaid

Air China has become the first domestic carrier to introduce prepaid excess baggage fee services on routes to North America. Passengers on Air China-operated flights between North America and Beijing whose checked baggage exceeds the allowance can pay in advance for their excess baggage through Air China's ticketing offices worldwide or via the Air China Members Services Center hotline. 

Prepaid excess baggage fees will cost 50% less than those that passengers usually have to pay when checking in at the airport, amounting to RMB 650/piece, or equivalent in local currency. 

The prepaid excess baggage fee service is applicable to Air China's direct flights between Beijing and seven North American cities including Los Angeles, New York, Washington, San Francisco, Houston, Hawaii and Vancouver. The baggage cannot exceed 158cm in the sum of its length, width and height and must not exceed 23kg in weight. Each passenger can pay in advance for up to two pieces of excess baggage on each flight. 

Passengers can pay for the service 24 hours before flight departure through Air China's ticketing offices worldwide or via the Air China Members Services Center hotline. Passengers need only show proof of their payment to Air China's staff at check-in at the airport to have their excess baggage checked in.

Other services that Air China has introduced recently include self-service check-in, baggage through check-in and boarding gate standby, all of which enhance travel experiences for passengers.

Your standard carry-on may now fail the test on US airlines

A number of US airlines have shrunk the dimensions of permitted carry-on luggage, George Hobica of Airfarewatchdog has reported. 

Travelling Hello Kitty statue at Taoyuan Airport,
Taiwan in 2008.

American, Delta and United have recently changed their size specifications for cabin baggage to a maximum of 22 inches long, 14 inches wide and 9 inches high. The width used to be 15 inches.

A March story on Yahoo reports that United is also enforcing the carry-on sizing rule more stringently. Those who fail the carry-on size test have to return to the counter to get their bags checked in, for a fee.

While some airlines do allow larger carry-ons, it now pays to check the the permitted dimensions again, just in case.