burbuja0512

*Do you get business or economy? Why?
*Is there a difference depending on your title? (example: Directors and above get business)
*For those that fly economy, would you consider switching companies if you could get better treatment on flights?
*Any other quirks that you have to manage with your business travel and your company?



I get business class if the flight is longer than 7 hours, with the rational being that employees that are well-rested will work better. I would never get first on domestic flights under any circumstances. This company policy goes up even to our CEO and is equal for all.

In my past company, I flew economy all around the world. It was not a deciding factor in my move to the current job, but I did inquire before I was hired because I consider it a favorable sign of the attitude towards global sales and employee well-being.

fassy

My company prefers economy... since it is cheap?

I work at a real big one (100k plus employees) and only the top level leadership team travel in business. (perhaps 100 people)

To offset a long travel on Y we can go one or two days earlier and recover in a nice hotel or after the travel stay off work. In the end a good deal as this way I have time to really wonder around the places I travel too and enjoy more than just airport, taxi, hotel, meeting rooms and hotel restaurants. Still comes cheaper for the company than paying business class travel - at least the immediate expense, not so sure the calculation will hold if you account for the time I get off.

Travel costs is easily reported and very visible, so easy to cut down on and directly rising your profitability.

I would not switch the employer based on this. Actually I had an employer paying for international first class in the past and see where I am now?

I left an employer who introduced a cheapest hotel possible policy. Sleeping bad over days (or even just one night) in shady, rundown, dirty or unconvinient places is miserable... and made me leave them after 3 months after they introduced that policy.

burbuja0512

WHAT?????

I had an old boss that was insisting on this.. until I did some research on a specific city that I was traveling to. I told him that I was going to email him crime stats for this location, especially information about women traveling solo. Then I mentioned that if he still insisted on the cheapest hotel via email, that I would be happy to comply.

Logically, he was worried about liability, so he agreed as long as I was finding the cheapest hotel possible based upon circumstances. I'm glad he agreed or I probably would have left.

DonCarpenter

I'm fortunate to not have to travel much in my current position, but I'd never work for a place that had the "cheapest hotel" policy. Luckily, since we're a radio company we can trade out for hotels. We always stay in at least Hampton Inn level properties.

Big4Flyer

Our travel policy requires that we fly coach, however we're free to choose any airline/flight times. Exceptions are for those who travel over 75k miles/year, who are allowed one class above economy (domestic first/international business). Directors and above can fly one step above economy on all flights over 3 hours and all staff can fly business on flights outside of the continental US. Overall I'm pretty happy with our travel policy, although it can be more restrictive at times based on the client.

Hotel policy is similar. We can book any hotel, we are just asked to book the most "cost-effective" option. I appreciate the flexibility they give us, the only ridiculous policy I can complain about is that they never cover lunch, whether you're sitting on a plane during lunchtime, in another country, or anything else. Our company is the only one I've ever heard of with a specific prohibition against lunch.

Gamecock

Amazing how they back down when backed in a corner.

A few years ago I was living in Germany and on a trip to San Antonio. I got caught up in the Icelandic volcano. My boss insisted I get back immediately. He shared that we had employees in Spain that made it back.

Anyway, I found that flights were going to Madrid from Mexico City for 4k USD. Part of US government travel policy is you have to travel on a US flag carrier, if available for the routing. And since I was starting in SAT that flight would violate policy.

He told me to go ahead and book the flight and get back to Germany. I pointed out the violation of travel policy and the cost and he told me he understood and to book the flight. I told him I would be happy to do so once he sent me an email authorizing the trip. There was silence on the phone and after a few minutes he told me to just get back as soon as I could, which was 6 days later.

UAPremExecflyer

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ies-perks.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ach-seats.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-even-ceo.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...rst-class.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...el-policy.html

shuigao

Previous company: Economy only. Even 12 hour long hauls. Directors and above get to fly Business, and CxO-level staff fly First.

Current company: Business for all staff for medium- and long-hauls (think the cut-off is 4 hrs).

Bluehen1

I work for a German company with locations in multiple countries. The big difference is on overseas flights.

Germany/US - Business
China - Business only if MD or been with company 10 years or >50 and with company >5 years otherwise economy

invisible

The same here, large IT company with 80000 people, travel policy is separate in each country/continent.

In general - if travel is financed by the customer/client, it is completely different matter than internal travel.

Annalisa12

My company prefers First Class. Lucky I am the business owner and make that decision!!

Doc Savage

And just who pays...?

superangrypenguin

I work for one of the worlds biggest IT companies.

Coach for all. Including area presidents. Lowest fare possible.

I'm this chose to leaving them because of this.

I do get to stay at decent hotels though..

burbuja0512

That policy is terrible, but I'm glad you're taking a stand for your health and sanity. It's one thing to act like a diva and ask for first on all trips regardless of distance, but a company that can't respect its employees health is one that is obviously run by bean counters with no regard for their human resources.

..Yes there are exceptions to this rule, but in large corporations there is no excuse.

I think a personal pet peeve is probably the "directors and above" policy and good that your company doesn't have this at least. Yes the company leadership is important, but if the plebes on the bottom are not, then why send them anywhere?

fassy

I really like the Google concept. (at least what they had some years ago). Even though the regular guy had to fly coach...

They gave you a budget recommendation for a trip and it was up to you if you stay under the budget by choosing cheap flights and cheap hotels which then will get you credit which can be used later to be spend for a nice hotel or flight out of the policy, e.g. business instead of coach.

And the budget recommendations were quite reasonable, was easy to save a couple of hundred bucks a trip staying at a cheaper (but still decent) hotel than recommended.

Not sure they do that anymore.