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Policy Measures Curb Costs: Buyers Face Budget Issues By Adjusting class of Service, Purchase Guidelines.

Article Excerpt
Business travel buyers are trying to keep costs at bay by implementing a bevy of policy changes, including limiting business class travel, mandating advance-purchase guidelines, opting for lower-tiered hotels and leveraging online booking adoption and preferred supplier relationships.

Some are limiting business class air travel by extending the time threshold for permissible upgrades. "There is a creeping up of that window," said Advito vice president for the Americas Bob Brindley.

Some companies have relinquished reimbursable business class travel from policies. "For the most part, the travel policy has been economy travel regardless of the flight time," said Ricoh Americas manager of corporate travel & special events Maria McSorley (see story, page 14). "In the past, we look at airfares that may fall in a full Y category that allowed to upgrade either through airline promotions, part of our agreement or even the individual's miles. In the past, we would pay a coach fare and then pay the difference."

Many Corporate Travel 100 companies are tightening the belt as well. One CT100 buyer's company, because of projected...

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