Would you turn down a really good job if the travel policy was all Y?
#166
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: not a lot
Posts: 1,774
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.
I’ve tried negotiating with them but there’s no give, they have offered me some more money (approx. £2,000 a month after tax) to compensate for the travel. I think the idea is I can use my own money to upgrade when I want to but they’ve been clear that the corporate travel department will only ever book me Y.
So, a couple of questions. Has anyone ever turned down a really good job because of the travel policy? And if I go for it I’ll be looking to AUP a couple of long-haul Y segments a month, about 24 a year. Will I run into problems with BA? I seem to remember threads about AUP where ‘the computer says no’.
Thanks.
I’ve tried negotiating with them but there’s no give, they have offered me some more money (approx. £2,000 a month after tax) to compensate for the travel. I think the idea is I can use my own money to upgrade when I want to but they’ve been clear that the corporate travel department will only ever book me Y.
So, a couple of questions. Has anyone ever turned down a really good job because of the travel policy? And if I go for it I’ll be looking to AUP a couple of long-haul Y segments a month, about 24 a year. Will I run into problems with BA? I seem to remember threads about AUP where ‘the computer says no’.
Thanks.
And, you've been offered and extra £2k a month to make up for it - that is £40k before tax. Do you know where that would put you on the scale of highest earning in the UK.
MODS - I'm not sure if there is a considerably richer than you forum but can we get this to .....
#167
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,870
What the actual .... does this have to do with BA.
And, you've been offered and extra £2k a month to make up for it - that is £40k before tax. Do you know where that would put you on the scale of highest earning in the UK.
MODS - I'm not sure if there is a considerably richer than you forum but can we get this to .....
And, you've been offered and extra £2k a month to make up for it - that is £40k before tax. Do you know where that would put you on the scale of highest earning in the UK.
MODS - I'm not sure if there is a considerably richer than you forum but can we get this to .....
Whilst the readership bases are a little different, I get regular emails at HFP from partners at major law and accountancy firms, CEOs of mid size businesses, one particular member of the House Of Lords and a vast number of hedge funders and investment bankers.
I went to an invite-only frequent flyer meet up just before Christmas and it was, literally, Dom Perignon all night. The staff of the All Bar One were much amused although at least the City branches keep a fridge-full of the stuff at all times.
Last edited by Raffles; Mar 5, 2018 at 2:04 am
#168
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,666
What the actual .... does this have to do with BA.
And, you've been offered and extra £2k a month to make up for it - that is £40k before tax. Do you know where that would put you on the scale of highest earning in the UK.
MODS - I'm not sure if there is a considerably richer than you forum but can we get this to .....
And, you've been offered and extra £2k a month to make up for it - that is £40k before tax. Do you know where that would put you on the scale of highest earning in the UK.
MODS - I'm not sure if there is a considerably richer than you forum but can we get this to .....
#169
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Scotland
Programs: not a lot
Posts: 1,774
A disproportionately high % of the 1% are on FT however so these are fair issues for discussion. And as you can see from the repies many of us would not accept the equivalent of an extra £40k to accept such a policy.
Whilst the readership bases are a little different, I get regular emails at HFP from partners at major law and accountancy firms, CEOs of mid size businesses, one particular member of the House Of Lords and a vast number of hedge funders and investment bankers.
I went to an invite-only frequent flyer meet up just before Christmas and it was, literally, Dom Perignon all night. The staff of the All Bar One were much amused although at least the City branches keep a fridge-full of the stuff at all times.
#170
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Provincie Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, België
Programs: MUCCI Gold
Posts: 2,512
The money isn't everything either - I'm at an age and stage in my career where an extra 2k is not incentive enough to take this kind of thing on. That's not because I'm earning enough to spend my evenings quaffing DP with a wunch of bankers in the City either - indeed 2k after tax would represent a significant pay rise. Rather, it's that I value not having to spend time in an environment that on BA, in common with other airlines, has deteriorated and will continue to do so to the detriment of my wellbeing.
#171
formerly JackDann
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 1,645
I work for a Small company that is expanding and doing well right now. We have 1,000 employees and turn over £10m Profits every year. Every single person in our company travels in economy, from the CEO down to our Engineers, it's our travel policy. On the occasions where I have been fortunate enough to travel in Business, this has been paid for out of my own pocket as a choice because it's something which I enjoy.
#172
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: France
Programs: too many
Posts: 686
In my Y-only company, travel to a customer is booked according to their travel poilcy...
I ended up on DY Y for a recent East coast trip where I had to go straight to work and back over a weekend...never again!
I ended up on DY Y for a recent East coast trip where I had to go straight to work and back over a weekend...never again!
#173
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,712
Everyone has their own needs, but for me personally I would be happy (well, content) with a Y only job in the volume of flights mentioned provided I could control the other variables. My major policy is "no getting in the way of my sleep", so I don't mind long-haul trips in Y but I will be going to a hotel for the evening (and if necessary the day) when I land. Similarly, if I'm expected somewhere at 9am on a weekday morning I will take a flight the evening before.
Like others here though, I think the notion of a job which has you doing 48 flights a year in Y and expecting you to squeeze them into your free time/ tag them onto the working day is not an attractive one.
Like others here though, I think the notion of a job which has you doing 48 flights a year in Y and expecting you to squeeze them into your free time/ tag them onto the working day is not an attractive one.
#174
What the actual .... does this have to do with BA.
And, you've been offered and extra £2k a month to make up for it - that is £40k before tax. Do you know where that would put you on the scale of highest earning in the UK.
MODS - I'm not sure if there is a considerably richer than you forum but can we get this to .....
And, you've been offered and extra £2k a month to make up for it - that is £40k before tax. Do you know where that would put you on the scale of highest earning in the UK.
MODS - I'm not sure if there is a considerably richer than you forum but can we get this to .....
#175
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
At interviews, candidates should ask questions - this is when you have a chance to find out if the job or the employer is right for you. Obviously, base pay is important, as are bonus schemes, share/options schemes, insurance policies, pension setup, mobile & internet, flexible working, holidays and if the job entails frequent travel then the travel policy is an important part of the total package. I find it worrying that several posters who work for HR are critical of candidates asking about it.
A friend end of mine once asked what the working environment was like in the office. The manager and HR person looked at each other rather funnily. He duly said no when he received the offer.
A friend end of mine once asked what the working environment was like in the office. The manager and HR person looked at each other rather funnily. He duly said no when he received the offer.
#176
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,368
Not relevant to the OP since he's going to work for a company but in the US you have to make a distinction between private and public universities (public in the US has a different meaning than in the UK). I have seen the travel policies for some private universities and travel in J is allowed for flights longer than 6 hours if the money to pay for the travel does not come from grants from government agencies. There are fields where it's easy to get research grants from companies and if the contract does not specify that travel in J is not allowed, professors are allowed to travel in J.
#177
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Mostly UK
Programs: Mucci Extraordinaire, Hilton Diamond, BA Gold (ex BD)
Posts: 11,204
Well my current company has started to grow and for some of us travel may be required when it wasn't when we joined. They introduced a formal policy a few months back and I'm not impressed.
Trains: under 4 hours has to be standard class, using advance purchase fares if available.
Flying: under 5 hours Y, over W
Subsistence: breakfast inclusive hotel rate + £25 per night for dinner when an overnight stay. If you're not staying over but needing to leave home earlier or arrive home later due to travel it's only £5 for breakfast and £10 for dinner
It's quite stingy considering what they're earning from us, but I'm not sure if it's deliberate or just put together with someone who doesn't travel much.
Let's use the trains as an example (as currently most of the people who travel are doing short domestic trips for work). A few are doing London - Manchester every week, travelling Monday morning and back on Thursday evening. So they need to get up early, have £5 to spend on breakfast, have to plan to get there early so they don't miss their prebooked train and then have the pleasure of spending a couple of hours on a cramped Pendolino. If they were allowed a first class ticket they'd get lounge access at Euston and Manchester, get fed on the train in both directions, plenty of tea and coffee so they're ready to go when they arrive.
In my case if I was asked to do that I'd rather travel the night before, wake up to a hotel breakfast and I'd be happy with standard class in that situation. Then again using that example LON-MAN I'd be the oddball that insisted on flying.
As for if they asked me to travel internationally if it was occasional and they allowed me to select the airline I'd be happy with their policy. The status benefits and seat selection are critical. I feel trapped in economy in a window seat so always want the aisle unless I'm in row 1 or one of the exit rows on A321.
It's important to remember that any business travel is going to impact on your personal life, it's very unlikely that all your business travel will fit in your work hours and overnight stays take away time with family or friends. Therefore it's only fair that a company compensates you for the extra time, whether this is business class travel, better hotels, overtime payments or in the case of the OP an extra monthly payment.
Trains: under 4 hours has to be standard class, using advance purchase fares if available.
Flying: under 5 hours Y, over W
Subsistence: breakfast inclusive hotel rate + £25 per night for dinner when an overnight stay. If you're not staying over but needing to leave home earlier or arrive home later due to travel it's only £5 for breakfast and £10 for dinner
It's quite stingy considering what they're earning from us, but I'm not sure if it's deliberate or just put together with someone who doesn't travel much.
Let's use the trains as an example (as currently most of the people who travel are doing short domestic trips for work). A few are doing London - Manchester every week, travelling Monday morning and back on Thursday evening. So they need to get up early, have £5 to spend on breakfast, have to plan to get there early so they don't miss their prebooked train and then have the pleasure of spending a couple of hours on a cramped Pendolino. If they were allowed a first class ticket they'd get lounge access at Euston and Manchester, get fed on the train in both directions, plenty of tea and coffee so they're ready to go when they arrive.
In my case if I was asked to do that I'd rather travel the night before, wake up to a hotel breakfast and I'd be happy with standard class in that situation. Then again using that example LON-MAN I'd be the oddball that insisted on flying.
As for if they asked me to travel internationally if it was occasional and they allowed me to select the airline I'd be happy with their policy. The status benefits and seat selection are critical. I feel trapped in economy in a window seat so always want the aisle unless I'm in row 1 or one of the exit rows on A321.
It's important to remember that any business travel is going to impact on your personal life, it's very unlikely that all your business travel will fit in your work hours and overnight stays take away time with family or friends. Therefore it's only fair that a company compensates you for the extra time, whether this is business class travel, better hotels, overtime payments or in the case of the OP an extra monthly payment.
#178
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
So, a couple of questions. Has anyone ever turned down a really good job because of the travel policy? And if I go for it I’ll be looking to AUP a couple of long-haul Y segments a month, about 24 a year. Will I run into problems with BA? I seem to remember threads about AUP where ‘the computer says no’.
#179
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Columbus, OH
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 192
I think that the bigger issue you'll likely face with this company is the bookings that the corporate travel dept. will make for you. I'm betting they will default to the cheapest flight and/or airline, regardless of the hassle (layovers, connections, etc.) that you will incur and they will not budge or allow you to make your bookings.
#180
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,445
Take the job. Play/game the system.
I was in a similar position once.
By careful engineering, I got opup's approx 60% of all flights (and this actually sucked me into what flyertalk was back then..) - and generally got quite some bit backs.
With status, flying Y often isn't so bad - good chance of upgrades, lounge access, priority if anything goes wrong etc. - generally, you can play the system.
And if they pay you decently extra.. I'd take that.. MOST people would take 2k $ extra per month over 2 long haul flights (I know, two C flights cost more than 2k $ more than Y flights in average, but it's money into your pockets, not "slightly more comfort")
Have them fly you Y but get you an extra day on arrival.
Tell them that flying Y means you won't get any work done (but still write it down as work time) - a few beers and an exit row seat on paid hours aren't that bad
I was in a similar position once.
By careful engineering, I got opup's approx 60% of all flights (and this actually sucked me into what flyertalk was back then..) - and generally got quite some bit backs.
With status, flying Y often isn't so bad - good chance of upgrades, lounge access, priority if anything goes wrong etc. - generally, you can play the system.
And if they pay you decently extra.. I'd take that.. MOST people would take 2k $ extra per month over 2 long haul flights (I know, two C flights cost more than 2k $ more than Y flights in average, but it's money into your pockets, not "slightly more comfort")
Have them fly you Y but get you an extra day on arrival.
Tell them that flying Y means you won't get any work done (but still write it down as work time) - a few beers and an exit row seat on paid hours aren't that bad