In this post:
Meet the Team
Our team members are all highly knowledgeable about travel, from pilots to cabin crew to air traffic control as well as frequent flyers we have a huge range of experience.
Michele – Founder & Contributor
My name is Michele and I have spent the last 23 years working in the travel industry as do many of my friends. All this has fueled my travelling habit into something of an obsession! This along with my taste for the finer things in life has necessitated finding the cheapest way to indulge my habit. After spending years providing money-saving tips for luxury travel to friends and colleagues, I decided to share my knowledge with a wider audience. In 2018 I flew 144,000 miles on 85 flights and visited 18 countries. These were nearly all in business and first class, but I used miles, discounts and sales never to pay the normal high prices. Over the years, I have visited over 65 countries and have lots more planned!
Editing Turning left for less is now my full-time occupation. I am dedicated to bringing the latest offers and tips to my readers so they don’t miss out on a bargain.
If there is something that you would like to see featured or have a question about luxury travel, please use the contact us tab to get in touch or email me at admin {at} turningleftforless.com.
Eugene – Co-Owner
I didn’t have many opportunities to travel until I was 16, when I took my first holiday abroad in Spain. This experience revealed the vast world beyond my hometown and began a lifelong love affair with travelling. By the age of 21, I had taken my passion to new heights – quite literally – by earning my private pilot’s licence. Flying gave me a fresh perspective on the world and a ticket to endless adventures. It’s safe to say I’ve never looked back.
These days, my travel itinerary is full of luxury destinations: I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy safaris in South Africa, blissful beach escapes in the Maldives, and epic road trips through California’s stunning landscapes. I have a keen eye for the best hotels, business and first-class flights you can get through deals with air miles/Avios and credit card vouchers. Whether I’m soaking up the sun on a secluded beach or exploring the enchanting streets of Venice (a favourite I visit annually), my adventures are all about embracing life’s richest experiences.
- My top tip for travelling – Don’t over plan!
- One thing I’d never travel without – Antibacterial wipes
- The upcoming trip I’m most looking forward to? A tier point run to the US.
- The best way to find the top places to eat in a new destination? It has to have a great setting and be backed up by positive reviews on TripAdvisor
- My dream holiday – Following the Formula 1 circuit around the world for a whole season
Katrina – Co-Owner
My wanderlust was sparked by my father’s job in the hotel industry, which took our family on exciting holidays all around the world. Those childhood adventures planted the seeds of a lifelong love for travel and a curiosity about the world. Thanks to my Dad’s career, I was lucky enough to experience some of the best luxury travel, and have learnt to appreciate the finer details that make a trip truly memorable.
As an adult, I seek out the perfect balance between relaxation and exploration. I’m a fan of laid-back beach days, but I also love the buzz of a city. My travel style leans more towards culture and cuisine than adrenaline-fueled adventures, and some of my favourite moments have been enjoying the stunning scenery and mouth-watering food found in my favourite spots like Italy and Cape Town. Whether it’s the rich history of Rome or the spectacular views of Table Mountain, I love to find the magic in every destination.
- My top tip for travelling – Research places to eat before you go
- One thing I’d never travel without – A good book. And now I travel with a toddler in tow, a pair of comfy shoes
- The upcoming trip I’m most looking forward to? Dubai – It’s a great luxury winter sun destination and combines my love for beach and city.
- The best way to find the top places to eat in a new destination? Articles and reviews on TripAdvisor. Seeing pictures of the food is a must, presentation is a large part of the fine dining experience for me
- My dream holiday – Bora Bora
Contributor – Jason
Jason lives in Manchester, but is originally from Australia. He has always been an avgeek and loves trying out different airline’s premium cabins. He’s always on the lookout for deals on an airline he hasn’t flown.
Jason worked as Cabin Crew for BA from 1997 – 2020 both on Eurofleet and Worldwide Fleet as well as a few secondments to other areas of the airline, which definitely gave him an insight to airline operations.
- My top tip for travelling – When booking flights/hotels/trains/car hire ALWAYS use a credit card versus a debit card as credit cards offer additional protections.
- One thing I’d never travel without – my iPhone loaded with flight tracking apps. It’s my camera, my means of communication, my music and my heads up of delays, cancellations and aircraft changes!
- The upcoming trip I’m most looking forward to? Home to Sydney to visit my mum which will also involve first time travelling on ANA, China Airlines and Garuda Biz.
- The best way to find the top places to eat in a new destination? I generally will stick to the cuisine of the country I am in and ask hotel staff where THEY love to eat.
- My dream holiday – I have never been on one of the luxury rail journeys nor one of the luxury small ship cruises and would love to try both!
Contributor – Callum Elsdon
Callum is a relative newbie to the luxury travel scene but has flocked to it since first turning left in 2018. An avgeek since childhood, he is passionate about the products offered by airlines and is willing to go out of the way to try new aviation experiences. Many of his luxury travel escapades have been inspired by the advice offered on websites, including TLFL.
Callum maintains status with Finnair Plus Platinum and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold, both earned through enticing offers and BA Silver, a holdover from before 2020, enabling plenty of opportunities to try some of the world’s best airlines and lounges. Hotels and accommodation are a tiny bit less exciting to Callum than aviation, but of course, he won’t say no to a luxury hotel anywhere in the world. When not travelling for fun, he works as a Marketing Manager in the broadcast industry.
- Favourite airline: Finnair
- Most memorable aviation experience: Air France La Premiere
- Controversial thought: He’s not a fan of Qatar’s Q Suite, even if it’s impressive
Contributor – Sylvie
Sylvie is a newbie to the luxury travel scene, but definitely not the travel scene! After college, Sylvie did lots of backpacking in Asia and Europe and loved getting amazing travel deals, including a flight to Singapore from Athens for just £200. As well as luxury travel, Sylvie runs three family travel blogs focusing on her home county of Cornwall (Cornwall with kids), City Breaks in Europe for Families (European Cities with Kids), and travels in Greece (Island Hopping in Greece). She also completed a BA Geography degree in 2022.
“My love for luxury travel started with upgrading to first class on my journey to university. After signing up for an AMEX credit card and travelling on British Airways Club Europe to Munich, my world was opened to the world of Turning Left for Less.”
Hotels-wise, Sylvie spends hours searching for the best deals and loves the brands of Ibis Styles, Raddison Blu, Novotel and Crowne Plaza.
Contributor – Ed the pilot
Ed is a commercial pilot and giant avgeek. Pre-pandemic he flew passengers around Scandinavia on regional jets and is now studying for a Masters in Air Transport Management. When not flying passengers around, he is one himself.
He managed an impressive 119 flights as a passenger in 2019 alone, though the pandemic has rather dented his annual flying since. He maintains status with several airlines and hotel chains.
His hobbies include flying on airline fleet types first and last flights which can include some rather peculiar routings in order to fit them in. This sometimes leads to some rather quizzical faces on border guards as he explains he has flown to a country just to fly on a specific plane, occasionally flying back on the very plane that has just flown him there.
