Business travellers urged to plan ahead during airport Metro closure
Companies are being reminded to consider the whole journey when employees travel for work as disruption affects Metro services to Newcastle Airport.
Business travellers using Newcastle International Airport are being urged to allow extra time and consider alternative transport arrangements during a nine-day closure on part of the Tyne and Wear Metro network.
Metro services between South Gosforth and Newcastle Airport are suspended from August 15 to 23 while Nexus carries out major track and station renewal work on the Green Line.
The closure means passengers travelling to or from the airport may need to build additional time into their journeys or use alternative transport, highlighting how business travel disruptions can affect employees with time-sensitive itineraries.
Corporate travel specialists at The Travel Group said the disruption also highlights the wider impact transport problems can have on employees travelling for work
A spokesperson for The Travel Group said disruption to ground transport, flights, accommodation or connecting services can have greater consequences for a business traveller than simply arriving at their destination later than planned. For example, if several flights are cancelled, an employee may need to reconsider their entire itinerary rather than simply finding a later flight.
For an employee, a delay could mean missing a meeting, presentation or onward connection, particularly where several parts of a journey depend on one another.
Planning for disruption
Known disruption can give businesses an opportunity to review the full journey before an employee travels, rather than focusing only on flights and accommodation.
Alternative arrangements could include different rail services, ground transport, airports or overnight accommodation, depending on the journey and the traveller's schedule.
Booking technology can help identify available flights and accommodation, but more complicated disruption may require several elements of an itinerary to be reconsidered at the same time.
Businesses may also want to ensure employees know who to contact if their plans are affected and that alternative arrangements can be made quickly where required.
This can be particularly important where an employee needs to arrive before a fixed meeting, is travelling with equipment or has further connections later in the journey.
Passengers affected by the Newcastle Airport Metro closure should check the latest Nexus travel information before travelling.