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The Mighty Corporate Card vs. The Volcano

My last business trip to Europe was interesting, to say the least. My Dutch colleague Michel and I were two of those irritable passengers stranded overseas thanks to a volcanic plume of ash. Our week-long flight delay began at the Birmingham, U.K. airport, where we became acquainted with other irritable passengers in the same boat, so to speak (and, as a matter of fact, even some who were booking boats in order to ensure a prompt homecoming) and flight status signs like this:

Our week-long adventure toward mainland Europe required stays at three hotels and one overnight ferry; rides on buses, subways, taxis and countless trains; and numerous mediocre English meals. We watched the horror stories on the news of families on vacation that had run out of funds, forced to sleep on airport floors, and students in route without money for food. Fortunately for Michel and I, we were armed with an item that saved us time and time again – the mighty corporate credit card.
 
But as what was supposed to be a daylong delay turned into several days, something else threatened our creature comforts: We were quickly burning through the credit line assigned to my corporate card. What then? Much to my relief, after one panicky call to my dear boss Martha, our accounting group was able to increase the limit on my card in real-time, keeping food in our bellies and pillows under our heads with only a few keystrokes. I had to marvel at the tremendous impact technology in payments has on our daily lives.

I head back to Europe next week, hopefully this time, for a much shorter stay. But I know one thing for sure: I won’t be leaving home without that mighty corporate credit card! 

-Jenny