Trains planes and automobiles

An international tour is part of any senior media or marketing executive’s job description. Whether visiting to attend a conference, interview for a brand new function, meet global groups, or go to customers, nearly everybody in the media has a tale of woe involving ignored flights, getting hopelessly lost, or misplaced bags.

We requested senior media executives who frequently travel for the enterprise to percentage their most alarming or frustrating tour mishaps. The fine responses seem underneath:

Amy Kean, former head of approach and insights, Mindshare Asia Pacific
One afternoon, I took an Uber from my resort to the Mindshare workplace in Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia]. After some miles, the driver started out screaming. I idea he was having a heart assault or had run over a cat, but it turned out his [GPS navigation system] had stopped working. He punched the system for a minute, then the emergency stopped. All around us, motors had been beeping and swerving. He said, “I can’t do this. I’m sorry, Amy. You want to get out.”He refused to restart the automobile until I did. Given we had been on a toll road, I needed to dodge motors going at a hundred miles an hour to get to the side of the street — the maximum terrifying 20 seconds of my life. I walked down a side avenue, only to come back face to face with a person I was later instructed to become the King of Malaysia. He nodded a quick hiya in my path and was then given into a far larger, probably more dependable automobile.

RELATED ARTICLES :

Bruce Daisley, vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Twitter
Last week, I boarded a flight with some Pret [A Manager] porridge in hand. I realized as soon as we had been strapped that I had no spoon. I tried pouring it into my mouth; however, it was too gloopy, so I used the pinnacle — which changed into about the dimensions of a bin lid — to spoon it in. At a few degrees, I found out the man next to me turned to filming me. It undoubtedly ended up as an atrocious video on sosomeone’sach Day Story.

Chris Duncan, handling director, Times Newspapers
I once flew Garuda Airlines out of Jakarta [Indonesia]. The plane became nearly empty, which was unexpected, so I asked the stewardess why, and she responded, “We”have a horrible safety document.”

M”Marco Bertozzi, vice chairman of Europe, Spotify
On my way to India thru Dubai, I offered a hoop at Heathrow [Airport] for a big anniversary to shop tax. I arrived in India at 2 a.M. And was confronted by customs and needed to claim it. They then slapped me with a £1,500 ($2,000) tax bill. I negotiated with them for 2 hours. Eventually, he asked what I’dI’d be willing to pay. I commenced with £500 ($668), and he was widely widespread. I then advised him the cashpoint might want the most effective release of £250 ($334), so he agreed and shook my hand, and as I got the money out, I stuffed the rest down my pants. Another guy with a gun then escorted me to a specific room, and I advised him it’it’dst supply me £50 ($67). An hour later, he came lower back and instructed me I had turned into a good man, shook my hand, and stated I might want to move. I left at 6 a.M., shattered.

Meagan Lopez, director of income-making plans and advert operations, New York Times International
My first experience in Asia got here with regular jet lag my first night time. I determined to walk around Tiananmen Square at 5 a.M. To peer several websites before the day commenced. I walked through the Forbidden City, beyond the Palace Museum, around working towards tai chi masters, and nipped into a store. I realized my first meeting was going to start very quickly. I attempted to flag down a cab — three stopped, but none might take me! Finally, a person seemed to leap out of the timber at me. He had a tuk-tuk. We negotiated some cash, and I changed into off—perfect and booted and hurtling thru Beijing, hopping on sidewalks between humans, cars, and bikes.

Rob Bradley, vice president of digital business approach and sales, CNN International
I lost my passport on one of my first journeys with CNN while in New York and had to name my new boss, cap in hand, to explain why I no longer best changed into stuck in NYC. However, the next weekweek’serience to Asia with 20 consumer meetings in the diary might need to be postponed. However, that afternoon I determined the magic of emergency passports. The most effective way is to get you domestic as soon as you can can’t again on them as quickly as domestic. However, you can head domestically via five nations. So, in preference to going lower back to London for the weekend, I flew straight to Asia from New York on an emergency passport! Awkward situation averted.

Anonymous head of programmatic at a national writer
Traditional jovialities befell within the nighttime on the final day of a Stockholm conference. A lot of alcohol becomes worried till early morning. As we all returned to the airport, one of the different publishers banged on my door for 10 minutes to wake me up. While packing, I placed my footwear into my luggage and walked out of my room and down to the foyer barefoot. I nevertheless managed to miss the aircraft.