I always wonder what business people do when they travel.

I always try to make a friend during my trip. I had some great conservations, especially with people from different cultures. However, I heard a statistics that says the last thing business people want to do during the travel is to talk to person sitting next to him/her.

Any opinion?

[This message has been edited by yihao (edited 11-12-1999).]

On the plane, I'll usually strike up a one or two minute conversation with a neighbor, but if they don't seem interested, I fire up the laptop and get some work done. I've met some really interesting people. My favorite was a pilot TRAINER for CO. Fascinating guy. I also enjoyed a flight next to a guy who conducts geological surveys for petroleum companies.

As far as once I get to my destination, I am usually training from 1 to 4 people. I enjoy this interaction. Most of our customers tend to be family-owned. I'll be training mom or sis while dad and brother are dispatching or hauling. Honest, hard-working folk.

After leaving the customer's site though, the radar goes up and I speak with very few people and watch what I say very carefully. Once I get into the hotel room, I lock the door, lock the security latch, and stay in. Most customer sites are not exactly in the greatest area of town.

If I know of a batting cage nearby, I'll bring $20 and have at it. There is still something magical about hitting the ball squarely on the sweet spot...

Funny (and humbling) story. I was at a batting cage, and the male bravado got the best of me - I headed into the 85+ MPH stalls. 20 swings, I fouled off two and hit a weak (very) grounder on the last pitch.

As I'm walking back down to the lower velocity cages, this 13-14 year-old steps into my cage and is hitting the ball like it is on a tee. Ouch!

------------------
"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."


[This message has been edited by Jon Toner (edited 11-11-1999).]

Depends on the day. Sometimes I don't mind chatting with a seat-mate or fellow bar patron. Other times I would like to be left to my own thoughts. No different from when I'm not travelling. I just wish people would be a little less obtuse and not assume that just because we are sitting side-by-side on the same plane than I want to converse with them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm exceedingly polite. That doesn't mean I want to discuss the relative merits of the author of the book that I'm reading/trying to read whilst my seat-mate has nothing better to do.

In short - take the hint. Conversation begets conversation. Silence is not an invitation to hear your doctoral thesis.

Cheers,

'toad

What I do is hang out on Flyer Talk and make a lot of friends. When I am in a city, I e-mail whoever lives there and suggest a get together.

This has been some of the most fun I have ever had. Best folks in the world.

I think it is usually obvious who welcomes conversation and who does not. One time I was really happy about making a new friend was when we were on TACA next to the daughter of a TACA pilot. Her dad was piloting the leg of our trip from El Salvador to Guatamala City. She introduced us and he allowed my daughter (age 12) and me to ride the trip in the jump seats - got to see the volcanoes surrounding Guatamala City at night from a panorama window. Unforgettable.

For me, I usually don't talk to my seatmate at all unless I am in a relaxed mood. Usually just say hi to the seatmate when I first meet them. That's why I like CP's single J seats on their 767s.

In terms of at the destination, i guess beside talking to clients and hotel staff, I usually tour the city or stay in the hotel.

Regards,
Empress

I guess I'm a loner.. On 130 flights this year I've only chatted it up with two other people except my wife on the flight... that was one of the few times I was in the last row of a plane, in the aisle, across from another guy in the aisle. We were both in pain since we couldn't recline and the jerks in front of us were reclining the whole way, so we chatted it up.

The other time was when my flight was cancelled and I was re-routed and I noticed the girl sitting next to me was on the same re-route. She was probably one of the prettiest girls I've sat next to, but I try to convince myself and my wife that had NOTHING to do with it It might also be since she's one of the few people I've ever sat next to that is within 10 years of my age!

If someone tries to strike up conversation with me I usually answer politely and then let it drop..

When I am in the city I try to find new places to eat that I can not find in my home town and check out the location of touristy places. Normally I don't have time to visit those places but I keep them in mind if my wife and I take a leisure trip there in the future...

I've had some great conversations, with intersting people. But the best was when I was seated next to the wife of the Captain, it was his last flight before retirement, and his wife and daughter were invited on board to share this with him. As I was sitting next to her and had chatted during the flight I was included in the celebrations. It was very emotional and great fun.
I'll normally nod and say hello to my neighbor, but if conversation is not wanted or is difficult I just open my book an get lost in that.

Stewart

yihao,

I love to talk to people on the plane and am always very disappointed when I get stuck next to a boring old stick-in-the-mud. I have had some truly memorable conversations on planes, boats and trains and enjoyed myself tremendously.

I have even made a few friends on the plane whom I see regularly when I am in their town or they are in mine. For me it is the people I meet that make travel exciting, as much as the places I see.Certainly was true last week in Hawaii.

I usually will make an attempt to converse, but leave well enough alone if they turn away. My boss told an interesting story about being overheard that he tells all of us---imagine the business class section of an AA flight to South America. Late at night, getting ready to have a full day of work the next day. You are traveling with someone, so you start talking shop about bids for the cellular systems in Latin America. Sitting behind you (unbeknownst to you) are your competitors, hanging on every word. Fortunately the competitor was honorable and called the CEO and mentioned the situation. Needless to say it didn't happen again.

I can regale people with funny tales from my mystery shopping days, if I am lacking recent conversation topics.

jl

I was eating alone at Sam Woo's restaurant in Irvine last week (nice recommendation from my client, BTW) and the man sitting next to me, also eating alone, strikes up a conversation. Turns out he is in the same business I am, and was very interested in what I am doing. I sent him a resume and some samples when I got back form the trip. Haven't heard anything back yet, but who knows?

My former business partner, who is a real schmoozer, has a knack of for meeting people on planes. He met a man who wound up being President of our Board of Directors when he sat next to him on a long flight and started shooting the breeze.

I mostly use flights to relax - read, sleep, and have a nice meal - when I'm sitting up front. I enjoy the "enforced leisure time." Occasionally I will drag out my computer and do e-mail if I'm way behind on it, but it's heavy and a pain to get out of the overhead bin, so I tend to avoid working on planes.

I find sitting in coach a little more conducive to having conversations than 1st class. You're physically closer and there's less room to spread out your stuff (so less of a possibility to do work). Wonder what others' experiences are on striking up conversations in coach vs. 1st class.

Thanks to FT, I've managed on many ocassions to turn the threat title around, i.e. "Squeezing a little bit of business into social trips that my company pays for..."

------------------
-------------
(formerly Grass Skirt, aka Matt Wald...name suggested by Beckles...)

SCMM, I had a similar experience sitting next to the wife of a Delta MD11 pilot making his last flight (ATL-LAX) His kids were in business and played a trick(one of many) on him. They sent a note to the cockpit that said " Hi, I am Timmy. Flying is fun! I like to look out the window at the clouds and things. Thank you for being a good pilot. PS Please don't XXXXup the landing!" When we deplaned every passenger gave him an old beat up golf ball the kids had garnered from a driving range(he was avid golfer). Quite a sight watching him try to hold/pocket/store 200 golf balls.

Flying through IAH, on Continental, I'm sure many people fit this description...

>>I also enjoyed a flight next to a guy who conducts geological surveys for petroleum companies.<<

...but, I had a similar experience on my last flight through IAH.

A great topic!

On planes...

I try to make conversation with seatmates in F. If I am travelling Y it doesn't seem to flow as easily.

I have met a lot of interesting people. One time I had a long conversation with the president of a very large chain of auto dealerships. Other times with people in high tech businesses similar to mine.

The best time I had was when I met a very very well known former presidential candidate (whom I did not recognize at first -- that's just me) and we chatted it up. Great fun!

But after a little testing, if the person next to me doesn't want to talk, then I don't talk. I always bring several books along and things to do.


On the ground...
I try out interesting restaurants if possible, but I don't have time for anything but business and I have no interest in talking to people in hotel bars, etc., so I always bring a book along when I dine. I love to read and eat by myself, so it is a pleasure.

Communicating with people on Flyertalk is a great way to stay connected when somewhere else, and I find that email in general makes me feel more connected on what otherwise can be a lonely business trip.