Business Travel

[controlnovice]

Not sure if this belongs here:

I'm curious to know what your company's travel policy is regarding flights in business class.

Ours is anything over 8 hours, except to Europe, is approved for business class. Company is located in the USA.

I've talked with others in the chemical industry who've said industry standard is 6 hours, and others who've said, "Travel Policy?..."

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This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[jmw]

Yes, our Guys in the US spent a lot of hours flying. When hosting visitors they would often forgo their automatic upgrades to sit in coach with their guest. Where several of them were travelling one or other would unfailingly swap his upgrade seat with the guest and go sit in coach.

Mostly, I see frequent flyer programs as a guarantee of being boarded when they overbook, and that is often the only occasion I'll get upgrades. I hadn't actually noticed much difference on US internal flights, but on some long haul international flights it is a real treat to get a seat that turns into a bed and real food on china plates with metal cutlery and where you can eat without having to worry where your, or your neighbour's elbows are. Plus, even silver class flyer gets access to some really plush lounges in airports.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[caluna]

Note from the Canadian Sub-Arctic and Arctic- Up here for local flights we just ask that the plane have two working engines, preferably both in working order. Cabin service may consist of a thermos of coffee (if the someone remembered to make one up before the trip)... I also fly to major Canadian cities on "regular airlines", and as a mid-level gov't employee it is coach all the way..

 

[ubrben]

Cattle all the way at my place but you get to keep all long haul air miles. I have 250k of emirates points now for personal use

On European short-haul (most of mine now)we are on Ryanair and Cheesyjet as much as possible but we have a deal with hertz that makes the hire cars cheap enough to make it the most cost effective solution. On the other hand I'm not convinced they check all the time.

The General Manager of course flew on a six times more expensive and 100 times more convenient flight on our last trip though...

Ben

 

[cksh]

In this day and age I am surprised how many companies pay for business class regardless of how far. Especially for engineers (which I believe get the short end of the stick most days).

My previous company was coach all the way. My current company (in michigan) is coach for all domestic (including South America) and Europe. But it is business class for Asia destinations.

There is also the frequent flyer benefits to think about. Some companies (like Ford I believe) don't let you keep them and they go into a pool. Not sure how that works.

 

[epoisses]

Coach all around the world... :-( But I take revenge in restaurants

They will let me avoid Ryanair and the like, though, the worst thing that happened was a Bruxelles airlines flight from (French speaking) Lyon to (French speaking) Bruxelles that apparently had been sub-sub-sub-contracted so we ended up with a bunch of air hostesses that did not speak a word French and hardly any English. Also the seat I had been given turned did not really exist, it started me wondering what all else might not be in order on the plane. Anyway statistically even the worst companies carry out incident-free flights from time to time and apparently this was one of them. :-~

 

[plasgears]

unotec,
I doubt that the majority of hispanics on board spoke or understood english. This is a safety issue because the crew announcements need to be understood by all passengers in the interest of safety.

By the way I am multilingual in German, Italian, Spanish and French, in that order.

 

[Unotec]

plasgears,
I honestly doubt they didn't understand english, but well, if you say so.

A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying ” Damn that was fun!” - Unknown

 

[ScottyUK]

Airlines don't carry passengers in the hold, otherwise that's where we would be. Until that day arrives, we get budget flights or economy class on scheduled.

That said, some economy airline flights I have been on have been more comfortable (better legroom) and have had better food (took my own) than a number of major carriers managed to achieve at many times the price.


----------------------------------

If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[jmw]

One proposal they have been toying with is to do away with seats and let the passengers stand leaning against a bar or something... for short haul flights they say but I guess Ryan air is figuring how many extra people they can get in already.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[SomptingGuy]

Premium economy to US on Monday . Returning in a couple of weeks on my own time . Still, with the current dollar/pound rate I may just fly in my dressing gown and buy a suicase and clothes when I get there.

- Steve

 

[HgTX]

With the current US "security" provisions, you might as well just fly in your dressing gown on the way back, too. I'm waiting for the day that they strip us all naked, give us cavity searches, and just have us fly in TSA-provided Tyvek suits and booties.

Within the U.S., several of the "discount" regional airlines offer *much* better service than the majors. TV, satellite radio, better snacks, etc.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[KENAT]

HgTX, I've had the same thought too.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[HgTX]

I have a trip coming up, so I've been reviewing the TSA site to see the latest fun. They have a list of common "mistakes" that include:

* Wearing bulky coats or other garments. In other words, don't travel to or from cold areas. For god's sake, whatever ever you do, don't do something bizarre like wear a sweater. And if you're a woman, you better make sure that whatever businesswear you have on the last day of your meeting right before you catch your plane isn't one of those jackety things that doesn't really have anything underneath, because the TSA is gonna ask you to strip it off in public anyway. (This has been empirically determined.)

* Wearing boots or other shoes that are hard to take on and put off. Again, you really shouldn't be travelling to or from cold places. Or wet places. Or to do things other than sit in a conference room in your loafers.

In other words, my basic workwear for going to visit a plant in Wisconsin in the winter is a "mistake".

Tyvek, etc. Where's my teleporter??

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[SomptingGuy]

I (stupidly) wore DMs last year on a German tip and got to de and re lace them twice on the flight back to UK. double-security.

- Steve

 

[KENAT]

What scares me is when eventually the overals are clear except for a modesty band just below the waist and across the chest (perhaps only for the ladies but that's sexist so probably for everyone).

I pitty anyone that saw me in that get up!

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[jmw]

I just discovered Easyjet still advertising cheap flights but now they want to charge extra for hold baggage... next they will charge for carry on bags and clothes. Ever tried to claim for damaged vbgs on these cheap flights? don;t waste your time, they've covered all the angles.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[SomptingGuy]

Many Easyjet customers are green (as in new, not eco) travellers and take up the offers of seemingly cheap car hire at their destinations. This is where the real money is made - huge charges for "damage" to the cars on return.

- Steve

 

[HgTX]

I was in the air when Richard Reed (Reid?) did his sneakerbomb thing.

Until then, shoes stayed on unless they set off the metal detector. I had two pairs of boots--one 8" (high ankle) with no steel toes, and the other 6" with steel toes. I didn't want to have to take them off, so I picked the high laceup boots with no steel toes. After the first leg of my trip, I landed in a new world in which I had to lace and unlace the rest of the way through several airports. Dammit.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[ubrben]

The fun thing about being sent on Ryanair is going in the day after and booking the 30 euro excess baggage charge on expenses

Ben

 

[schnipp]

Don't know that my old company had a travel policy or not, but I flew from Ohio to Manchester, UK, about 8 times in a six month period for a start up.

The third time over, I flew a USAIR(line) that was horrendous compared to the normal flight I booked. The next time I was offered that carrier, I told my boss that I wouldn't make that trip on that airline. Needless to say, in a half hour, I got the $500 more expensive flight on the british carrier.

The worst part was for my wife when she flew over. She had the USAIR flight and was not impressed. She did almost get a free night in Manchester due to overbooking, but I had already left the airport to hed back to the plant in Selby.