Many of airlines that fly to Europe, including United, British Airways, Lufthansa and KLM, have a special seating class reserved for business people. For the most part, this class has more luxuries than those in coach, including more leg room, more comfortable seats and some pampering services offered by flight attendants. The airlines understand that business travel is no vacation, so they want to make you as comfortable as possible on the long flight to Europe.
Some European cities offer business hotels, which are specialized for those people who are in town strictly on business. Many of these hotels have extra conference facilities and complimentary fax machines, for example. While most of these business hotels are found in the major cities, such as London, Zurich, Frankfurt and Amsterdam, you may find smaller cities that offer business type accommodations, too.
If your business trip requires frequent travel in Europe, several discount airlines offer flights throughout the continent, such as easyJet and RyanAir. Flights can cost less than 50 euros, depending on where you need to travel. There are not many amenities on these planes, but Europe is a small enough continent that you will not have flights of longer than three hours at a time.
Eurail is a train service around Europe that offers more comfortable amenities than the discount airlines. However, keep in mind that these train rides take longer than the plane flights, and the train tickets are more expensive. This is especially true if you want extra amenities, such as first class service.
When conducting business in Europe, there are a few things Americans should consider. The European business culture differs from the American business culture. Europeans do not wear business casual, so make sure you are always wearing a suit and tie. Also, it is common courtesy in Europe to call people by their last names instead of their first names. The formality of the European business world, especially in financial centers such as London and Frankfurt, make this practice crucial in this continent. Furthermore, while European business is conducted in English, keep your language formal and do not use slang. Avoid the laid-back business attitude more common in the U.S.
