Interview trip -- How to make provided routing less painful
Feb 24, 2017, 12:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: United, Starwood
Posts: 20
Please Delete Thread
Please Delete This Thread
Last edited by Summerrain123; Feb 24, 2017 at 2:53 pm Reason: Please Delete Thread
Feb 24, 2017, 1:04 pm
#2
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Appear you need to go to SFO for interview and the to SYD. Was this purchased as SFO-ORD-SFO in UA economy and SFO-YVR-SYD-YVR-SFO on AC business? Two rickets on one PNR?
What is the ticket stock? the first three numbers of the eticket.
What is the ticket stock? the first three numbers of the eticket.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:04 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,224
Your overnights are in business on AC with seats that turn into flat beds so plan to sleep. Avoid too much alcohol and live life on, or close to as the interview timings permit, the new time zone.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:06 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
My own rule of air travel is never to spend more than one consecutive night aboard aircraft. Spending two consecutive days on planes is ok, but only if they are buffered by a night in a bed that's stationary.
This would mean breaking your return trip in YVR. There is an excellent in-airport hotel the Fairmont Vancouver Airport. And there are some pretty good lower budget alternatives that are a quick shuttle bus ride away.
Then, you can take a morning flight the next day to SFO and get to ORD without another night on the plane. Or you could even shift to a non-stop flight to ORD from YVR if you don't seek the absolute most mileage.
This would mean breaking your return trip in YVR. There is an excellent in-airport hotel the Fairmont Vancouver Airport. And there are some pretty good lower budget alternatives that are a quick shuttle bus ride away.
Then, you can take a morning flight the next day to SFO and get to ORD without another night on the plane. Or you could even shift to a non-stop flight to ORD from YVR if you don't seek the absolute most mileage.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:06 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
I am offered free flights to go roundtrip from ORD to SFO to VAN to SYD. They are being paid for by a company that I am interviewing with that is being cheap and won’t fly me direct from SFO. I am not a road warrior so for me this is a brutal itinerary. If someone has any tips on how to make this better I would greatly appreciate it. I am United Gold but have no status on Air Canada. I feel like I should feel happy and excited bc of the free trip to Sydney but I am kinda dreading it. The purpose of the trip is to get miles I guess bc I am not accepting a job with them. I can extend the trip by a few days which I am trying to do but the company not being so nice about letting me change my flight.
Here goes:
March 6th
ORD to SFO at 6:35 landing at 9:28am – 4:53 duration – ECON PLUS UNITED
• 10.5 layover at SFO – Interviews
SFO to YVR at 6:55pm landing at 9:14pm – 2:19 duration – ECON AIR CANADA
• 2.5 layover at YVR
YVR to SYD at 11:45pm landing at 10:25am - 14:10 duration- BUSINESS AIR CANADA
Interviews
March 12th
SYD to YVR at 12:20am landing 8:30 am – 14:10 duration – BUSINESS AIR CANADA
• 7 hour layover at YVR
YVR to SFO: at 3:45pm landing at 6:04pm – 2.19 duration – BUSINESS AIR CANADA
• 5 hour layover at SFO
SFO to ORD at 11:15am to 5:15am - 4:00 duration – ECON PLUS
Thank you so much. I value everyone's advice!!
Here goes:
March 6th
ORD to SFO at 6:35 landing at 9:28am – 4:53 duration – ECON PLUS UNITED
• 10.5 layover at SFO – Interviews
SFO to YVR at 6:55pm landing at 9:14pm – 2:19 duration – ECON AIR CANADA
• 2.5 layover at YVR
YVR to SYD at 11:45pm landing at 10:25am - 14:10 duration- BUSINESS AIR CANADA
Interviews
March 12th
SYD to YVR at 12:20am landing 8:30 am – 14:10 duration – BUSINESS AIR CANADA
• 7 hour layover at YVR
YVR to SFO: at 3:45pm landing at 6:04pm – 2.19 duration – BUSINESS AIR CANADA
• 5 hour layover at SFO
SFO to ORD at 11:15am to 5:15am - 4:00 duration – ECON PLUS
Thank you so much. I value everyone's advice!!
Second, I'd delete this thread. I'm not sure how you acquired the interview at this firm but if they find out you were just using them for the travel and that got elsewhere you may find it hard to locate a job.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:09 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,630
Feb 24, 2017, 1:10 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 6,484
Wow, business class to an interview in Sydney - that is quite the company that is interested in you. If it's business class, I wonder why the company isn't flying you nonstop from SFO, or only 1 stop ORD-YVR-SYD? The relative price difference shouldn't be that large considering the overall price of business fares to begin with. You might ask them, given that they're paying this much for it already.
If it had been economy class, particularly in AC high density 777, that would be another painful matter.
On a totally separate topic, will you find it difficult to travel all that way and appear genuine / forthright to them, if you have no intention of accepting any job offer?
If it had been economy class, particularly in AC high density 777, that would be another painful matter.
On a totally separate topic, will you find it difficult to travel all that way and appear genuine / forthright to them, if you have no intention of accepting any job offer?
Feb 24, 2017, 1:22 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: DL Gold, UA nothing (ex-GS), Marriott lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 920
Plenty of people take job interviews without the intent to accept the job. Sometimes the candidate and company learn a lot more about each other and the candidate ends up accepting anyway.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:25 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
Take the trip only if you want to. It's clearly not terribly important to you.
Safe travels.
Safe travels.
Last edited by Doc Savage; Feb 24, 2017 at 1:35 pm
Feb 24, 2017, 1:27 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
So? There are all sorts of things you can do on the basis of poor logic that can work out well.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:33 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,952
I've gone on interviews with no intention of accepting the job as well. But I would feel grateful for the opportunity and take the trip as it is offered.
Obviously you've discussed your itinerary with their HR and they are not willing to change. If you find their response unsatisfactory, don't take the trip. Making changes on your own is bad form, and it might cost you more than you wish to bargain for.
Obviously you've discussed your itinerary with their HR and they are not willing to change. If you find their response unsatisfactory, don't take the trip. Making changes on your own is bad form, and it might cost you more than you wish to bargain for.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:37 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Platinum/LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,594
The OP tells the story of how he accepted a trip to Australia just for the miles over a few beers in the wrong crowd and this haunts him for the rest of his career. Not to mention the fact that while he's scamming this company, he's complaining that the free trip isn't comfortable enough for him.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:40 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,694
Can't really complain since the TPAC segments are in J! Enjoy my hometown and possibly the interview...
Feb 24, 2017, 1:47 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
I wouldn't presume to judge these circumstances based on the paltry info that OP has provided. The deception could be running either way, the company offering the interview could have no real interest in hiring OP, but rather engaging in a bit of industrial reconnaissance (a nicer term than espionage 
) We'll almost certainly never know what is really going down here, and OP may well not know the whole story anyway.
S/he asked for advice on flying, not on workplace ethics, from us.
) We'll almost certainly never know what is really going down here, and OP may well not know the whole story anyway.S/he asked for advice on flying, not on workplace ethics, from us.
Feb 24, 2017, 1:52 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, AS MVP, HH Gold, MR Gold
Posts: 1,848
Your UA Gold gets you *G, so you should have access to lounges throughout the trip. I find showering before I get on transoceanic flights makes a huge difference in my comfort. Do so in YVR both ways, and in SYD on your way out. It will make the whole thing much better.