JOHANNESBURG – Celebrities aren’t the only ones getting whisked off tarmacs and fast-tracked through immigration anymore. A growing number of South African business travellers are requesting VIP treatment when they land – not for luxury, but because structured corporate mobility removes uncertainty from their journeys. Need an armoured vehicle? It can be arranged.
Lewis Mujaji, Operations and Product Manager at Peaks Of Africa Holidays & Conventions, a specialist in corporate ground mobility, says these are just some of the specialised services that corporate travellers increasingly request.
“No matter where they’re going, business travellers want a car and a driver ready on arrival – that’s non-negotiable.”
He notes that in high-risk destinations, companies take this even further by booking additional layers of security support. “In places like Abuja or Lagos, clients may request fast-track immigration services plus airside assist – that means meeting them at the plane door so they don’t have to go through general airport traffic,” he says.
For multinational firms operating across Africa, the transport policies that allow their ‘perks’ aren’t just about risk mitigation – they’re becoming standard practice across all levels of business travel, says Mujaji.
“We’re seeing structured airport transfers being used not only for high-level executives,” Lewis adds. “Corporates now see this as part of seamless travel planning – it makes trips less stressful for employees while making sure they always arrive safely.”
Not every traveller needs an armoured vehicle or airside assistance. Still, Lebogang Ntoagae, Supplier Partnerships Executive Director at FCTG, believes every company should think more seriously about how employees move between locations safely and efficiently.
“In day-to-day corporate travel, ground transport often remains the weakest link,” she says. “Flights are booked well in advance; hotels carefully selected – but then employees land and suddenly have to figure out how they’re getting from A to B on their own.”
Many companies still have a get-there-and-claim-back attitude. And it’s putting their travellers at risk, she says. A CMAC Group study showed that one in five business travellers have felt vulnerable when travelling by taxi. Both men and women surveyed had negative experiences, such as road rage, driver fatigue, and not reaching their final destination.
Ntoagae highlights early morning pickups when streets are deserted or late-night arrivals where tired travellers struggle with language barriers as moments where things can go wrong if there’s no structured transport plan in place.
“We want business travellers stepping off planes with everything already arranged: a professional driver waiting for them who knows exactly where they need to go,” she explains. “No delays, no confusion – just smooth transitions.”
Transport isn’t just about logistics – it’s personal, she says. No two travellers have identical needs or concerns when moving through unfamiliar cities.
Ntoagae believes structured travel programmes must offer flexibility according to individual security preferences: some travellers want real-time tracking so their teams know exactly where they are at all times; others prioritise having trusted drivers who won’t cancel last minute or leave them stranded outside an airport at night.
“The same way businesses differentiate flight classes or hotel preferences based on seniority or security requirements, they should be offering personalised mobility options too,” says Ntoagae. She adds that this is mission-critical in South Africa as travellers don’t have the option of safe train transport to get around.
For companies that means building pre-arranged airport transfers directly into policies so employees don’t waste time hailing rides after long-haul flights – or worse – end up relying on unverified local taxis that could put them at risk.
There’s a solution for every travel potential wobble: from multilingual drivers who can assist when travelling in foreign cities to female-led chauffeur services explicitly designed for women travelling alone. Many frequent flyers are also looking beyond ride-hailing apps – which can be unpredictable.
Services like Avis P2P offer a reliable alternative by providing pre-scheduled pick-ups with trained drivers familiar with regular routes – a game-changer for professionals juggling packed schedules. For those managing multiple meetings across different locations daily, having access to dedicated vehicles eliminates unnecessary delays while ensuring consistency throughout each trip.
“A lot of our clients appreciate knowing their driver will actually show up – and that they’re not left scrambling outside an airport trying find another option last-minute,” adds Ntoagae.”
“It comes down to giving people options they trust,” says Ntoagae. “If companies wouldn’t let employees book random hotels without vetting them first – why would they leave something as critical as transportation open-ended? The moment someone leaves home, their journey has begun – and that’s precisely when duty-of-care policies should start, too.
More businesses are recognising that modern travel policies shouldn’t just dictate spending limits – they should actively protect people by ensuring every stage of their trip is accounted for before departure, says Rategang Moroke Operations Manager at Corporate Traveller.
She is encouraged by this shift. “Transport has become one of those areas where forward-thinking businesses aren’t waiting until something goes wrong before making changes,” she says. “They’re taking action now because structured mobility doesn’t just improve safety – it enhances productivity,” she concludes.
**ends**
About Corporate Traveller
Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.
Issued by:
Big Ambitions
Lori Cohen
lori@bigambitions.co.za
