Dream flight seat mate? Oprah, Gates top the list

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Given the choice, most international business travelers would opt to have Oprah Winfrey in the seat next to them, according to a new survey.

The poll conducted by research firm Synovate Travel & Leisure asked more than 1,000 globe trotters for their dream seat mate.

It found 24 percent of respondents would like popular talk show host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey to pop down next to them, 23 percent chose Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, while 22 percent wanted actress Angelina Jolie.

Fourteen percent would like Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton as a seat mate and 13 percent chose President George W. Bush.

Other "dream" companions to emerge in the survey conducted on behalf of Carlson Hotels Worldwide included the Pope, the Dalai Lama and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

But while happy to sit next to these well-known fliers, nearly half of respondents -- 47 percent -- listed chatty seat mates as one of their biggest gripes about traveling.

The biggest complaint, named by 75 percent of business travelers, was last-minute flight cancellations while screaming children irritated 61 percent of respondents.

The hassles of airport security were only cited by 32 percent of respondents as being a frustration.

The "best" perk of business travel was "visiting interesting places" at 70 percent, followed by "change of pace" at 60 percent and "meeting new people" with 51 percent.

About 35 percent of respondents liked the "alone time" while 27 percent enjoyed "not having to make their bed" and 15 percent liked "no family responsibility."