PresRDC

Hi All,

It looks like I am going to have to cancel a planned vacation to Australia for later this month due to a deal for work that is entering its final phase. Not a big deal as I've been to Australia twice before and I am really interested in seeing this deal to its completion.

That said, if I have to cancel, I will be out about $800 in award ticket cancelation fees and nonrefundable tickets. I think it's reasonable to expect my employer to cover those costs.

However, one of those tickets is for a non-refundable First Class ticket on Emirates. This is the bulk of the $800 I'll be out. If this was an economy ticket it would not be a big deal, but I am not sure if it is appropriate to expect my employer to reimburse me the cost of a First Class ticket.

What do you think?

Thanks!

Mary2e

It's reasonable. Why should you be out any money at all because of a work related project?

I've been reimbursed for all costs relating to cancelling/rescheduling a vacation.

SchmeckFlyer

This is not first class related, but might be appropriate...

I once booked a super cheap fare JNB-CPT (R500 on SAA) but then had to travel for work instead. I was not given a choice in the matter and the ticket was an uber-restrictive fare ("we will charge you if you dare ask about refunds"). So, I took my trip later and booked a much much more expensive ticket at a later date, paid for by work...

I imagine the price of first class is a whole other story.

Mary2e

If I had to cancel a non-refundable FC ticket due to work, I would tell them how much it would cost before doing so but still expect them to reimburse me.

Why should the OP be out the money because of his employer?

BamaVol

If it were me, I'd present my boss with the choice I'd be making and see if he suggests full reimbursement. This is assuming I'd cleared the trip with him well in advance. It's not like the company can't afford it.

GUWonder

It's standard practice in many firms for employees to be reimbursed all the non-refundable costs of their work-mandated cancelled vacations, even if that involves already paid for first class vacation plans. If the non-refundable costs are extravagant, then inform the appropriate person in the firm (or the client covering the expenses) to make a determination for you (while noting that you are absolutely willing to cancel your vacation but want to make sure that it makes financial sense for the firm/client). $800 is 2-5 billable hours, right? One or two days of your presence will more than make up for that.

PresRDC

I actually made the jump to in-house practice back in January, so I went from being a profit center to being an expense. That said, this is a very high dollar value deal, so $800 is a drop in the bucket. Problem is it comes out of the Legal Department's budget.

GUWonder

The cost center will be a cost center more so if your work goes to outside counsel ..... especially given what's likely to be a higher cost compared to keeping it in-house. Legal's budget would (or should) take a bigger hit if work is sent to outside counsel or if the deal dies while your on vacation.

Ideally, even in-house cost center functions would generate billable codes to be assigned to other profit/cost centers.

Efrem

How much you choose to spend of your personal funds on your personal vacations is your business. You are not bound, legally or morally, to follow any corporate policies in spending your own money on yourself - any more than, if company policy calls for renting intermediate or smaller cars on business trips, you have any obligation to buy an intermediate or smaller car for yourself. If your cancellation expenses are reimbursable at all, which I agree with prior posters they ought to be, the type of travel/accommodation they're for should not matter in the least.

casapasqual

Looks like your topic isn't generating that much interest so i'll make a sympathy posting here.

i think your employer should not have to pay. you are the one that decided to save money with the non-refundable ticket, right? had you bought a more expensive refundable ticket, you woulnd't be in this situation.

also, i find $800 quite low for any Emirates first class (presumably) roundtrip heading toward australia. unless it is a roundtrip in first class from new zealand to australia on Emirates, which is probably what you are referring to. (i believe emirates has up to 4 daily flights between new zealand and australia).

i don't think your employer should bail you out of your poor planning, although i admit i probably would have bought the non refundable ticket myself, seems like a bit of a bargain.

if i were the decision maker at your place of employment and someone came to me asking for that kind of reimbursement, my jaw would drop open.

just absorb the $800. it will be a good lesson for you. you wont' do it again. you'll learn from your mistakes. it will make you a smarter person. and the airlines just love getting redeposit fees and Emirtes in particular will be thrilled to keep your money. maybe you can write a letter to that sheik in dubai that runs or founded Emirates and explain how your planning wasn't so great. he may throw you a few Dinhars.

Mary2e

your well within your flyrights to cargoship whatever you need to do with your employees. Bla bla some more

Analise

PresRDC, did your employer approve your vacation time? If so, you should get full reimbursement. First-class or coach, you should be reimbursed entirely for the expenses you will incur for cancelling your vacation.

FWAAA

No shortage of new posters flailing about, is there? Just checking out the greenery here.

IAH_FLYER

I had to cancel a vacation once a few years ago. It involved a very cheap LGA-VCE fare ($143 r/t in September IIRC). I expensed that amount, which was non-refundable, and the cost to book new tickets on short notice once I was sure I could go out of town without causing trouble at work. In all, I think it cost the company/client around $6000 because there were three passengers involved.

I think the benefits in terms of hitting our deadline and saving the client $$ far exceeded that amount.

casapasqual

what kind of fantasyland are you living in? there is this sense of entitlement, a feeling that the world owes you everything. whatever happened to taking some responsibility for ones own poor planning? the author of the post was a bit sketchy on the details but from what i can tell, he/she/shim is dreaming.

and if someone came to me with that proposal, i would tell them, "sure, here's your $800 for your Emirates ticket, but you won't be getting the $2,000 holiday bonus ever again" and i would encourage them to resign at once.