bigbaldbairn

International Sales - clue's in the name I guess

windowontheAside

My suggestion would be to start with your passion.

Travelling for work can be fun, but is actually routine (even boring) and stressful most of the time. I was just talking to my nephew who is back from a 2 week trip to MNL, BKK and KUL. He was lamenting that all his friends think it is SO cool, but he is just tired and saw very little of anywhere.

Most people spend a long time working and doing something you're not that passionate about just to try and travel a lot will get tiresome very quickly. I'm pretty lucky with the places I get to visit, but most of the time I simply don't have the free time in my schedule to take advantage of the trip to actually see something of those places.

BingBongBoy

Whilst yes, we do travel a lot… It is a completely different ball game.

We don't get any benefits of frequent travel/stay schemes. We don't get any preference choices in hotels, and often have to have single bedded rooms in certain hotels. No points. No benefits. No recognition. Even if you hold, separately, status within a chain.

And indeed, I fly hundreds of thousands of miles a year… But I don't get a single frequent flier mile. The only benefit I get from having a status with BA, is that on a standby ticket, I can access BA branded and operated lounges.

And, yes, we have travel benefits, they can sometimes be beneficial, sometimes not. If you don't mind sitting on a jump seat to, Sydney, for example, then go for it. If not, then it might not be your cup of tea. Even on our annual "free" confirmed ticket, a middle traveller seat is not for me.

Each is to their own in terms of preference and choice, but I would strongly NOT recommend a life as cabin crew if you want to have benefits of travel perks in the sense of what FT is about.

Ziz

My boyfriend works in pharma. Gets to travel a few times a year, mostly long haul in Business. His employer usually lets him take a week or so holiday in the destination so it's a pretty good deal. He gets enough points to have status for when he travels leisure in economy, and gets to see some cool places for just the cost of the extra hotel nights/food. Not sure how common that kind of arrangement is though.

AlicorporateUK

I work within logistics for a big pharmaceutical company and the role does involve quite a lot of travelling (overseas manufacturers, clients, regulatory bodies in the Countries we deal with etc. etc.). Other roles within the company (apart from the customer services folks) also involve quite a fair bit of overseas travel. Start looking for pharma businesses

G

d3vski

I love aeroplanes.....so much that I studied Aeronautical engineering and have finally got a job that involves international travel.

The outbound is fun and but the inbound is long and boring and mostly ends with hardly any alcohol intake or food consumption......in essence I want be home as soon as possible and be with my wife!

GDOCA

While I would agree with some of bbboy's points above I would say that cabin crew is one of the best jobs for allowing you to actually see the places. I used to work as cabin crew for a large airline on long haul flights and, six years after leaving, I realise the opportunities it gave me in travel. I would also say that bingbongboy's comments are perhaps a tad negative when it comes to staff travel, if you play it right then you can do very well out of it but alas it has restrictions, but don't frequent flyer programs?

I work in travel sales now and this does allow me to travel, so could be an option for you, though I would be careful on which company you select.

The impression I get from those in non travel industries only echos the thoughts of those above, that you actually see very little of the places. When you work in travel your job is to see places so you have to, by default, do exactly that.

AlicorporateUK

Quite common to us, especially when travelling solo and if there're no imminent commitments post business trip, a senior role helps, too.

G

jdbelfast

+1

Have to say though since I've started to climb the ladder I'm paying for PUOGs or if invited by another Uni to visit, I ask for Y+

Passmethesickbag

I was careful to say *booking*

In my case, I try to book with AA whenever possible, as I get eight free annual system-wide upgrades valid for any fare. Which makes it worth even flying to South America via the US (often at a lower price). Which gives me more miles...

sebastiansw3

Corporate Travel of a large company - particularly as you move up the ranks. Plus the perks can be more than reasonable once you're in a position where you have more than a little influence deciding where your firms 431,000 strong work force spend the night whilst on the road or with whom they fly :-)

windowontheAside

If I may be permitted a slight tangent, does anyone have any useful links for someone applying for a BA CC job? A relative has his interview on Thursday and while I'm not expecting to discover any major secrets etc, a bit of inside perspective would be very useful

ABeautifulPlaceInThe

Crisis Management IT security Finance/Telecoms. Constant traveling & hotels. Even with F, LHW & PJ I don't recommend it. 2 Marriages destroyed and impossible to maintain a relationship.

300 days a year anywhere in the world flying at the drop of hat.

South London Bon Viveur

Become a tube driver. With the pay and holidays you get you'll be able to jetset all over the place.

On a more serious note, all of the above. But note that a lot of business travel is quite repetitive as well, involving multiple trips to the same destinations, with only the odd curveball thrown in.

AlicorporateUK

Do you by any chance mean impossible to maintain just one single relationship?

G