lovely15

How do you handle it?

Stick it out until your flight leaves?

Change your plane ticket and go home early, no matter the cost?

This happens to me more than it should (through no fault of my own), so I'm curious how others handle it.

VH-RMD

I always ask in the lounge if they are calling forward, unless there is some particular sight (exhibition etc) in that city I want to see.

tentseller

If there is something interesting to do or place to visit, yes.

If not I call and SDC onto an earlier flight home.

lovely15

I was thinking more along the lines of a day or two early.

I'm stuck in Japan with an extra day to spend, and trying to figure out a way to get home a day early, but it looks like it's not going to happen.

Yes, yes, I'm sure most people's answer is, "Hit Tokyo and have some fun," but that's not quite my idea of fun right now.

tentseller

I understand the feeling, nothing more to deal with and rather be home.

I would see what the airline can offer up at what price and then make a decision whether the price is worth it.

clacko

stand by for an earlier flight if there's nothing to see....definitely, get away from the customer/prospect when done....

musicsic

Usually just go sightseeing until it's time to fly home. Although sometimes my co-workers and I find things that are broke in order for us to extend our stays longer, especially if our business trip is in Hawaii

lovely15

Yeah, pretty sure if I was in Hawaii right now, I wouldn't have posted this thread. :-)

musicsic

I think it also has to deal with the individual person. My co-worker and I don't have any children and aren't married, so we ask our boss to be on the road as much as possible and to rarely be home. But on the other hand, there are other co-workers who want to finish their work early and go home to see their wives/kids, so it just depends on the person's situation.

kipper

This is true. Some people love being on the road, others just want to be home with their families.

Mr. Kipper loves to travel, and quite frankly, after he's been home for a few months, I can't wait for him to travel, even if it's just for a week or two. To us, staying on the road longer means more per diem. To some of the guys where he works, they just want to come home, and the per diem isn't worth it.

When he finishes up early, if it's a day or two, they usually have the option of coming home early, or not. He's always opted to just stay for the extra time. If it's more than a day or two, they head home.

musicsic

Very true, per diem is a big factor for my co-workers and I based on our situation, as well as getting hotel points. After being home for the past 22 days, my co-workers and I are currently dying to be on the road again, especially since we're not used to paying for own food and gas.

bwiadca

What if you don't get per diem? I get paid for actual expenses
But I always stay even if I finish early 2 or 3 days. Thats why I never have to do mattress runs.

etali

I'm self employed, and money is tight, so for me it depends on where we are, if the reservations were booked to be ammendable, and how expensive it would be to travel back home earlier.

Usually, I'll stay wherever it is. Do some sightseeing if it's somewhere I've never been before, or just eat up all the hotel wifi if I'm bored.

cordelli

Think it depends on what early is.

If it's days, then I'll get out of there.

If it's a couple hours, it's not so much of a big deal.

It depends on where I am, what I'm doing, who I'm seeing, and what the costs are to change it.

I had a two day training in London that was canceled as we were all sitting in class waiting for the instructor, the choices were to fly back that evening if I could, or spend the day with my co-workers from there as an unplanned visit. Because we had all planned on being in the training for two days, our calendars were wide open, so we stayed and got weeks of work done. If however it was just me I probably would have tried to get back home that day.

On the other hand I've had all day meetings end early and went straight to the airport and Red Carpet club and said what is the next flight I can get on?

It just depends on too many things for one straight answer.

dcpatti

This happens to me a lot. Could be a few hours early, a few days early, or could also be a few days late. My company doesn't usually book flexible tickets and we do spend a lot of money in change fees but probably still less in the long run than buying every ticket as flexible, as most trips do start and finish as planned.

I handle each schedule change on a case-by-case basis. I do try to do what's best for the company---- if it's cheaper to change the ticket and go home, I will. Given how expensive that can be, though, I often end up staying the extra day or two; one night of hotel is often cheaper than the change fee and fare difference. I will factor in my upgrade status if it's a longer flight--- love my boss, really, but won't give up a confirmed F upgrade on a transcon to ride home a day early in seat 38B--- and my oveall burnout status--- if I really need that extra day at home, I'll suffer the less-than-stellar seat and find a way to justify the costs.

If I stick around, I'll either work remotely from the hotel or see if I can find another customer to visit or do something to earn my board and keep, unless I've worked a brutal schedule, in which case I'll go enjoy whatever city it is. I'm very lucky that I have the flexibility and the power to use my judgement on stuff like this, and if I know I'm going to have a brutal schedule and it's a city I like, I'll even build an extra day or two onto the trip, covering the hotel and meals, etc, from my own pocket, and take the day off and play tourist