Source: http://worldcityweb.com/home/MIA/publications/magazine/21/685/

Sky Warrior

by Joachim Bamrud

You know you’re a SkyWarrior whenyou have had to sleep in a “First Class” lounge where dozens of airport personnel were sleeping on the floor because that was the only place with some A/C or an “hotel” that seems more like a prison cell, with a bucket of water as the alternative to a functioning toilet or shower. Or stuck in a place without more than $5 dollars and no one accepting your Amex-card. Those are among the “war stories” from Miami-based Jean-Michel (Jon) Caffin, global vice president and head of the international trade division of French certification consultancy Bureau Veritas.

Caffin has visited over 90 countries. During the past year, he took 31 business trips and spent around 150 days away from home, bringing his total skymiles to 105,000.

*For the sake of comparison,how many miles did you put on your car last year? *

5,800 miles.

What are your three most frequent destinations?

Paris, Washington D.C. and Montreal.

What do you do to relax when you are away on business?

Walk, visit bookstores.

What is your favorite hotel for business travel?

I often try to stay at private clubs that have reciprocity with the clubs which I belong in London, Miami and Paris. I find them, well, moreprivate! My favorite hotel is theHotel Place d’Armes in Montreal. It is a"boutique" hotel located in the "old Montreal", yet adjacent to Rue St. jacques where many corporate HQ’s and international organizations are located. the decor is "Art Deco chic,"the rooms are on the’smaller’ side but very comfortable, elegant and cozy. The staff is friendly and they have an excellent restaurant. I can walk to our office, but alsoto all corners of Old Montreal (and its numerous restaurants), as well as to Rue Sainte Catherine, the city’s main commercial/shopping thoroughfare.

Do you have a favorite restaurant that you go to when traveling?

Not really. I like trying out new places close enough to my hotel, though.

If you had to spend a weekend away from home on business, which would be your preferred place to get stuck in?

London, for Jermyn Street (the best shirt makers in the world), foyle’s bookstore, the West End theaters or for truly relaxing: Bermuda. Yes, Bermuda – we do business with the Department of Civil Aviation there.

*When traveling in the region, do you carry a cell phone to stay in touch with home and head office? If so, what cell phone service do you use? *

Yes. T-Mobile with GSM tri-band.

Does your phone work in all your destinations?

Most countries I go to, except in some places in Latin America.

What airline do you prefer to use for business travel?

British Airways.

*Do you typically fly Business Class? *

Depending on the length of the flight (4-5 hours). Never within Europe or the United States.

TECH TALLY: Which of the following items do you usually take with you when traveling?

a) PDA

b) Laptop YES

c) Digital camera YES

d) Portable DVD player

e) MP3 player or Walkman

How do you pass the time while onboard the airplane?

Reading: my business mail or The Economist (which I read from first page to last page).

*What is your favorite airport? VIP lounge? *

London Heathrow Terminal 4. Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow.

PET PEEVE: When traveling on business, what annoying thing or problem or inconvenience drives you absolutely crazy?

Standing in line for passport control at MIA, some times for up to two hours when my own arrival coincides with several incoming flights from Europe. Waiting for my luggage even though I seldom check any bags in. These lines and the “stripping” when going through airport security.

*WORST NIGHTMARE: What was your absolute worst travel experience. *

Having visited over 90 countries on business, from Armenia to Zimbabwe in the past 25 years or so, I would have quite a few “war stories” to tell. Two specific episodes stand out, though:

Spending an entire day and late evening in the “hotel” at Dakar airport in Senegal. My (steamy) room looked, felt (and smelled) like a very bad prison cell: a tiny window, no light, no A/C and a simple bucket of warm water in the bathroom where neither the toilet nor the shower worked. Waiting at Kinshasa airport in the Congo/Zaire for an Ethiopian Airlines to Nairobi, Kenya, coming in from Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. This was a few days after the fall of the Mobuto regime in the late 90’s. The place was almost deserted, with a few flickering lights here and there, and no one knew when the plane would arrive and then take off again. I spent most of the night there, wide awake. I had to pay $50 to use the “First Class” lounge where dozens of airport personnel were sleeping on the floor, rolled up in old blankets because that was the only place with some (minimal) A/C.