The Glamour of being an international traveller.

[Willie]

All this travel business is a long and tedious memory.

I spent 9 years traversing the North Pacific - primarily HKG/PVG/NRT to YYZ every ten days or so. Nightmare. The status thing, the upgrade thing... you warriers can have it all. Glamour... NOT. But then, it was interesting if not somewhat shallow thinking that an airline card made you a better or more fabulous person.

Happy now at home... phew.

But I LURVE readinga all about you lot! Keep it up!

 

[sr81]

How about the 4am wake ups to make the 6am shuttle, then connecting twice to cover the country. YYJ-SEA-ORD-RDU. You do this so you can catch up with friends and not spend another Saturday night in some random hotel.

The friends at home are more impressed with the duty free cabinet than any places visited.

 

[littl_flier]

How about the 4am wake ups to make the 6am shuttle, then connecting twice to cover the country. YYJ-SEA-ORD-RDU.

And avoid the joys of SSSS screening. That's one thing that's not the most glamorours about visiting the US, undressing every time just to go through security.

 

[pauly7]

How about the 4am wake ups to make the 6am shuttle, then connecting twice to cover the country. .

God the early morning shuttles Sleeping wherever you can find a minute...

 

[DBH]

All this travel business is a long and tedious memory.

I spent 9 years traversing the North Pacific - primarily HKG/PVG/NRT to YYZ every ten days or so. Nightmare. The status thing, the upgrade thing... you warriers can have it all. Glamour... NOT. But then, it was interesting if not somewhat shallow thinking that an airline card made you a better or more fabulous person.

Happy now at home... phew.

But I LURVE readinga all about you lot! Keep it up!

The number of times I think, what does it matter if I am not recognised by that airline or that hotel, then at the last moment, just to retain status, I will do a hop across to BKK and points north. I feel elated that I have retained a seat in their lounge or a bed on the exec floor, I shouldn't but I do.
I often feel like the the Ben Cousins' of the air, I worry that I sometimes travel when it's not really urgent. Staff will say "this is selling very well" and I hear that as "you better get on a plane and find new ideas, we are selling out of stock"

I initially started flying out at midnight to save a night's accommodation, now I say I do it so I arrive when the factories are open

I used to fly Economy Class to save money, then I flew Business class so I could sleep. Now I fly First, because Business HAS got SO busy.

I always got a cab to the hotel until the hotel shouted me a ride out one trip. Now I say I DESERVE a limo as I have worked so hard.

I read post on the FF boards and think, I didn't know that. I've been known to fly to a particular airport, just to see a bloody lounge (what's the world coming to). I wanted to be the only person to find a decent lounge at CDG, so I spent hours trawling the terminals (how sad is that)

What is of concern to me, is my international travel is glamourous, I pamper myself way to extremes when I travel, I wouldn't dream of doing things here in Australia that I do away. When i arrive home everyone says oh what a good life you have and I tell them it's horrible and what a lousy time I have ... but i don't, I absolutely love it, regards

 

[simongr]

Many many times over the years as a frequent traveller I have heard other "road warriors" mention the hours away from home, the hard ships of loneliness etc. My thinking is, that if it is that much of a trouble, don't do it.

You should check out the lounge meeting forum; you never know who will be around!

It would have been good to meet you last night.

I have heard this a bit - and although I comment on the loneliness, this is just a part of the job - there is so much that is great - it's just interesting to share the tough side of a great thing we do.

 

[straitman]

All this travel business is a long and tedious memory.

I spent 9 years traversing the North Pacific - primarily HKG/PVG/NRT to YYZ every ten days or so. Nightmare. The status thing, the upgrade thing... you warriers can have it all. Glamour... NOT. But then, it was interesting if not somewhat shallow thinking that an airline card made you a better or more fabulous person.

Happy now at home... phew.

But I LURVE readinga all about you lot! Keep it up!

Willie,

There are in between situations here also.

I travel a little through work and a little through my own means. Sites such as this and FT allow me to get the most out of what is provided and what I pay for and I can occassionally offer a little back to those who need help.

The status itself means very little though it is useful when faced with awkward situations. Only last Wed being QF Plat got my wife and I transfered to the Air NZ flight out of Queenstown when the QF a/c could not land. There was a whole QF 737 load of people still in ZQN, a lot of whom then missed their connections. :evil:

I guess the lounge access is also very useful when waiting for connections. I've also met lots of great people through the 'dos' I've managed to go to in Brisbane, Melbourne and Queenstown.

 

[futaris]

The status itself means very little though it is useful when faced with awkward situations. Only last Wed being QF Plat got my wife and I transfered to the Air NZ flight out of Queenstown when the QF a/c could not land. There was a whole QF 737 load of people still in ZQN, a lot of whom then missed their connections. :evil:

I guess we we're very lucky with the weather in ZQN that weekend. The Sunday QF2783 flight was packed, and only had 3 seats spare down the back in economy. NB, did QF give you the miles for the flight from ZQN on NZ?

I hope those that got delayed at least got decent compensation.

 

[straitman]

NB, did QF give you the miles for the flight from ZQN on NZ?

We received miles ands SC's though it took a phone call. :mrgreen:

 

[Therma]

I have heard this a bit - and although I comment on the loneliness, this is just a part of the job - there is so much that is great - it's just interesting to share the tough side of a great thing we do.

I do not get a chance to get lonely. Maybe it is the 14 hour days, working weekends, travelling overnight from Singapore to Melbourne and going straight to work and other joys. I travel 90% of the time.

In the last week I have been to Bali, JKT, SIN and now MNL. Thursday it is 430 am flight to Cebu before returning at 1130 am and working till midnight. Before X-mas I have Mumbai, Delhi, Karachi, Singapore (hope my wife still recognises me), Chiang Mai, BKK, Seoul, JKT, KL, Taipei, and possibly Perth.

Glamour? Not on Y class. When you can recite the menu on MNL-SIN flight, know which flight is 777 and which is 747, and have seen every decent movie on SQ IFE you are over it. Hotels? Somewhere to sleep: who cares about their art collection when you crawl in at 1 am.
I travel weekends, overnights, catch connecting flights and go straight to work. I do not care about Single Malt Scotch in Business class because I can only take it twice a year to US. I wonder how many people will actually pay it out of their own pocket! I mostly travel SQ (lesser of the evils) but have in the last 2 months have flown such wonderful carriers as PIA, PAL, Garuda, Spicejet, Jet, Air Deccan, Indian, Virgin Blue and Tiger. FF miles are a bonus, but generally they only mean that I have to travel more! I rarely see more than airports, taxis and client's premises.

I am not complaining: this is the life I chose. But I feel little compassion for those poor souls who carry on about the quality of business class meals or seats on their monthly trip.

 

[QF WP]

Welcome to AFF and excellent first post thermy. I (and many more, I'm sure) share your final sentiments

 

[simongr]

In the last week I have been to Bali, JKT, SIN and now MNL. Thursday it is 430 am flight to Cebu before returning at 1130 am and working till midnight. Before X-mas I have Mumbai, Delhi, Karachi, Singapore (hope my wife still recognises me), Chiang Mai, BKK, Seoul, JKT, KL, Taipei, and possibly Perth.

Glamour? Not on Y class.

I for one certainly do not envy you that lifestyle. I am fortunate at this stage now to be of the opinion that if I can not fly in J either through points, company or self funded then I will choose not to fly. My next personal overseas trip is points funded and in J (although one leg in whY at this stage) and I do not foresee another personal overseas trip for at least two years after that and that will be either points or cash funded and again in J.

 

[winetraveller]

In the last week I have been to Bali, JKT, SIN and now MNL. Thursday it is 430 am flight to Cebu before returning at 1130 am and working till midnight. Before X-mas I have Mumbai, Delhi, Karachi, Singapore (hope my wife still recognises me), Chiang Mai, BKK, Seoul, JKT, KL, Taipei, and possibly Perth.

Glamour? Not on Y class. When you can recite the menu on MNL-SIN flight, know which flight is 777 and which is 747, and have seen every decent movie on SQ IFE you are over it. Hotels? Somewhere to sleep: who cares about their art collection when you crawl in at 1 am.
I travel weekends, overnights, catch connecting flights and go straight to work. I do not care about Single Malt Scotch in Business class because I can only take it twice a year to US. I wonder how many people will actually pay it out of their own pocket! I mostly travel SQ (lesser of the evils) but have in the last 2 months have flown such wonderful carriers as PIA, PAL, Garuda, Spicejet, Jet, Air Deccan, Indian, Virgin Blue and Tiger. FF miles are a bonus, but generally they only mean that I have to travel more! I rarely see more than airports, taxis and client's premises.

I am not complaining: this is the life I chose. But I feel little compassion for those poor souls who carry on about the quality of business class meals or seats on their monthly trip.

I'll never again complain about the temperature of my Champagne, or that the Caviar isn't Sevruga.

In my defence, I've clocked up 177 flights for the year so far, and next week I have nine. Five of those are on the two busiest days in the US, post Thanksgiving, as a result of flying from Boston to Bentonville Arkasas (the home of Wal Mart, and the most important meeting of my life), and then from Bentonville to Burlington, Vermont, which takes three flights, all in dinky little aircraft.

I expect that it'll all go wrong, and I won't make it.

 

[Dave Noble]

I'll never again complain about the temperature of my Champagne, or that the Caviar isn't Sevruga.
.

I would be hoping for beluga rather than sevruga

Dave

 

[winetraveller]

I would be hoping for beluga rather than sevruga

Dave

I actually prefer Sevruga, and it isn't under such severe threat of extinction.

 

[simongr]

Personally as a caviar non-expert with only knowledge of how limited the beluga supplies are - I would prefer non-endangered or none at all. This is one area that the best is not always the best for me... mind you I wouldn't mind a few more koala steaks on QF

EDITED to add "non-expert"

 

[winetraveller]

Personally as a caviar non-expert with only knowledge of how limited the beluga supplies are - I would prefer non-endangered or none at all. This is one area that the best is not always the best for me... mind you I wouldn't mind a few more koala steaks on QF

EDITED to add "non-expert"

I do actually agree, but sometimes you just can't help yourself, and I'm generally very environmentally responsible, apart from the flying I do of course.

At the moment I'm finishing a presentation for a meeting next week, pitching an environmentally friendly wine product to Wal Mart, so I feel I'm (most of the time at least) doing my bit.

 

[Keith009]

Had some lovely lovely Ossetra for brunch this morning.
Saved some for either celebrations or commiserations come Sunday morning.

 

[sf#7]

I personally like entering a bar in any part of the world alone not knowing a sole but when leaving saying goodbye to new friends to catch up with next trip.

 

[Therma]

Actually, now that I have had a little sleep (I wrote my post in the midst of 2 hour sleeps!) I do have to admit that my wife has mentioned that I do complain bitterly about the quality of grog in SilverKris lounges! These days I need a couple of Congnacs to get enough courage to go to my favourite locations (India, Pakistan, MNL) and even more than a couple when I am escaping them! Outbound from SIN it is not too bad (VSOP, even though SQ does not let poor white trash into the proper lounge, rather there is a "Premier Lounge" that is crowded and has tastleless sandwiches and instant noodles). Pakistan is dry, so nada, India has Red Label, but the ones that me steamed up are MNL and MEL! If I were paying SQ business I would certainly be pissed off at having cheap brandy in the lounge. Last week SQ lounge in MNL was overflowing, so the lower class citizens were shunted off to contract lounge. Free flow of beer! Yay

Off the topic, but certainly affecting me. Over the last couple of years SQ has really diluted the Elite Gold priveleges. SIN now has separate priority lanes for Premium Passengers : of course Gold is no longer priority. Seat allocation is haphazard, quite often I get people next to me on 2/3 empty flights even though I request a block (which they do not promise). Then you see people who cannot possibly be frequent flyers in 3 seats for themselves, while you have a snoring guy in a turban trying to rest his beard on your shoulder. At least Singapore girls (and guys) are still thankfully devoid of attitude of the QF crew. And if you get to know them on a longer flight, they are quite personable (I have a few SQ hosties live in my condo, so yes, they do have personality)