gooselee

Coach everywhere. Period. You can upgrade on your own if you'd like (using cash, miles, instruments, marrying an airline employee, etc.). Rest days allowed at manager discretion and basically all our managers use basic common sense.

I often pay out of pocket to move to PE on my TATL's. Usually a difference of $200-$300 per round-trip and I still get the rest day.

I've noticed this as well. Both my current and former companies would question a $150 difference in flight cost but wouldn't blink at an extra $100/night for a week-long stay, or even an entire extra night in order to get cheaper airfare. I don't know why, but even outside of work policies I notice people who are so conditioned to focus exclusively on flight costs even for their vacations.

Want to go anywhere in Europe and flights to London are only $600! What a deal!
That's great until you realize you can go to, say, ATH for $1000 but spend $200 less a day on lodging alone.

My previous employer did not permit upgrades at all - not even complimentary ones - at least in the time I worked there. We were a nonprofit serving impoverished communities and they did not ever want any of their employees to be seen enjoying anything that could be considered luxurious. Hotel policies included shared motel accommodations (Travelodge was a nice place and a Hampton Inn was downright lavish).

Perhaps their biggest savings came about from people finding every reason possible to not travel at all, and some of their best (and most expensive) talent leaving for greener pastures.

I've heard that have since changed their policies. I have no problem with an employer imposing a coach-only, cheapest chain hotel policy if they're up front about it. But at least allow people to use their own status/money/points to secure additional comfort if that's what they want to spend it on.

Go Dawgs!

FlyingHighlander

Interesting insight. While I don't agree with all parts of such policies banning upgrades, I at least now know they exist and understand the reasoning behind them.

The focus on flight costs, while somewhat disregarding hotels and cars, irks me. Thankfully, through discussion here, I realize I don't have all that much to complain about regarding my flight policy (J at >6hrs international). However, domestic can be more painful, and I sometimes struggle to have our system give me a Delta or United flight over a Southwest or Frontier.

ft101

The most recent post was less than 3 weeks old when you started your thread. I would wager the thread has been on the first few pages for most of its existence.

Proudelitist

I had a boss years ago who wouldn't let me take rest days. I would regularly fly LAX to LHR and back, and be expected to hit the ground running that same day in some cases.

HE on the other had..when HE came back from LHR or SIN we wouldn't see him for 3 days. Hypocrite. That was just one of the many reasons I quit that boss.

Not understanding the need for a rest day is pretty much a deal breaker for me when it comes to employers. It's just as bad as treating wait staff poorly (if they are abusive to people they see as subordinates, they will eventually be abusive to you) and absurdly low-balled salary offers.

gooselee

OTOH, I knew a guy who insisted he needed one rest day to recover for every hour of time zone change.

Nobody liked him and he couldn't seem to keep a job for some reason.

mandolino

That would make my trips to Aus, NZ, Japan more rest days than anything else. Nice.

navi_jen

I work for a top global consulting firm, and our policy is very clearly stated.

Below Manager staff class, all travel is coach
Manager to 1 level below Partner, if you fly more than 75k per year (company certified program using our amex booking records) you can book 1 class above coach (loosely defined as FC) for all international and any US flight over 3 hours.
Partner and Partner Parity, First

Has been that way for at least 5+ years.

OpenSky

Small boutique consulting firm. Global clients.

Any intercontinental over 5 hours, Business class generally.
US transcon business class, JFK-LAX/SFO
Intra US, economy, less than 5 hours
Intra europe economy, less than 3 hours. This also covered Europe - Africa, i.e Paris Casablanca.
Intra europe/mideast business class on flights over 3 hours. Example : London to Moscow, Paris-Dubai

There are exceptions :
I have been able to expense intra Asia as business class on short flights. These are loosely defined as international out of base, so Hong Kong to Taipei was not a problem. US client.

I have not been able to expense QR intra mid east first class because it shows up on the receipt as first class. Also US client.


My policy is spelled out in my contract. No one ever has a problem with it.

I have never been able to expense a First Class ( 3 cabin/4 cabin) intercontinental ticket. That would be nice!
Nor do I dare ask, since its not the norm

I am generally allowed to book anything, though some clients make me use their portal, travel management company. I generally LOATHE to fly US flag carriers ( all of them) and certain low quality carriers, i.e MS, and do things like requesting to fly out of at a certain time, day to a certain destination, which is almost an exact match with the flight I want.

OpenSky

I can guess which firm this is. And Coach is not just coach, if i recall correctly, the polity is Coach-flexible, which is almost always upgraded.

mmff

We've all been there.

+1

mandolino

We have to get tech personnel to rigs all over the world from their homes which are mostly near regional UK&I airports.

Sometimes they will have to drive, bus or train to a better airport, and same again at destination. Mostly at last minute so there are few bargains - especially on routes also frequented by tourists and holidaymakers at certain times.

Sometimes PE or J are the only seats available on certain legs.

For long haul, our customers will accept a fixed US$3000-$6000 mob/demob fee per mobilisation, and from that we have to cover all travel expenses.

Sometimes we can't do it for less than the mob fee but our priority is to be there on time so we take the loss and offset against other times when we have a surplus.

"Swings and roundabouts" as we say. Win some, lose some. Take the rough with the smooth.

We encourage all the techs to enrol in FF programs and we "don't ask, don't tell" about how they use them.
If it makes their lives easier, it makes our lives easier too.

For business travel, it's nothing but an internal expense so I do the best I can to keep costs down, within reason.
Always economy but use points to upgrade occasionally. Sometimes at last minute, PE or J are the only seats available - so be it.

I'm unapologetic about taking "rest days" since my time is not chargeable per diem and any extra hotel or subsistence costs can be outweighed by flight or other savings. (like departing the afternoon or evening before for a positioning flight before long-haul, rather than take the more expensive early morning flight)

gfunkdave

I have a friend who instructs his assistant to always book the highest class available. Of course, he's CEO, so he gets a little latitude...

I asked him if profligate airfare spending is really in the shareholders' best interests, and he replied that a well-rested CEO is key to realizing shareholder value.

gobluetwo

I have a friend who travels overseas for work frequently and he is one who hits the ground running because he wants to spend as much time with his family as possible. This generally means flying to Europe on Sunday evening, arriving Monday morning, and going straight to meetings/work. His boss, on the other hand, tried to keep up with him on one trip and gave up after 2 days, lol.

Proudelitist

Sure, and I understand going from the plane to the meetings is necessary sometimes. But the boss I am talking about..he would make us come into the office for the day if we arrived back home before 1pm.

gooselee

Also very different if this is by the traveler's own choice.

My company is fine with us taking an extra hotel night in order to not take a redeye for flights from US west coast to East coast. Although that is an option that certainly leaves me more rested, many times I will elect to take the redeye anyway and power through the day just to get home earlier. But that's my choice, which I appreciate having.