Business Class should be the minimum for an overnight work flight?

[spoonfedzebra]

I have an upcoming work trip to New York. We are there for 2 days for an internal company course, which finishes in the afternoon. After that, we have been booked on to flights back to the UK. This means it will be a red eye flight and then have been told we would be expected in the office that next day.

We are flying in premium economy. AIBU to think an overnight work flight where we are expected to be in work the next day, should be at least business class?

I agree that public sector employers and charities etc shouldn't be spending money on business class flights.

But I disagree with the idea that wfh the next day should be seen as a valid alternative. WFH isn't supposed to be a free pass to relax and take it easy - it's work as usual but in a different location. Consequently, I think people who are expected to do overnight flights in economy should have a day off in lieu to recover.

I thought you were being unreasonable until I saw the part about being in the office the next day. Ugh.

If you’re travelling BA, the Premium economy seats are spacious and you would sleep well as the seats recline back further than economy, and a pillow and blanket are provided. IMO it doesn’t feel like your sat next to anyone due to wide seats - they’re quite self contained, and you still get the Prosecco, hot towels, nice meal (served on plates with cutlery etc) that you would get in business. I know it’s not the same as flying business but IMO premium economy is good / reasonable option.

wouldn't happen in my company. anything over 6 hours you get business class. also you wouldn't be expected to work next day after flying it would be classed as til. my boss does it alot he would log onto laptop and let us knwo any issues and we can contact him in emergencies but be at home after travelling. we never had to ring him yet

Business class flight and WFH the next day would be the minimum here.

I travelled super frequently for work for 24 years, and we were never allowed to book business, and PE was only allowed for a couple of years for long flights. No official TOIL for travelling either. TBH, NY-LHR isn't worth business anyway as most people would only sleep for 2 hours max. I'd go home, go to sleep until 9 then go into the office (depending on arrival time and distances) or go straight to the office work until after lunch then go home.

"You would sleep well"? How can you possibly know? I'm confident I wouldn't. I flew overnight to Japan on ANA in their premium economy. It was quite pleasant, and the seats were comfortable, but I didn't sleep for a second. I'd be surprised if BA was significantly better.

I'm amazed at how stingy some employers are and what some other people are prepared to put up with.

agree with this, we did BA premium economy back from Vegas for an overnight flight, didn't sleep a wink - have never been able to sleep on flights. it irritates the life out of me but I just cant.

It's not a very long flight to NY. But you shouldn't be expected in work the next day. But not sure about expecting Business Class unless you are in an executive type job.

Honestly that's insane that they would expect you back in the office after a presumably minimum 7 hour flight back overnight? With the time difference it would also be +5 hours when you get back to the UK.

I have landed at 7am in the UK coming back from the US and not even been back at my house until almost midday and I only live a 40 min drive from the airport.

By the time you're off the plane, have tot your luggage, back to your car and driven to where you need to be you're usually looking at a few hours.

My mum regularly travels to Northern Ireland for work (from Manchester). I think it's around an hour flight and even she barely does anything else other than travel on her travel days as that is considered part of her working hours!

Not a chance would I be working the next day after a red-eye flight.

The flight is so short even in Business class it would be hard to get enough sleep to function at work the next day.

Fuck me. 1st world problems

I'm a bit aghast at the environmental impact from long haul flights for two days for an internal training course. I would love to hear your CEO justify that in his ESG statement in the your annual report.

Last October I sat next to a man in Premium economy who had flown from London to Sydney to give a presentation to his Sydney office along with two colleagues, then had immediately left and flown back to London via a Melbourne 2 hour layover. Apparently they had not even had a night in a Hotel.

I think there must be laws of some sort against it. Flying to Australia (or New Zealand which is even farther!) is brutal. I was horrifed and asked what they did in Covid times- zoom calls obviously. Bloody stupid and potentially a major health risk with DVTs etc IMO.

If it were me, I'd call in sick the moment I got through customs because of zero sleep

Honestly it's a 6 hour flight - you'll land by 3am so can reasonably sleep before work anyway!

Have you accounted for the time difference?

I think premium is fine. But you should be entitled to a rest period after a long flight, that is for sure. That's true for business but even more so for anything less.

Last time I got the red eye back from NYC we weren't back in to central London until gone 11am. I was also destroyed for the rest of the day (I do not sleep on planes - ever).

This was for a holiday but if work had suggested I went straight in to the office, I would have not been responsible for my actions.

Absolutely TOIL for the antisocial hours. Take a sick day at the very least @spoonfedzebra

If London to NY is approx 5 hours shouldn’t the entire day of arrival home be TOIL as you’ve worked 10 extra hours travelling?

I'd ask about this ^^.

As a teen I worked with someone who came back over night long distance flight went home changed came in and did an eight hour shift then drove home happy saying she felt fine but had no sleep in last 24 hours. Perfect weather but she over turned the car killing herslef - no-else else involved car found to be in fully working order. Road accdents can always happen but have read since driving tired can be as bad as driving drunk.

If they really won't budge on the travel at very least I'd push day off and if they won't budge there push for WFH.

Yes if they expect you to work the next day you should have a bed on the plane. If not, then you should get a rest day, or at least a rest morning