Would you turn down a really good job if the travel policy was all Y?
Mar 3, 2018, 1:20 am
#76
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SIN 5 days out of 7
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All these people who think Y long haul is torture should get a life. I am just leaving JNB, plenty of poverty round here to show that all of us on this board are lucky to have what we have.
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those night flights will seem a treat and before long you'll look forward to a J flight and appreciate it for what it is
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those night flights will seem a treat and before long you'll look forward to a J flight and appreciate it for what it is
Mar 3, 2018, 1:20 am
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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I would just ask that I be allowed to pay the difference to upgrade at booking stage (ie company pays Y but I can pay up to transform this into W or J). Then with extra money you are effectively where you wanted to be in the first place. Many people work in areas where Y only is the norm and the right to pay for upgrade is a fair compromise IMHO. I think it is particularly the case in your situation because even if the CEO leads the way, this becomes part of the company's ethos and it would be unfair for you or anyone else to be a single exception for no particular reason, but if paying to buy up is allowed and why not, it becomes your choice on how to spend your salary.
That said, I must say that I find the question a bit unreal to answer: in practice, in my experience, job choice has never been about the specific pros and cons in a table or something, I always get a pretty clear sense of whether I want it or not beyond rational arguments and I trust my summative judgement. So trust your instincts which are typically far more than instinct.
That said, I must say that I find the question a bit unreal to answer: in practice, in my experience, job choice has never been about the specific pros and cons in a table or something, I always get a pretty clear sense of whether I want it or not beyond rational arguments and I trust my summative judgement. So trust your instincts which are typically far more than instinct.
Last edited by orbitmic; Mar 3, 2018 at 3:11 am
Mar 3, 2018, 1:39 am
#78
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 1,713
Whether you can turn a job down purely based on the travel policy surely depends on your current and prospective future employment status. If your in a good job that you enjoy then maybe you can be picky about travel policy but if you’ve got a choice of that job or nothing then it’s not much of a choice.
personally I would turn it down unless it was that or nothing, or they’d let me pay the fare difference at booking stage.
personally I would turn it down unless it was that or nothing, or they’d let me pay the fare difference at booking stage.
Mar 3, 2018, 1:43 am
#79
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...I am certainly aware of pretty senior people in Fintech or Google et al travelling in less comfort than your average accountant or consultant - not because the company can't afford it or skims on all expenses but because in a non-billable environment, costs are looked at differently.
Mar 3, 2018, 1:53 am
#80
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Frensham, Lincolnshire
Programs: RFC
Posts: 5,093
So here’s the situation, I’m at the 3rd interview stage of a really good job. The package, role etc are all excellent but the company has an all Y travel policy, no exceptions, even the CEO travels Y (it’s a large America company). I’m likely to need to travel long haul once a month and short haul once a month. I’m OK with the short haul Y, I’m used to that in my current job but long-haul Y then straight into a meeting seems brutal.
Mar 3, 2018, 2:02 am
#81
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: England
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As others have said, it would depend on the nature/destination of the LH flights. I worked for a FYSE100 company with a Y policy and survived doing mainly east coast US flights. If it were Far East or Australasia it would have been a different story...
I was once on the same flight as the CEO who was definitely not at the back of the plane, probably a Premier and frequently upgraded...
Take the dream job otherwise you’ll regret it. Make yourself invaluable and then start to negotiate using logic.
I was once on the same flight as the CEO who was definitely not at the back of the plane, probably a Premier and frequently upgraded...
Take the dream job otherwise you’ll regret it. Make yourself invaluable and then start to negotiate using logic.
Mar 3, 2018, 2:12 am
#82
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Berkshire / London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Nandos
Posts: 1,010
Unfortunately it doesn’t go across the whole group. I recently was speaking with a Googler who was in J (granted I didn’t ask if it was all covered or if he upgraded himself). Facebookers ride J for these sorts of trips, first-hand experience of that.
Mar 3, 2018, 2:13 am
#83
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Frensham, Lincolnshire
Programs: RFC
Posts: 5,093
First, do more research on what the corporate TA books. If the company books a corporate discount but into published fares, that is one thing. But, if its TA uses consolidator or BULK fares, those cannot be upgraded or may only be upgraded with great difficulty. Also find out what other policies exist. Are you booked into the lowest fare for what someone else determines is the best timing? Will the employer pay for seat assignments if in that position?
Second, at least as a middle ground, have the TA book you into your preferred class of service and provide a personal CC for the excess over what is allowed. Upgrades are purely discretionary and if you make general use of them, will slowly go away. You also can't be sure that BA won't change its policies tomorrow.
And as an aside, splitting the payment creates tax problems given a single charge in the books. They're a PITA to reconcile.
Fourth, do understand that these people are ready to bump your compensation by $24,000 + taxes on that in order to entice you. If they want to do that, they can also sign a contract for J travel over some number of hours. The CEO may fly in the middle seat in steerage because it sends a message to shareholders, but you are not the CEO.
Mar 3, 2018, 2:21 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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That's curious, I know a group of Google graduates who travelled in J from London to the CPPCON in Seattle last year. I had assumed that was their basic travel policy.
Mar 3, 2018, 2:26 am
#85
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,274
I found that those doing long haul in Y often do it in Company time.
I only travel J in long haul but normally I am flying in my own time.
One large USA based employer gave 24 hours off following an 8 hour plus flight. What a waste of time!!
I only travel J in long haul but normally I am flying in my own time.
One large USA based employer gave 24 hours off following an 8 hour plus flight. What a waste of time!!
Mar 3, 2018, 2:33 am
#86
Join Date: Sep 2013
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Posts: 6,399
I personally feel the FT bubble was - ironically - always likely to be the wrong sort of place to seek real-world advice, given the forum’s known proclivity (or in some cases, a near-obsession) for premium cabin travel.
Will still offer an opinion, mind you : take the job which you clearly see as a fine opportunity. Look at the bigger picture whilst remembering that this is not some lifetime commitment (unless it’s a particularly strange contract ....!). Make the very most of this chance to enrich your skills and develop potentially valuable industry contacts ; and worry less about a few hours of relatively minor discomfort once a month - an issue which, in any event, has been compensated for in hard cash, and will be yours to spend just as you wish.
Alternative option ? Run the risk of (potentially) not receiving an offer quite as attractive, for quite some time - if indeed ever. Not to mention subsequently learning that the candidate who WAS eventually appointed went on to great things, whilst you, by contrast, find yourself plagued by misgivings and regret.
Will still offer an opinion, mind you : take the job which you clearly see as a fine opportunity. Look at the bigger picture whilst remembering that this is not some lifetime commitment (unless it’s a particularly strange contract ....!). Make the very most of this chance to enrich your skills and develop potentially valuable industry contacts ; and worry less about a few hours of relatively minor discomfort once a month - an issue which, in any event, has been compensated for in hard cash, and will be yours to spend just as you wish.
Alternative option ? Run the risk of (potentially) not receiving an offer quite as attractive, for quite some time - if indeed ever. Not to mention subsequently learning that the candidate who WAS eventually appointed went on to great things, whilst you, by contrast, find yourself plagued by misgivings and regret.
Mar 3, 2018, 2:36 am
#87
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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1) Large company has inhouse travel, a multi-million dollar spend on BA, including access to BT/IT (bulk/inclusive Tours) ticketing. It pay via immediate direct debit or invoicing
2) Medium company outsources medium travel spend to CWT, Amex etc, with direct GDS access, payment by corporate credit card typically. Maybe has some deals with BA and different deals with other oneworld airlines.
3) Small company books travel on corporate credit card but it's in the name of the traveller, and is booked via BA.com
4) Very small company gets traveller to book themselves and claim back.
You won't get POUGs on 1 or 2, perhaps 3 too. You can't have an AUP on 1. You may be able to UUA 2, 3, 4. Now 4 and perhaps 3 is effectively the best option in this area since (e.g. you can call within 24 hours of booking and upgrade to WTP for just the fare difference and no change fee).
Essentially it's all about ticket ownership, Know Your Customer, and whether the fares are public/published or not. Option 4 is the only one guaranteed to have ticket ownership with BA, known BAEC customer and published fares. A BT/IT ticket is at the other extreme - perhaps ticketed on AA, perhaps a BT/IT fare, not published, payment detached from the traveller.
And as I say there are dozens of variants in between.
Mar 3, 2018, 3:02 am
#88
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Google has a policy of a budgeted amount for a particular itinerary and the employee can book their own travel within that confine. They are incentivised for the amount that they don’t spend.
Mar 3, 2018, 3:09 am
#89
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,925
It may not have caused your instant death but it will certainly reduced your life span! You’re going to miss a hot towel, that last glass of Krug and a packet of pretzels as a direct consequence.
Mar 3, 2018, 3:13 am
#90
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, A3 *Gold
Posts: 887
As others have indicated I'd want to know a few details before deciding:
Is W allowed? (For many including my company this is considered economy...)
Where are those LH monthly trips? (If Boston or NY take the deal, if Sydney run for the hills!)I
Will they let you book a cheaper ex-EU trip in business? (You'd need to be allowed W travel for this to work)
will they allow you rest days (getting there a day earlier than you would if flying business) and does that work for your personal life?
My company rules are no business below 10 hours and I travel LH monthly, but with a third or so being east coast trips, W allowed and getting there the day before I find it OK. One of my team books ex-eu Business if cheaper than W which I approve. I struggle for the over 10 hour flights though so would want to be sure the extra £2000 a month could get me into J for those trips....
Is W allowed? (For many including my company this is considered economy...)
Where are those LH monthly trips? (If Boston or NY take the deal, if Sydney run for the hills!)I
Will they let you book a cheaper ex-EU trip in business? (You'd need to be allowed W travel for this to work)
will they allow you rest days (getting there a day earlier than you would if flying business) and does that work for your personal life?
My company rules are no business below 10 hours and I travel LH monthly, but with a third or so being east coast trips, W allowed and getting there the day before I find it OK. One of my team books ex-eu Business if cheaper than W which I approve. I struggle for the over 10 hour flights though so would want to be sure the extra £2000 a month could get me into J for those trips....