work travel question

[dirtychinchilla]

I'm a bit confused. OP says the company normally books business class, does it not? Therefore, they should continue to book business class. If they've changed the policy since the booking then
that's the company's responsibility.

Sounds like a **** trip, though I'd also enjoy the opportunity to go to Vegas on the company.

 

[Lopéz]

Hi all. someone I know works for a company that does trade shows. They are going to a show in Vegas later this year and are booking flights. They usually go business class. the person I know has been to one before but it was only a european trip so the flight wasn't long and didn't warrant business class.

Anyway, the company are now telling said person I know that they will need to pay the difference in air fair between economy and business (around £1300) Is it just me or does this sound completely unreasonable? It is a work trip and not a holiday, there is no free time for the employee to spend in the country and medically speaking they require a seat with additional leg room anyway.

Just wanting to hear an official perspective of whether a company is right to ask the employee to contribute significantly towards costs of a business trip.

thanks

Company policy trumps whatever your friend thinks. Not sure why there's any confusion really.

 

[tlrBeta]

Company policy is economy. They fly economy unless the employee pays the difference.

/thread

As above, why is there even a question?

My place is over 5 hours non-stop I get business, some I know it's over 9 hours.

If they medically need extra leg room, pick that up. Not sure you can prove it

All depends on expectations once you arrive, standard policy for me is that if you're straight into the office / straight to work and its a long haul flight then you fly business class. If you've got time to go to the hotel, get a nap and start work the next day then economy is fine.

I've seen this before also.

 

[pepp77]

I have had to travel to the US and Japan for work before. I always got paid overtime for basically being asleep on a plane because the whole trip (my house to airport, two hours early, then flight, then trip to hotel) always took longer than 7.5 hours.

For each and everyone of those trips (about a dozen or so) I have flown in the day before I was actually required in the clients office, then never really did more than a 7 hour day, before getting the evening to myself, I have also had a couple of occasions where I've had to go out to do work on a Saturday, then needed to be back in the clients office on the Monday, so got the Sunday all to myself in San Fran, New York, Washington or Tokyo.

Flying back is usually (from the US at least) after being with the client in the morning, then an evening flight home - again getting paid OT to sleep on the flight home, then I always had the rest of that day off (well just be available for emails).

The only time I ever had to fly in, work, sleep, work fly out was trips to Europe.

If I ever had to do an 8-10 hour flight (plus the 4 or so hours of getting to and from airport) and then straight to a customers office it would have been point blank refused and they would have had to move my flight to a day earlier.

Edit - Oh and the only time I got business class was when I had to go to Iraq for a job and the client organised the flights.

 

[Adam]

The company policy may have a rule that if it's x hours or longer (mine is 10 hours) then you can fly business class. Probably the only way they get out of it.

 

[Martynt74]

Op can you confirm. Have they already booked business flights and are now asking your friend to pay the difference, or are they saying they'll be booking her on economy unless she pays the difference?

 

[Graetzbridge]

Then either they fly me out a day early and stick me in a hotel for the night before, or they fly me business.

I wouldn't do a 10 hour economy flight and then straight to work.

I agree. Apart from anything else, most employers wouldn't want the risk.

 

[Rotty]

We only get economy unless we pay difference

we do get paid overtime rates door to door though if outside working hours

 

[Housey]

Business/Upper class for flights over 5 hours is what I am use to, which works well. I don't need to travel in a big seat on short haul, just get me on (so I can stow my bag) and off first with good legroom and I am all good. On occasion with big group flights it's economy and then I just sort the upgrade myself.