“GET ME TO YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, AND MAKE IT SNAPPY”

PrivateFly.com survey of personal assistants reveals the most unusual travel requests from demanding bosses
Almost half book bosses’ holidays as well as their business travel

A recent survey* of personal assistants has revealed the most unusual travel requests PAs have to fulfil for the boss, including flying across the world to retrieve forgotten items; sourcing specific food and furniture; and arranging honeymoons. Over five hundred UK personal assistants and executive assistants took part in the poll, which was conducted by private jet booking service, PrivateFly.com, in association with PA Life magazine (www.palife.co.uk).

The survey, which looked at how PAs book business travel today, also revealed that more than two thirds (70 per cent) of today’s PAs support at least two bosses, with 45 per cent working for three or more. Almost half (42 per cent) said they have booked the bosses’ private holidays in addition to their business travel.

Adam Twidell, CEO of PrivateFly.com, comments as follows: “The survey gives us a clear indication of the complex and pressurised role of today’s PA, when it comes to booking travel. In addition to juggling the business travel needs of multiple bosses, many are called upon to book their private holidays, as well as meeting some very specific and unusual needs to make the trip perfect. All in all, it’s clear that today’s PA really is going the extra mile to keep the boss happy”.

Destinations regarded as unusual included: Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (a remote island airport in Russia); Uzbekistan; Tanzania; Colombia; an Arctic expedition starting from Norway; The Congo; and a remote location in Canada’s British Columbia, only accessible via private aircraft. Unusual travel requests included the following:
“He needed a Haggis delivered to a restaurant in New York.”
“Collect his wife’s birthday present that he’d left at home. We were in Wellington New Zealand at the time. Flew Auckland - London – Auckland, all in first class with just a 4 hour turn around in London.”
“A particular sized chest of drawers and particular sized working desk had to be checked and available in the room before a hotel could be booked.”
“Arrange his honeymoon.”

Colette Doyle, editor of PA Life magazine comments: “The findings of our survey are a compelling snapshot of the profession. The anecdotes on the most unusual travel requests that PAs have dealt with makes for fascinating reading, illustrating perfectly the tenacity and resourcefulness required of the modern PA.”

-Ends-

*The PrivateFly & PA Life magazine PA Business Travel Survey was conducted in March and April 2013. 512 UK personal and executive assistants took part. Participants were generated through invitations to readers of PA Life and through online and social media invitations to other PA networks.

Notes to editors:
Full results of the PrivateFly.com PA Travel Survey, in association with PA Life