The Economy Bites (me on the bum)
 

Don't know if this is happening at all to any fellow Road Warriors, but in recent weeks, the company I work for has been trying to control travel expenses. Some of this I can understand, but in the past, we billed the customer for T & E, so it was never quite an issue unless the customer got sniffy about it. Now, we've decided to take T & E out of the equation, so all money spent directly affects the bottom line. A mistake, in my opinion, but who listens to me?

What it means to me is that I'm now flying less on United (I live in the Denver area) and more on Frontier, Midway, and Vanguard. I'm staying less at Marriott and more at Best Western. Fortunately, I still get to rent Hertz, but who knows how long that will last?

On the one hand, I am glad to still have a job in the tech sector. Many of my fellow employees got the axe a month ago. I am also discovering that all the previous complaining I did about United (often) and Marriott (sometimes) was perhaps a bit out-of-proportion. Compared to the true cattle-car airlines I am now flying, and the lumpy love-and-roach-motels I'm staying in, United and Marriott are due for a big hug from me if I ever manage to use them again.

I just got back from a DEN-ATL-DEN flight last week on Vanguard. Ugly. They have one counter and two employees in Denver, so even though I got there two hours early, I still was nearly late for my flight. We stopped in Kansas City (MCI) but were NOT ALLOWED off the plane (how weird is that) going both to and fro. No 'economy plus' seating, of course, no first class section at all, water dribbled constantly from the light fixture over the main doorway (737-200), there was no food on any leg of any trip.

The Best Western I stayed at north of Atlanta had phones that had no dial tone for the first night I was there, a toilet that did not flush, and a half-eaten hoagie sandwich in a dresser drawer, left by a considerate previous guest. A large contigent of boom-box carrying patrons arrived the same night I did, and proceeded to 'rock the house' a few doors down from me, complete with mega-bass thumping and shrieking females running up and down the hallways all night. And of course, the desk clerk spoke next to no english and refused to take any action at all.

I am suddenly realizing that a large part of why I have enjoyed my job so much over the years is that I have enjoyed the actual travel (although I thought I didn't). Now that things are a bit more grim, I am not liking my job all that much at all.

Just wondering if anyone else is in a similar situation?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Heh, I'm sure I don't travel nearly as much as you, but I've been in that position for years. Travel for me was nearly always for internal purposes, and generally involved getting myself to STL or SLC from PIT. I also helped with getting others to or from those destinations, or sometimes other combinations involving CMH, BWI, DCA. If I needed to go to Columbus OH or DC, I would drive (about 3 hours and 4.5 hours respectively). Sometimes I'd drive to CLE to fly west. But I had my limits. I never ever flew Vanguard, and I don't think anyone on business should have to. I did fly AirTran and Southwest, including crazy AirTran to Southwest connections at MDW to get to STL. Saved me a drive up to CLE, basically. Did enough of that that for the first time I might earn a free trip on Southwest and one on AirTran for my trouble, whatever those are worth. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

I sympathize with you, though. I think those of you who travel so much deserve to have all the perks that are usually thrown your way. Upgrades, lotsa miles, etc. And sheesh, at the very least they could book you into a hotel that isn't of dubious quality! If I need a hotel, I've taken to checking discounters and even checking Hotwire or bidding Priceline. Have gotten good deals that way. If you are in control of your own bookings (versus someone doing it for you), doubtful, I suppose, but if so you may want to check into such options, strange as it may be, or perhaps we can give you some pointers on better low-end brands. I would at least demand that you be spared Vanguard and Best Western. Bet the *boss* isn't flying them or staying there. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif