Qantas back in favour for corporate travellers

QANTAS appears to have overcome damage from its 2011 industrial decision to ground its fleet. A poll indicates it has ­regained favour with business travellers.

QANTAS appears to have overcome the damage done by its 2011 decision to ground its fleet during an industrial-relations dispute, with a poll indicating it has ­regained favour with business travellers.

The latest Roy Morgan Travel Survey shows 74 per cent of domestic business travellers would choose the airline for their next trip.

This is back to the same level Qantas enjoyed prior to the grounding, which pushed the figure as low as 68 per cent.

Virgin Australia also enjoyed a boost, with 53 per cent of business travellers saying they would consider taking one of its flights, up from 51 per cent before the launch of its business class.

Jetstar also rose from 28 per cent in April 2011 to 31 per cent for the 12 months to April this year. However, the figures show Virgin has gained considerable ground in the key target market of frequent business flyers.

Thirty-one per cent said in the latest survey that their last flight had been with Virgin, compared to 24 per cent in December, 2011. The equivalent Qantas figure fell from 61 per cent to 56 per cent.

Roy Morgan’s international director of tourism, travel and leisure, Jane Ianniello, said Qantas had benefited from the short memories of travellers in the wake of the industrial dispute.

“And I think Virgin’s actually done quite well,’’ she said.

“They managed to capitalise on the industrial dispute and they’ve been able to capture more the market of heavy domestic business flyers, people who take at least seven or more flights a year.’’