Flying with colleagues - what would you do?
 

Most of my travel, outside of holidays with my family, are usually alone. I occasionally fly intra Europe with a colleague but that's very seldom. However I've got a trip coming up when I'll be flying with a number of my work colleagues/team from LHR to one of our US offices. All of us in J, I'm the only one with status beyond silver.

Due to me being ex-eu and everyone else being based in UK, I'll be arriving at LHR about 2-2.5 hours before they will. Now I was going to say at this point that I'm not a major fan of GC. But the truth is I've just got accustomed to GF, find it a little less crowded and noisy and let's be honest - free pouring champagne and a Gin bar....what's not to like?!?

But as my colleagues can only access GC, I'm now in a bit of pickle of what to do. Protocol vs preference. So do I:

a) "slum it" in GC, so to be seen as a 'team-player', whilst internally hating myself for leaving behind the ice cream freezer on the terrace of GF
b) head straight to GF and hide out - taking comfort in the knowledge that I'll have plenty of time to bond with my colleagues whilst on the trip
c) send a text to them all when I arrive offering access to the GF lounge for the first one who gets to Heathrow but potentially coming off as a "bit of a knob".

What would you do?

Can't you spend 60-90 mins in GF before they arrive and then move over to GC?

b.

If anyone asks express surprise.....

Say nothing, stay humble and join them in GC. Make up for it on your next visit if you feel you have missed out. You're all on a work trip together and why would you want to separate yourself from your colleagues?

Go for a). It's a work trip, presumably work are funding it and as such an informal team get together wouldn't do any harm even if little "shop" actually gets discussed.

You'll get plenty of time to avail yourself of the Flounge facilities another time.

Just don't commit the cardinal sin of sitting in a big group together on the plane (or even next to a colleague or two)...

A mix of the first two.

Head straight to GF when you arrive and enjoy it for a little while. Ask one of your colleagues to text you when they're settled in the lounge, then pop up to see them for the remaining hour (or whatever it is) before you head to your flight.

If you're all heading to the same place as a team, and working together, then it's not good form to be apart from them.

Offering one of them access to GF is the worst option of all; that just creates further division.

GC is fine. GF isn't that much of a step up.

Apart from the food, and the Champagne, both of which you can get before your GC visit, GC is not far behind GF.

If your colleagues aren't all arriving together, maybe invite the first to join you in GF but all meet in GC afterwards.

The team comes first.

How would AUPing to First and heading for the CCR go down? Maybe you are running out of TP options....

You could then send them a beaker of LPGS. Win win.

The next problem comes later when the beep at the boarding gate moves you into F. Now that is a far, far bigger issue which cannot be refused.

Ah, now, sitting with work colleagues on a LH flight is a different matter.

In the past I've agreed with work colleagues we'll choose whatever seat we want (or can at the time) and if we sit together/near each other then fine, but not something I'd seek out to do.

Especially in CW sitting facing them. Makes it a little awkward especially if you want to just watch TV, or take a nap in your PJs.

If the flying time actually had to be used for (collaborative) work then that's a different matter. I've never had to do that though.

I guess arguably that's leading by example. :p

I like it!! BUT......my collection year ends 8th August (this trip is terrible timing for that), so the TPs will just be wasted.

Funny you should say that, OLCI has opened up and there are only 7 CW seats available to choose from. Having said that, my last trip to the US I got the beep the 3rd time I arrived at the T3 lounge (kept popping out to the shops) so not sure if it'll happen again so soon. Having said that, I've only had 1 beep this year so I'm owed 2 more "allegedly"...

It depends on your work culture. You have used the words "colleagues" and "team". If you meant it, then do not separate yourself for a glass of upgraded booze which you can buy anywhere anytime.

The OPUP is a different story. You are boarding together and BA self-evidently reassigns you to F. Nobody expects you to give that up unless the culture of your employer is that people collaborate during the travel itself.

As to travel time, unless it really is expected that people work together during the flight, it is far better to sit apart.

You could be doing something else in the airport than be in the lounge. Personally I would go to GF, eat and drink as desired, and proceed to GC an hour or so before departure to meet up with the colleagues, without providing a detailed itinerary,

If you are not travelling with them to the airport, I would just head to the Flounge then see them at the gate. If you are travelling together to LHR I would just tell them you are going for a mooch around and then do the above. I think it only becomes an issue if you make it so.

Depends on the situation:
If you're on good terms with one of your colleagues and know he'll be in early, invite him to GF. Then join the rest in GC shortly before the flight.
or go to GF without saying anything and meet them at boarding
Also, you'll spend most of your time together during that business trip, I don't think that a few hours apart before the flight will make any difference.

Re AUP and seats, there's the following policy in our company:
When travelling with colleagues, seat selection is at the employee's discretion.
AUP taken regardless of seniority: colleague once flew QR F while the CEO was in J.
Op-ups are not frowned upon but must be paid by the employee himself