Things I hate about traveling (for work)
 

I've had a rough string recently and thought I'd share, and also see what other folks dislike about traveling for a living. These have all happened to me, mostly recently.

1. Chatty neighbors. I had a flight on a small commuter plane and had an elderly woman next to me. She was in constant dialog with me, herself and apparently an invisible friend. The made the pre-departure announcements and she asked "does that mean I have to turn my cell phone off" after the FA said "turn off all cell phones." About every 20 minutes she'd just pipe up "what time is it anyway" and at one point asked when the time changed as we traveled from east coast to central time zones. I learned about her sister, her own sleeping patterns, and a few of her medical ailments...all while I never made eye contact and never put my paper down.

2. Little soap dishes. The ones they have in the showers. They aren't big enough to hold soap and some of the tub basins don't have enough room to hold the shampoo and conditioner so I'm left to just kind of maneuver around them while I get ready.

3. Mini bar attendants. I hate how they seem to always want to come audit my mini bar at the strangest hours of the day or night.

4. Large FA's. I'll get flamed on this one but oh well. I'm not a lean and mean person by my standards, but my job doesn't entail constantly navigating aisles of small aircraft. On the same commuter flight as the chatty neighbor I had an FA that could barely get down the aisle so various body parts would knock me around every time she walked by. No hope of sleeping of course as it'd mean a hip to the head if I wasn't alert.

5. First time flyers. I know I should have patience, but get ready at the security checkpoints! Don't wait until you're at the opening of the screening machine to start getting your stuff out on the belt. And don't ask if that hunk of metal you call a belt needs to come off. Here's a rule: if you have ask, assume the answer is 'yes' and keep on moving.

6. Seat assignments in advance. Don't be surprised that you get a crappy seat or are split up if you don't go through the process of getting a seat assignment before you get to the airport. And if you don't do this, don't expect the entire aircraft to play musicial chairs just so you can sit next to your spouse. The odds are that those people in those seats didn't leave it to chance and actually planned in advance so THEY could sit next to their companions. A lack of planning on your part does not create an emergency on mine!

7. Crap in the hotel room. I appreciate hotels wanting me to know about all of their services and foods and amenities. But please, keep the junk you strew around the room, on the desks and on the bed to a minimum. I am easily confused and having all this stuff laying around only makes me wonder if it is mine and what I have forgotten when I go to leave.

8. Toilets that run and run. Enough said.

9. Air conditioners and heaters that aren't on a thermostat. I particularly hate window based units that have a temp dial and fan speed. They're loud, they rattle and they really don't do the job.

I'm done...for now.

I dont have an answer.Only a story sadder than yours.Everyone has stories about 9/11.There is/was a thread "What Do You Remember About 9/11?"..I remember a lot of things.But I partuclarly remember the AA Flight Attendant who was supposed to work the BOS-LAX flight but took her elderly father to the doctor instead.I remember reading about her and seeing her on a lot of the "Inside Editions" etc etc.She was killed in a car accident in Dallas on Saturday.A speeding motorist, perhaps alcohol involvement, ran a red light and broadsided the SUV she and several others were in, on their way to a wedding.Somewhere, somehow, someone,there is always a story sadder than my own.Peace.

You need a vacation! :)

I'm on the receiving end of DH's work travel woes and get rewarded with little soap and shampoo samples! I just wish he could tell the difference between Aveda and Suave and just bring home the good stuff!

BTW A newspaper is no match for a chatty neighbor...get an ipod and drown them out.

You hate almost everything about traveling so why won't you stay home. But you don't like your neighbors and your family too. Stay at work. You just got fired, didn't you. You need a long-term professional help. Your shrink doesn't want to work with you saying you are a lost case. All things you listed are facts of life and you need to deal with them.

Gee you really have it tough, but I bet if you look around you will see a few people who actually have something to whine and complain about.

Didn't say that I don't deal with them, didn't say I didn't care for my family (?)...and didn't say I hated everything about travel. Nice worthless post Z...keep working on your anger problem.

Indeed people do have it more rough...didn't say they didn't or that I was the one with things the worst. That's reading a bit into it. I suspect that you don't travel much or you would read my post differently. Perhaps something I posted hit close to home?

My husband's list of business travel complaints doesn't include any of yours. His would include - delayed flights, cancelled flights, sitting on the runway for 30 mins. after landing b/c the gate's not ready yet, being stranded in Rochester or Detroit in the winter. Some of these he's worked around (like not going to Rochester in the winter!)

No, no mdtravel, you've got it wrong. Yours is the worthless post!

But yours just took first prize Howard.

The delays do stink as well. Even more so when there doesn't seem to be a good reason offered up by the folks at the airport. Traveling to cold weather airports in the winter is tough to avoid usually, but I re-route when I can to minimize the risk. The poor folks at the gate usually know less than the travelers it seems and that makes it tough for them to really help the pax.

No, actually I travel all the time, but I don't sit around moaning about every little thing that doesn't go my way or that I don't like.

Well said, grantop. (See, we can agree!)

well said, grandtop and Howard.

Did you consider getting a new job that doesn't require travel?

mdtravel, while I admit there are many things I dislike about business travel, almost none of mine have to do with other people and almost all of yours are based on interaction with others?

I don't like:

Driving myself to the airport.

Filling out expense reports.

Waking up in a hotel room and not know where I am.

Yours are about:
Seatmates, airline employees, hotel employees, etc.

While I agree flying is the toughest part of business travel, maybe it is time for you to take some time off?

I would have to agree - maybe it is time to rethink careers. I travel a lot for business and pleasure, and while there are inconveniences with both at times, I don't ever get sick of it. It helps to always look at it as an adventure and let the annoying things go. Everything truly does happen for a reason... something to think about...

Gee mdtravel I'll bet if you thought about it you could find something else to moan about.

I've been traveling extensively in the last four months -- every other week, sometimes twice per week! Other than the incredibly awful chore that flying has become, I'm sorry to say that I have to agree with MD on #5. When last flying out of Kennedy, there was a large family spanning security screening area and they were spending so much time getting themselves through that it was pretty ridiculous. They were asking people standing on the line questions (sometimes the same question 2 or 4 times), they were asking the TSA people questions, they were asking each other questions.... very irritating for those in a hurry. Unfortunately, I've seen different degrees of this happening quite frequently lately.

Golly folks, do you think you could lighten up on mdtravel? mdtravel didn't say that this was a life crisis or that their experiences were worse than anyone else's, mdtravel was just venting. All of us vent sometimes. Mdtravel probably would have felt better already except for the rather meanspirited responses.

Work-related travel can indeed sometimes feel more burdensome than when the same things happen on leisure travel. I've just made a conscious decision not to let things bug me as travel is simply part of my job and since it is a job I love and allows me a lifestyle I enjoy, I figure I should let all the little things slide.

I totally hear you mdtravel. Many of your complaints irritate me as well. Maybe we should go to therapy together - LOL.

You know what?? I don't think there are too many jobs that don't require some tolerance and patience. I work in a general hospital as a nurse. I have to listen to ppl who whine, some justified and some not, all the time. I have to smile and continue with my job doing various procedures that I don't particularily like and with a smile no less. It is called life but love my job and I show tolerance and empathy.

Obviously there are bigger problems in life than tiny soap dishes -- but at the same time, I can't help but think of that scene in Office Space where Peter stands outside the office door for a minute staring at the metal doorknob in trepidation, then finally reaches for it and gets shocked. Those teeny little annoyances can really get to you when you deal with them again and again, no matter how much you try to keep life in perspective!

I think when you're away from your family, the "little things" seem more frustrating -- "I could be at home with the people I love, but instead I'm listening to a perfect stranger's medical history."

Hi mdtravel. Although I don't travel for business my husband does quite a bit and he never fails to tell me when we travel together, "these people aren't business travelers" --he gets pretty frustrated, too, with much of what you wrote.

Two years ago I flew solo to see family--there was a girl sitting against the window, I took the aisle seat and a large man took the center. After he sat down he started talking and wouldn't stop for 3 hours--I thought I would go insane. After that incident I learned to carry with me at all times, in hand, a book and that has worked better than anything when I want to be left alone. I also travel with a Gameboy Advance but have had kids literally lean on my arm to watch me play. Reading material seems to be the way to go. And I can think of several occassions when the mini bar attendant came marching into a room mid-day so we learned, if the room has been cleaned, to leave the do-not-disturb sign on the door.

Venting is good.

Mitch -- I agree with you but you are not flying with your patients. Plus, my job is not all about flying and the facilitation of such (i.e., FA or pilot). I am, like others, simply trying to get from Point A to Point B with as little acute stress as possible. Once I get to my hotel, I smile at everyone and am thrilled once I hit the bed.

Lighten up folks...I never said I hated people, never said I hated my job, certainly not my family. I love my job, love my family, and might like people depending on my mood and what I have going on! I often work on flights...let's state that. So if you folks are saying that you're always cheery happy go lucky willing and ready to be interupted to hear about elderly women's bodily functions when you're either working or just want some peace and quiet...good for you. I don't believe you though.

"Waking up in a hotel room and not know where I am"

I hate this one as well. Bumping into walls, 'what city am I in again' feeling. Even worse when you're awake and forget what city you're in.

and I disagree that most of my pet peeves are about people...soap dishes, toilets, air conditioners are all inanimate objects so my disdain is spread equally across all things in this world apparently.

I did realize one more today going through the airport in Vegas and unfortunately it involves people: moving sidewalk...;stand on right, walk on left'...not 'pitch a tent in the middle of the conveyer.'

One part of business travel I quit a job over:

Sharing a room with co-workers.

No, no, no! I do not share my bedroom at home with any of those people; why should my cheapskate employer think I'd want to room with them on the road? I will never (I hope) have a job/employer like that again. None of the afore-mentionned complaints is as bad as having to share a room with co-workers ... and dinner, and breakfast ... etc. except I would announce that I'll dine by myself, and suddenly I'm "not a team player".

There is no "I" in "Team" -- but there IS a "ME"

Ugh...sharing rooms. I once had a trip to see a client, on their dime, traveling with another male coworker. Before we left we got our room confirmation and there was only one room. I figured it was to save costs. I was pretty offended at the assumption made on their part, but approached it with a joking 'My dorm days are behind me, we'll need a second room please.'

As the one who runs the company, I have never required people to bunk in the same room. There are some things that are too cheap even for me to pull.

I'm with karameli on this one - being away from home and loved ones for work always makes silly little things that would never otherwise be an issue seem like really irritating problems. I've always been lucky with the annoying neighbors, though, and never have to talk to anybody. Maybe I've sat next to mdtravel. :) My work travel complaint, though, is about rental cars. Why do American car manufacturers make the steering so loose? And why are virtually all rental cars American? Seems like you have to spin the wheel a good 2-3 times just to change lanes.

working for a chintzy company that does not even pay for our lunch when we travel ....

Sharing a hotel room would be a deal breaker for me also.

How insulting for a company to make you share a hotel room with someone else?

Although I can't recall anyone conversing directly with me, I was driven INSANE on a small jet recently by 2 women in the row ahead who kept up a loud nonstop conversation all about all their difficulties at work for over 5 hours. As my quiet seatmate said as we were de-planing, it stands to reason that two such inconsiderate people would have trouble at work!

I understand the annoyances associated with business travel...nothing life threatening, but just plain annoying when there is enough stress to go around.

A recent flight found a woman loudly talking on her cell phone (obviously a long distance call..she could be heard by most of the cabin's inhabitants) She mentioned twice that she had to hurry up because they had announced that all cell phones had to be turned off, but still had time to let everyone know her itinery and what she wanted for dinner when she got home.

I look at work travel as sort of adventure...can your gabby neighbor beat my hotel room from hell?

Have discovered the solitary pleasure of a good mp3 player.

At first I thought " large FA meant something like "large fat ---" and I almost died laughing!!

Cantstayhome -- they probably make our steering so loose so all the idiot drivers don't accidentally veer off the road while they're dialing their cell phones :P

I'm debating on whether I should mention the company I used to work for or not....well, let's say it's a large real estate company with franchise as well as company-owned offices worldwide.

If I (or my counterparts) wanted to go to the national marketing directors' meeting twice a year, many of our owners cut our budgets so that we'd have to room with others. Thank God I had a wonderful roommate for a couple of years, we were excellent travel buddies. Also, for the annual management retreat for our local office, all of us managers had to share rooms. Side note: one of the owners used to make our controller try to buy office equipment on eBay, too!

So now I work for a much tinier company, but they are so much better about not making us share rooms or buy used office equipment.

Things I hate about traveling for work:
1. Doing the expense reports.
2. Having to be "on" with everyone once I land.
3. I still have to try to find the absolute cheapest fares, which can be a hassle.

I traveled business as a Consultant Every Week for 2 years. Left home every Monday out of National now Reagan to somewhere in the US and return every Friday or Saturday.
As a woman business traveler I was very fortunate my Compnay flew me First Class and provided Drivers almost always...

those were 2 perks I absolutely appreciated..but I agree when you travel for business the little things do get to you...

FAs who are nasty to womem business traveler and purr at the men

Getting drinks spiled on your dress and the passenger/FA did not even say sorry...

siting in the airport/plane dog tired and people wanting to chat...as soon as they start yacking
I tell them I get airsick and ask if I can have their barf bag too...they usually ask for a different seat...


arrivng late at hotels and having a confirmed reservation given away...try finding another room at midnight in a strange town...

kids on planes..parents on planes...I will say I am sorry in advance but I have had kids throw up on me, kick the back of the seat, shriek at the top of their lungs, parents who do nothing or scream back....it is just miserable for everyone..

For all you Road Warriors out there,
you might want to pick up a new
book by Robert L. Jolles. pres. of
an independent training consulting
firm entitled "The Way of the
Road Warrior"

On the rare occasion we
must travel for work, we too
are paired up with co-workers
as room mates. Yuck is right.
While I may actually like
my co-workers, I too am
beyond my dorm days.

However, any ideas how to
avoid that? How to make the
company see the error of their
ways, to get a clue?

Spouses or significant others who insist on tagging along for the trip!!

I once worked for a company in which the travel department was run by one of the company owner's relatives (who also did some travel). For a while, she had a habit of booking herself into very nice hotels and putting the rest of us in hotels that were, on occasion, frankly crap. There were grumbles, but nothing was done about it, until one day, a staffer who was also an avid photographer, took very lurid and detailed photos of his room--stained toilet, bare light bulbs, etc.--and photos of the travel planner's hotel--lush lobby, smiling staff, etc.--blew them up and hung them on the outside walls of his cubicle. Nothing was formally said, but from then on, hotel assignments for the rank and file improved exponentially in quality.

While working at that same company, I not only had to share a Day's Inn room with two co-workers, I also had to share a bed. And one of them was the worst snorer I'd ever encountered. I actually ended up sleeping in the bathtub just to get a little break from the noise.

That said, most of the time, I enjoy business travel. I generally like my co-workers and the people I meet, I've had opportunities to travel to many interesting places AND free time before or after business to explore them.