Putney travel coordination team member Maggie shares how she helps students get to their program, plus her best travel secrets (starting with your passport).
Your student finds their perfect program, whether it’s trekking Kilimanjaro, exploring the farm-to-table movement in Italy, or practicing Mandarin in China. Your next thought might be, “How do they get there?”
That’s where our travel coordination team comes in. They help get your student from your local airport to our gateway airport, safely in-country and back home again.
We sat down with Maggie, a member of our travel coordination team here at the Putney Barn in Vermont, to talk about how travel works for a Putney program, and to get some of her best travel secrets.
What is your role at Putney Student Travel?
“I am one of the travel logistics directors here [in the Barn]. I worked for many years as a program director, so I have worked in, traveled to, and directed many of the destinations that we go to. I really share in the joy and excitement of the places that students go this summer.”
What does the travel logistics team do?
“We assist families in lots of different ways. We help students get from their hometown to their destination each summer. Whether that’s help with connecting flights or if you have specific questions and scenarios, we work one-on-one with every family that comes through the door. We are also happy to chat about travel anxiety or other travel concerns, as well as logistics with our younger students traveling as unaccompanied minors. Anything you feel like you need to be ready to go this summer, we are here to help!”
Who travels with students on group flights?
“For every group flight, one or more of your program leaders are always on your group flight from the U.S. gateway airport to your country destination.”
For select destinations, families may be directed to purchase their own seat directly from the airline on a designated itinerary. This is called an “escorted flight,” and one or more Putney staff members will escort the students who book that itinerary.
What’s the most important thing families should do before departure day?
“Check the expiration date of your passport, and make sure you bring it to the airport!”
What are your packing essentials?
“I am a light packer. I always pack one fewer pair of shoes than I think I need. It hasn’t let me down yet, so don’t overpack your shoes. I also pack a lot of snacks for my travel day.”
What is your favorite airline?
“My favorite group desk to work with is American, but we only fly with the best. Anyone we chose to fly with is a good airline.”
Between the connections, meeting up with your group, and your first night in a new country, your travel day has a lot of moving parts (much of which happens in the background thanks to the travel coordination crew). Behind every Putney program is a dedicated team that has worked with hundreds of families in the travel process, and are always ready to answer any questions.
To learn more about how we organize travel, visit our FAQ page.
