ASBTA: Business Travelers Still Prefer the Amenities, Services Offered by Major Hub Airports; Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O'Hare and San Francisco International Airports All Given Top Marks for Business-Friendly Environments.

DALLAS -- Business travelers still prefer using major hub airports despite being encouraged in recent years to utilize smaller alternate airports, reported the American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA). ASBTA is a national, non-profit alliance that provides valuable services and functions focused specifically on the travel needs and interests of small business owners.

According to ASBTA, recent surveys conducted by travel-related organizations such as Travelocity and Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel prove that business travelers appreciate the technological advances and creature comforts offered by larger airports because they enable them to better maintain productivity.

"While no-frills airlines and smaller airports may attract leisure travelers, business travelers still want the higher level of service available to them at the major international airports," said Ronald Christopher, ASBTA chief information officer. "It's a logical choice, since increased security measures mean longer waits at the airport, and being able to maintain productivity during that wait is critical to any business."

Survey Cites Large Airport Amenities

A survey published by Travelocity in October 2003 indicates that international airports such as Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O'Hare and Atlanta Hartsfield are among the top five airports preferred by business travelers, while Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel published an article in May 2004 that cited San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago O'Hare International airports as being among the top ten airports for business customers.

Each of these airports was praised for offering business-friendly services as basic as more seating at the gate and better dining options to more critical amenities such as providing a choice of WiFi networks and more available office amenities like fax machines, printers and even a quiet workspace.

At Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, for instance, business travelers with wireless enabled laptops can choose from at least five WiFi providers in all of the airport's terminals and the airport car rental facility. And state-of-the-art meeting facilities, such as American Airlines' Admirals Club Executive Centers(R) -- located at Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth International, New York LaGuardia and San Francisco International -- offer travelers the use of computer data ports, speakerphones, slide and data projectors, paper shredders and copiers -- all without requiring an Admirals Club membership. (For more information, visit http://www.aa.com/content/travelInformation/airportAmenities/ admiralsClubArticles/meetingAccommodations.jhtml.)(Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.) At airports such as San Francisco International, travelers can even rent cellular and satellite phones by the day, week, month and even year.

More Security, Shorter Lines

More security checkpoints at larger airports can also mean shorter lines, just as more flights to a greater number of cities allows for greater flexibility in the event that plans change or a flight is cancelled. At the other end of the spectrum, major hub airports frequently have a better variety of shops and restaurants for those moments when work is the last thing a weary business traveler needs.

"In business travel, the top priorities are price, choice and productivity. The best major airports offer all three, plus a few extra perks, such as shopping and dining," said Christopher. "This is not to say that smaller airports don't have their own advantages, but for maintaining productivity during the 'lost' hours of travel, the major airports are still the first choice for small businesses."

About ASBTA:

The American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA) is a national, non-profit organization serving small business travelers by providing information regarding resources and services, savings on air fares, car rentals, and accommodations, as well as and technology designed to improve and enhance the travel experience. To achieve its mission, ASBTA will utilize an integrated communication program while working closely with travel-industry companies that serve small business travelers. If you're a small business owner and want to learn more, visit our site and register free at www.asbta.com. We'd like to hear from you, too. Give us a call or e-mail us at [e-mail] if you have questions or want to share ideas about what small business travelers really need and how ASBTA can serve you effectively. Call us at 469-648-0190.