Why Corporate Travel Needs to Prepare for Wilder Weather
Photo Credit: One of Air Partner's cargo jets is shown as it is being loaded with supplies. The company was enlisted to help some employers get their workers off islands hit by recent storms. Air Partner
Skift Take
The recent hurricanes are expected to have mostly short-term impacts on business travel and economic forecasts, but they exposed serious weaknesses in companies’ preparations for disruption caused by extreme weather.
So far, 2017 has brought devastating hurricanes, floods, widespread wildfires, and extremely high temperatures — all of which have forced the cancellation of thousands of flights.
For business travelers in affected areas, that has meant more uncertainty, last-minute changes, and even sudden evacuations. For employers, this year has exposed the weakness in some emergency preparations and the need to think more strategically about the impact of extreme weather on travel plans.
And as the planet continues to warm, scientists say climate change is likely to lead to more frequent or more intense bouts of extreme weather. Rather than being an outlier, 2017 could be a hint of what’s to come.
A year like this should make corporate travel decision-makers start to think about business travel in new ways, said Andrew Winston, a strategic advisor to businesses and author of books such as “The Big Pivot” and “Green to Gold.”
Companies need to plan for increased threats to th
