I don't sit next to them on ANY flights! Actually our travel group is pretty good about not sitting us together, especially if you ask not to.

Ususally not, unless work needs to be done.

On the rare occassion when I travel with a colleague, I have no problem with establishing my boundaries ("I really value my time en route to recharge my batteries and enjoy some 'me' time.") and getting myself a seat by myself (preferably in F, of course). Luckily, we're all quite an indepedent bunch, so no one takes umbrage at one's desire to have some time alone.

Now, I had a boss at a different company who insisted on sitting next to one of her staff members when they were on the same flight so that she'd have someone to grab onto when her flight anxiety got the best of her. I managed to escape that job without any brusies on my arms from having to sit through that experience!

Everyone who travels gets a choice of flights. I always pick the option my co-workers are least likely to take. In other words I fly KLM since most travelling staff working for my employer choose not to fly KLM (a couple of managers have KLM horror stories they like to tell everyone which is off-putting but I've never had a problem with them).

If possible, I also try to arrange things such that I'm at a different hotel because I have a horror story of my own when travelling with another employee - "Hey Internaut, what were you doing walking at of the hotel at 11 last night" (sometimes I just want to go for a walk and anyway why the hell should I have to explain), "Hey Internaut, I saw you down at the bar last night" (guess what, I'm no saint and sometimes I enjoy the odd glass of the "devils water").

I have never had a job where we conducted business on a flight. In the past I usually sat with co-workers who I got along and were fun. This included trips from NYC to Europe as well as Australia and New Zealand. The others I stayed as far away from as possible. In my present job I usually travel alone.

None of you all like your co-workers do you? Anywhoo, I prefer sitting next to colleagues over strangers. Makes conversation easier, but I dont feel obligated to do that just because they are sitting next to me. My boss might be a different story though...

For short flights (< three hours) I'm OK sitting next to a co-worker assuming it makes sense for us to talk about the meeting we're headed to. Otherwise I prefer to sit by myself, and thus can do personal business, read, or whatever without interruption or guilt.

I'm aware of some legendarily cost-conscious companies, i.e. Echostar, requiring employees to double-up on rooms. At my large technology company we've never been expected to do this except when we are hosting a large multi-day conference near our headquarters, when employees who don't want to commute an hour or so each day have the option of getting a room near the conference if they double-up.

In my college it is normal that the rooms get filled with up to 4 people. I dont know, I am used to it from my American High School, in Germany noone would ever ask you of this.

As for right now, I am studying at a rather poor school, and I am privileged at all to be able to travel so much on school expenses. I will try to avoid sharing a bed, and most will avoid sharing one with me (I am an insomniac, toss around all night, especially at strange places) but if it is not working out other than that and there is no rollaway available...heck, we are adults. Just because we sleep in the same room or same bed doesnt mean we need to have sex.

Travelling by plane, I usually try to sit away from colleagues. Never had been on an overnight, but I even try to be away from my family when I travel...just less stress.