So as more and more work goes digital and business people need to make fewer and fewer physical trips to get things done, how will well-traveled execs react to being increasingly grounded? The answer, a new survey reveals, is happy news for airport regulars, but lousy tidings for visitors’ bureaus.

When webcasting and virtual events firm ON24 asked 3,756 registrants to this year’s VUE2011 conference (hosted somewhat incongruously by San Francisco Giants Pitcher Brian “Fear the Beard” Wilson) how they feel about seeing less of the interior of hotels and airports as work grows more wired, many said they’d be happy to go virtual rather than travel to several major American cities.

Virtual events vendors will be thrilled with the exact findings. Texas tourism officials, not so much. The numbers reveal that hefty percentages of respondents would rather go virtual than visit:

• Houston – 49.3 percent
• Los Angeles – 41.7 percent
• Orlando – 37.5 percent
• Miami – 33.3 percent
• Chicago – 27.8 percent

While the figures can’t be flattering for these cities, they primarily reflect the sorry state of business travel, with 92 percent of executives telling ON24 business travel is failing to improve, and almost half saying it is getting worse. The execs’ reasons for dreading flying will be familiar to anyone who has been on a plane recently: 53 percent fear the middle seat, while 50.6 percent and 40.9 percent respectively said delays and security lines were the worst aspect of flying.

“In today’s digital age, professionals increasingly prefer virtual events and webcasts to traveling to in-person events,” commented Denise Persson, ON24’s chief marketing officer. “With virtual communication, there are no logistical barriers interfering with getting the information you need.”

Would you prefer to a digital event to a quick trip to Houston?

Image courtesy of Flickr user {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}.

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iPass has just weighed in on which side of that debate its enterprise clients fall on. The enterprise mobility service just announced that it has added Aircell to its available network of services. This means that iPass Mobile Network users will be able to connect to Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi, while staying within the iPass network. Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi is available on all AirTran and Virgin America flights, and on limited American Airlines, Delta, US Airways, United and Air Canada flights. Customers will be charged $4.95 for flights less than 1.5 hours, $9.95 for flights 1.5 to three hours, and $12.95 for flights more than three hours long for using Gogo through iPass.

In the product announcement, iPass explained that this will benefit employees of iPass Mobile Network customers, as connecting to Gogo will be more convenient with iPass, since they will be able to avoid the multiple steps of paying via credit card and filing expense reports after the fact for reimbursement. For enterprises, it should simplify accounting, allow companies access to detailed reports on in-flight network usage, and allow enforcement of VPN and security policies.

For regular users of other airlines, iPass says it expects to add more in-flight Wi-Fi services to its offering in 2010.

iPass leaves no doubt in its announcement that mobile workers are now expected to be working constantly when traveling — even when they are at 30,000 feet:

“The age of inflight Internet connectivity is here and is a huge productivity win for business travelers who need to stay connected and work securely online while in the air,” said Evan Kaplan, president and CEO of iPass. “Airplanes have been the last bastion of mobile worker downtime and iPass and Gogo Inflight Internet provider Aircell are here to close this gap in a way that meets the simplicity, visibility and control requirements of the enterprise.”

Say goodbye to the days of settling back in your seat and watching a movie or reading a book and getting some recharging before that big meeting while you cruise at 30,000 feet. When enterprises consider in-flight Wi-Fi a needed function of their mobile networks, the writing is obviously on the wall (or in the clouds): your airplane seat is now an extension of your office.

Does in-flight Wi-Fi make you feel obligated to work? Would that change if it were part of your employer’s mobile network?

The typical hotel room is currently vastly lacking in power. Usually there are two desk-level outlets, a pair of vanity outlets, and a couple of inaccessible outlets behind the nightstand. Typically, none of them have transformer-friendly positions or spacing.

Here’s where I would put power in the business traveler’s hotel room of the future:

• Desk. I’d put four outlets, spaced to accommodate transformers.
• Nightstand. I’d embed transformer-friendly outlets in the top for overnight charging of cellphones and similar devices.
• Wall. Outlets would be placed near any seating area or surface that could hold charging items.

Many business hotels have beautiful common areas such as atriums that would be wonderful alternatives to being trapped in your room, working all evening if only they had power points. Many of these areas currently advertise they are Wi-Fi equipped. How about wiring these areas for power as well?

Internet

Just as important as power is Internet connectivity. “More, better, faster” is my mantra for the business traveler’s hotel room of the future, because most current hotel Internet access is designed to handle only basic tasks such as checking email or surfing the web. Current hotel systems usually quickly choke on bandwidth-heavy tasks such as video or graphic file transfers, or VoIP calls.

The hotel of the future should have Internet access that is:

• WiFi
• Secure
• Truly high speed
• Smartphone-accessible

And Internet access should be included in the base room rate. Hotels don’t treat water and power as optional add-ons. Internet should be treated as a basic utility as well.

Gadgets

Now I want to get a little fancier than just basic services. I want some gadgets!

• Monitor. I get tired of squinting at my portable but sometimes too small 13” MacBook screen all day when I’m on the road. A monitor on the room’s desk that I could plug into would be a nice amenity.
• Notebook Safe. I do sometimes leave my hotel room without my laptop, such as for an evening’s entertainment. Leaving it unsecured in a hotel room makes me nervous, though. A notebook-sized safe (currently, a rare room amenity) would make me feel more secure.
• Accessible TV Inputs. A few forward-thinking hotels have installed flat-panel TVs that have front-facing jack panels for easier guest access. This is great for viewing media from an iPod or practicing presentations, and should be a standard business hotel feature.
• iPod-compatible clock radios. A few higher-end hotels are installing units such as the iHome for their guests. It’s both a nice home-like touch and a practical way to charge your unit.
• Surge Protectors. Quality surge protectors from a generally trusted company would be a great amenity in a room, just like hairdryers and irons are frequently offered.
• Equipment Rental. The tradional business center is rapidly losing its usefulness. How about renting equipment to travelers like MiFi units, portable scanners and Flip cameras instead?

What would make your web worker life on the road easier? What is your hotel of the future wish list?

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At the risk of making your blood boil at the mere mention of the Transportation Security Administration, it’s time to step out on a limb and give the TSA credit for steps taken in recent months to reduce the natural anxiety we feel as we shuffle along in line.

The improvements are timely because the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the most dreaded travel times of the year, are upon us.

The checkpoint process

The most recent development from the TSA is the establishment of “family lanes” at checkpoints at every U.S. airport. In many larger airports, the process goes a step further with the creation of three lanes for different types of travelers, using the same kind of diamond symbols that designate expert, intermediate and beginner ski slopes.

At the airports with all three types, the black diamond or expert lane is for those who look to a TSA agent like experienced business travelers who know the routine. Those judged to need a little more time are sent to the blue lane. Families with children and other passengers with special needs are directed to the green or beginners lane.

This appears to be speeding up the process, unless you have the experience I did at Dallas Love Field this summer on a weekday afternoon, when there were few passengers in line. With just a briefcase, I was sent to the expert lane while two family groups behind me were sent to the green lane. The families got through first while I waited for a guy in a suit to unload into five bins his two laptops, an assortment of other electronic gear, a carry-on suitcase and his jacket, belt and lace-up shoes. I’m glad I had plenty of time before my flight.

But TSA spokeswoman Ann Davis told me that in general, the family lanes “are creating a lot of efficiencies. We’re seeing greater satisfaction with the process.”

Laptop bags

Of special interest to web workers, TSA has begun to approve certain types of laptop bags that can be sent through X-ray scanners without being removed from the case. More than a dozen manufacturers are making laptop bags that should pass muster with TSA agents. You’ll find there are different styles: Some have separate cases for a laptop that detach from the rest of the bag while others let you keep all the compartments together and unfold the bag to place it on the belt.

For more detail on some of the more popular brands look at web sites of Skooba Design, Mobile Edge, Targus and Travelon Bags.

Liquids (ban) to go

One of the best possible developments involves TSA installing at checkpoints next-generation X-ray machines that will distinguish between a bottle of water in a bag and, as Davis put it, “something more sinister.” That means chemicals that could be used to create an explosive device.

TSA director Kip Hawley has said recently on his blog that by the end of next year, the agency hopes to be able to lift the rule limiting liquids to 3-ounce bottles, although they will still have to be removed from bags and placed in a bin.

The really good news, Hawley says, is that advances in technology mean all restrictions on liquids could be lifted by the end of 2010.

I’ll drink to that.

image courtesy Flick user Stephen Witherden

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Plan your connectivity: whether it’s an EV-DO modem that gets you online wherever you can get a cell signal or a Starbucks Wi-Fi plan, be sure you know how you’ll be able to get in touch. I was surprised on a recent trip when I couldn’t find easy Wi-Fi to hop on. Use tools like JiWire or a Starbucks locater to plan out your connected trip.

Communicate: even if you plan out your travel to the most finite detail, something can go wrong. Whether it be a lost car rental reservation or a late flight, you might be late or absent to a meeting. Communicate your travel plans to colleagues so business contacts know why you might be late.

Have a backup in place. No matter what, it seems something is going to go wrong when you need a certain piece of information. Technology can often be the culprit. You should try to have a backup plan in place, whether it’s a spare cell phone in case your primary cell is lost or stolen, or having a thumb-drive with current information in case your laptop seizes to fully function. Check with your technology manufacturer to see if they have an on-the-spot replacement service at service depots. This may be expensive, but worth it in a pinch.

Have paper records. Sometimes electronic reservations fall through the cracks. To prevent this from affecting your trip, have printouts of all pertinent reservations including flights, rental cars, and hotels that show the reservation number(s) and reservation details.

Check out this Lifehack.org post for other tips to ensure a productive and enjoyable trip.

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