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Business travellers uneasy about prospect of flying 737 MAX
A survey suggests a majority of business travellers have a sense of unease about flying on the Boeing 737 MAX when it finally gets clearance to operate again.
A Global Business Travel Association poll found 80% of business travel managers are concerned about it and two-thirds think employees may change plans to avoid taking a Max flight.
It says 38% were ‘very concerned’ about traveling on a MAX jet.
"We’ve had nobody call us and say they are taking the 737 out of their global travel policy . . . but people want transparency, they want someone to say that the plane is fine and not just Boeing or the FAA, they just want to know that a lot of different agencies touched the problem," said Scott Solombrino, GBTA executive director.
The concerns of the business travel community are important as they make up such a big proportion of market revenue.
GBTA’s members manage over $345 billion in global business travel spend.
The survey polled 155 members earlier this month.
The MAX may not be cleared to fly again until later this year, and airline chiefs have acknowledged when that does happen, it could be a tough sell with customers.
"The first and foremost objective is not to assume everyone will want to fly, or assume everyone will get over it," United CEO Oscar Munoz recently told CNBC.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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