A new Global Business Travel Association and Airlines Reporting Corporation study shows a majority of corporate travel programs do not allow employees to travel in basic economy and even more configure their booking tool to hide basic economy fares from travelers. Conversely, most corporate travel policies allow business-class travel for lengthy flights, international flights and senior executives. More than half additionally allow premium-economy fares.

“It’s not surprising to see many business travel programs shying away from basic economy fares,” said Michael W. McCormick, executive director and COO, GBTA. “These fares pose a challenge for travel programs, creating difficulty for spend visibility and comparison shopping when add-ons are factored in. Additionally, travel buyers are increasingly factoring in traveler preference and convenience as they recognize the importance of their role in employee retention and recruitment in a strong economy with low unemployment.”

The study also found one-third of travel programs require advance purchase whenever possible. While only 3 percent of travel programs reward travelers for saving money on air bookings, 21 percent would consider rewarding travelers for policy compliance or low-cost air bookings.