STEVENS POINT, WI — (Marketwired) — 04/29/13 — Air travelers are happy to hear the U.S. Congress has passed a bill today that will send federally-employed air traffic controllers back to work after a week of furloughs that delayed thousands of flights across the country. Starting Sunday of this week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began to furlough these air traffic controllers, causing most airlines to warn travelers of expected delays ranging from 50 minutes to two hours. FlightAware.com, which tracks flight delays and cancellations, counted 4,749 delays of U.S. flights and 273 cancellations by 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, 2013. For comparison, there were 6,670 delays and 333 cancellations for all Monday, according to FlightAware. (Source: USA Today – )
Business travelers who fly often and usually pay higher fares for shorter-notice bookings are the airlines- most important clientele. They were also the ones most affected by furlough. When delays and cancellations happen, these travelers experience added stress from the inconvenience of changing schedules, missing business meetings, and many times, undergoing additional expenses for lodging and food. It only takes one or two misconnected flights or timely delays before business travelers look for an alternative.
“An increased number of business travelers are seeing the value in the services provided through MyAssist. Everyone wants more time in the day to get things done. MyAssist can add hours to the day, by alleviating tasks that give our members time for more important priorities,” says John Noel, Chairman and CEO of the Noel Group.
A report by The National Center for Excellence () states that airline delays threaten the competitiveness of the US in the world economy by limiting the ability of the air transport system to serve the needs of the US economy. The growth in gross domestic product and air travel demand are closely linked; a recent multi-national study found a strong correlation between growth in economic productivity and growth in business travel (Oxford Economics, 2009).
Business travel accounts for about half the dollars spent on domestic air transport (BEA, 2009), and with good reason — the study estimates that a dollar spent on business travel earns a return of about $12 in increased revenue to the traveler-s employer (Oxford Economics, 2009). “With so much on the line for our business partners and our direct members, we go to great length to make sure our customers stay on schedule,” stated Noel.
What can business travelers do for help?
One option is joining MyAssist to help save valuable time working behind-the-scenes to make sure everything is on time. MyAssist has connections and resources at their disposal to help alleviate self-service hassles that can sneak up during travel plans. In addition, these companies take care of the daunting day-to-day tasks that consume attention.
As travelers run into a delay, cancellation or misconnection, a team of experts standing behind them to research alternative flights, search options at nearby cities or airports, check car rental rates, inquire about alternative ground transportation, or find hotels and restaurants for stranded travelers. Concierge services range from helping find a parking garage during rush hour in New York City to full-service travel capabilities.
MyAssist, a leading live-agent personal assistance and telematics service for individuals and companies, provides a suite of services designed to empower, enhance and protect people-s lives and experiences. Members receive cost-effective, around-the-clock access to a team of experts in travel, reservations services, online research, emergency services and medical assistance.
MyAssist is more than just a travel service; it is a lifestyle improvement service. Business partners and members of MyAssist receive the following personal assistance services:
Travel accommodations, transportation services and hotel reservations
Restaurant reservations and menu information
General concierge services
Concert and event ticketing
Online research and information services
Lost luggage and stolen credit card reclamation
Language translation
Wake-up calls
Gift purchasing
Roadside assistance access
Up-to-the-minute traffic reports
Directory assistance and local information
Guidance, support and assistance — with anything, at any time, from anywhere: That-s MyAssist, a unique live-agent personal-assistance and concierge service from the Noel Group. MyAssist was created by John Noel, founder of travel-insurance giant TravelGuard, to provide individuals and organizations around-the-clock access to experts in travel and reservation services, online research, emergency services, and medical assistance. Members can access MyAssist via iPhone, BlackBerry and Android apps, email, or any phone line. Learn more about MyAssist at .
Brad Rutta
MyAssist, Director of Marketing
715-326-0576
Cami Zimmer
Campaign Touch
952-239-9822
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