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04/05/2005: "Can I Sit Next to Kermit?"

Frog leaps into list of business travellers' preferred companions...

Never mind Kylie or Brad, business travel executives say Kermit the Frog would make one of the best travel companions, writes Simon Crawshaw.

That's the conclusion of a survey by CA Magazine, the journal for the Insitute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (Icas). But Kermit was not top of the list of preferred travelling companions, according to the 16,000 Icas members surveyed that honour went to - no one.

Alan Coles, chairman of the Guild of Travel Management Companies air working party and managing director of P&O Travel, was not surprised by the result.

He said: "It makes sense that executives don't want a travelling companion. They want their travel experience to be as little hassle as possible. If no-one's sitting next to them they can catch up on sleep or get some work done."

Coles was surprised by Kermit's popularity, although he thought it was probably because the comical frog wouldn't take up much space. And as he pointed out, Kermit would be preferable to Miss Piggy.

The survey found that many business travellers were critical of inflight service standards. Participants complained of arrogant staff and unreliability. They also said flight pricing was a rip-off. The airlines criticised included Ryanair, Virgin, easyJet and British Airways.

Robert Outram, the editor of CA Magazine, said business travellers were still unhappy with the level of service - or lack of it - despite the improvements made by the industry. "Travel agents and airlines must work closer to improve conditions for business travellers," he said.

(This article was taken from the TravelGazette)