Has international business travel reached a turning point? Exploring the long-term effects of COVID-19 on air-travel practices in knowledge-intensive organizations

In the aftermath of COVID-19, the capability of reducing air travel has been strengthened. However, a belief prevails in industry that business-aviation travel will return to pre-pandemic levels and continue to grow. This article presents findings from a quantitative and qualitative study of travel-behavior changes in three knowledge-intensive organizations conducted one year after the elimination of travel restrictions. The results show that most employees have reduced their intercontinental air travel after the pandemic, and many expect further reductions in the future. The analysis indicates that significant practice-based learning occurred during the health emergency, causing changes in employees’ general understanding and performance of business travel. With a practice-based theoretical framework, three emerging travel practices are displayed, drawing on qualitative data. Although the risk of a rebound remains, the study suggests that the pandemic caused deep-seated changes in many employees’ mobility practices and that a return to pre-pandemic ways of conducting business travel in knowledge-intensive organizations is unlikely. The findings suggest that mobility crises and external shocks represent opportunities for change and the development of low-carbon travel practices in knowledge-intensive organizations.