Source: http://worldcityweb.com/home/MIA/publications/magazine/35/735/

Sky Warrior

by WC

Naked passengers and carry-on trees
Rick Borrazas manages
information technology projects
for American Express
in Latin America and the
Caribbean. Although he is
based in South Florida,
most of his day-to-day work
unfolds where his customers are. And, more
than anything, that is South America. He takes
an average of two international trips a month,
racking up at least 150,000 sky miles each year.

What are your most frequent
destinations?
Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and
Phoenix, Arizona.

Which destination is your favorite?
Brazil. The people are warm and
friendly, and the food is the best!

Do you have a favorite business
hotel?
The Hilton in So Paulo, Brazil.
They have outstanding service, are
very polite, formal and yet friendly.
Somehow, even the new employees
always seem to know my name.

And restaurants?
I have a select group of favorite
restaurants I frequent while in So
Paulo: Bar do Juarez, Skyy, Vicolo
Nostro, Bar des Arts, Casa da
Fazenda. The Hilton also has an outstanding
restaurant called Canvas
Bar and Grill five-star dining, fantastic
cuisine and service.

What cell phone service do you
use when traveling?
I use Cingular GSM, with the exception
of Brazil. I have my own local
cell number that I use there. I just change the SIM chip on my phone.

How do you pass the time while in flight?
Since my flights are all mostly overnight and more than eight hours
long, I have dinner, a couple of glasses of wine, switch on my iPod
and off to sleep I go.

What about in airports waiting for flights?
Executive lounge. Check e-mails, have a couple of cocktails.

Any odd experiences at the airport?
I once saw a woman trying to check in a small tree.

Do you have a favorite airport?
Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix.

What’s the best service at airports?
Free Internet access. You would be surprised how most airports
want to make a buck off of this service.

Is there an airport you really dread?
Miami International. It’s just atrocious in every respect. Atlanta’s
Hartsfield-Jackson is too busy and always has delays. Dallas-Fort
Worth has a great skytrain to get you from terminal to terminal, but
it also has the longest airplane taxiing I have ever experienced.

What’s the zaniest thing you’ve seen on a business trip?
I once saw a man running naked out of an airplane.

Any travel pet peeves?
Dozens of people rushing the gate to board the plane when they’ve
called for pre-boarding. And the old lady that insists she can carry
on her pet.

Do you have a pre-flight routine?
I am neurotic about packing the night before.