3 min read

AmTrav's Q1 Update

AmTrav's Q1 Update

Hello,

A few weeks ago I was on catamaran with eight college friends island hopping in the British Virgin Islands in celebration of turning 50. We had an amazing time! One of the guys on the trip, a law firm partner and also an AmTrav customer, accidentally dropped his cell phone in the ocean early on the trip. He did not bring a laptop or iPad so he was basically off the grid for the trip duration. On the day we were flying home we were in a van from the marina to a small, remote airport in Tortola. He figured it would be a good idea to check in for his flight so he had his boarding pass to clear customs. He used my phone to log into his AmTrav account only to discover he had booked his flight back for the next day. Within seconds he was using our Live Chat feature to talk directly to our 24/7 agent team. They advised him of the price to change the ticket and offered the option of staying in Tortola for the night and flying out the next day. Before we even got to the airport he decided to go with the hotel option. So the other seven of us were dropped off at the airport, we said our goodbyes and he took the van to his hotel. As we boarded our plane he was sitting on a beach with a cocktail in his hand and no connection to the rest of the world. 

And me, I was a proud papa! The service we provide around the clock is the best out there and will always be there when you need it. It is never easy doing business with friends but when you are as confident as I am in the people providing the support at AmTrav I know my friends will always be well taken care of. Referring my friends to AmTrav is easy!

Craig Fichtelberg
President, AmTrav Corporate Travel


Industry Trends You Should Know

*FAA grounds all Boeing 737 MAX 8 & MAX 9 aircrafts
Impacted US carriers include American Airlines, Southwest, and United which currently operate a combined forty 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 planes. Currently, American has canceled up to 90 flights per day.

*Marriott Rewards gets a new identity: Marriott Bonvoy
Starting on February 13th, Marriott officially changed the name for Marriott Rewards. Marriott Bonvoy is the new name for Marriott’s combined loyalty program including Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards, and SPG.

*American Airlines now allows travelers to check in bags anywhere in London
On flights out of London Heathrow, travelers can now check in their bags from their London address with AA’s partner, Airportr. Airportr will pick up a traveler’s bags and take them to the airport hassle free. For more information, click here.

*U.S. airlines notched a second consecutive year of 5% revenue growth in 2018.

*Bleisure is one of the biggest 2019 trends in business travel.
New research shows that employees are increasingly blending business travel with leisure activities, with nearly 1/3 citing their desire to explore specific destinations as the number one reason to do so. Those who engage in bleisure travel are more likely to be satisfied with their quality of life (93% vs. 75%) as well as their work/life balance (87% vs. 64%) while on the road than non-bleisure travelers.

Top AmTrav Blog Posts

1. Did You Know? 24/7 Live Chat Support
Tags: amtrav, business travel, customer support, live chat, support, traveler support

2. Do Travel Management Companies Make Your Life Easier? Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Full-Service Account Management 
Tags: account management, business travel, business travel agency, corporate travel, tmc, travel, travel management, travel management company, travel planning, travel policy

3. Did You Know: Instant Fare Comparisons
Tags: a2b, amtrav, fare comparisons

Featured Testimonial

Sometimes even our own employees have a great customer service experience with us. Here’s an internal note from our VP of Strategic Partnerships, Ted Perlstein:

AmTrav's Q1 Update


Employee Spotlight: Tavo Miranda

Tavo has been with us at AmTrav for almost six years now. To say we are lucky to have him is certainly an understatement. Tavo is in charge of training all of our new advisors as well as secondary training for all advisors. His extensive knowledge, endless patience, and positive personality make him an invaluable asset to our Traveler Services team.

Where are you originally from?
I was born and raised in Chicago, and I grew up on the southwest side of the city in the neighborhood of Little Village.

Favorite things to do outside the office?
I really love cooking and hosting dinner for family and friends. I also really enjoy just driving around the city with Omar running errands or just hanging out with our friends and family throughout the city.

Where is your “happy place” in Chicago?
It’s definitely seasonally specific. In the summer there’s this park by the lake in Evanston – I like to sit on the rocks at sunset and just take in the different views/ During the fall I like to walk through our neighborhood of Logan Square and see all of the leaves changing and the buildings as the colors start to change around them. 

Secret talent?
Does making some amazing enchiladas count? I can also binge watch Netflix for hours at time and not get bored or want to move from my bed/sofa. 

Favorite part about working at AmTrav?How true we are about sticking to our values at all costs. I’ve worked for several companies that say one thing but then do something totally different – not AmTrav.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
As a trainer nothing is more gratifying than seeing a trainee succeed and receive amazing compliments for the great work they do.

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