Business on Flights

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icemann

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Has anyone noticed that on a flight, particularly a city flyer, you're probably sat next to a business person ?

Does anyone ever make small talk / introduce themselves ? I'd like to ask this, because it just occurred to me that you could be sitting next to someone who is working within the same area as yourself, or maybe even has a problem, that through collaboration / consulting, you can help them with ?

An environment like this is a prime opportunity to network, meet new people (even if you never see or talk to them again) and you might even lay the foundations of a new business deal while you're in the air.

It reminds me of the Sesame Street episode where Woody Allen and Bert are sitting next to each other and thinking that they have nothing in common, and so are loathe to introduce themselves to each other. 8)

On the flip side, I've seen people openly discussing or reading through a company confidential document, and yet, you don't know who may be listening to that conversation you're having, or reading over your shoulder, or glancing at your laptop.

It might just pay to know who your neighbours really are.
 
icemann said:
Has anyone noticed that on a flight, particularly a city flyer, you're probably sat next to a business person ?

MEL-SYD I usually end up sitting next to Richard Fiedler. This has happened at least 5 times.

The first time I got some small acknowledgement of what a complete prawn Tim Furguson is when I told Richard "I used to watch you run around on stage with McDermott and the other bloke." :)

People can be remarkably lax with confidential documents on planes - including Defence reports that I've half-read from time to time, particularly between WLG and SYD. I usually just browwse through the latest "soldier of fortune" or "small arms review" to try and provoke some sort of outrage.

As for business on flights, I've sold a few things to people next to me from time to time.....
 
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Exactly. People are very, very lax with what are actually very important documents. And the amount of times I've gone and explored through personal computers at hotels - a favourite one being the open access terminals.

The amount of people who save their work to the hard drive is amazing. If I was working in their industry, (and I have often come across new proposals etc., lying on the C: drive), I think that would be very damaging to their business. I've come across highly secret documents, which, although they mean nothing to me, could have implications for them if their competitors ever got hold of them ! :shock:

The best one is when I've heard people talk (well, can't help but hear because they're so loud) about a new merger / deal, and in the middle of the airplane.
 
I take it you mean the conversations that I've seen where two people are sat in the galley talking at full volume about the confidential merger / deal they've just closed.... :D

The self congratulation of a job well done in public, with all the euphoria feels very good, but really, we can all learn lessons from these mistakes - business like this should really be kept behind closed doors. Who is on that same plane ? Do you really know if one of your competitors is on the plane, or their mate on the ground is ?

Not that I'm stickybeaking at all in the terminals. :D I just like to see how complacent other people are with their own work. It really is laughable.
 
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