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?

that is correct. Rest in the morning and WFH the rest of the day..

You are legally entitled to 11 hours between work. If you are flying for work, you are working.

If they are expecting you to effectively work within an hour or 2 after stepping off an overnight flight - they need to book you business.
If they are insisting on premium economy - they need to give you the day off

A few years back, when I was working in Spain I had to travel to Argentina for work - it would be 6 weeks there and then 1 week in Spain. We would travel on a Monday after work, was allowed to leave a bit earlier to finish luggage, take the 11:30 pm flight, land then hotel to refresh and by the office at noon. It was tiring but I was new in the company (Big 4) and my first job after uni so I didn't want to look soft.

I do love all of the people quoting the Working Time Directive as if most of us in professional jobs haven't had to sign an opt-out as part of our contract. In my experience there's a pretty big overlap between the sort of jobs that have work trips to New York and the sort of jobs that require WTD opt-outs.

As others have said, I think premium economy is probably fine given the length of the flight and the amount of sleep you are ever likely to achieve (i.e. nothing approaching a full night, even in business class), but I'd be pushing for at least the morning off and then WFH in the afternoon.

I've voted YABU because the issue isn't the flight it's that they expect you in the office the next day

Urgh, sounds awful. I used to do US trips regularly and would get back Friday am go straight to bed for a few hours and shower, check for any urgent emails and be done for the day. Very unreasonable.

Either business class or they don’t expect you in work the next day. Either is fine.

It depends on your job

If you are doing something where you need to be alert and awake then YANBU

However if your job is largely bullshit then YABU.

If you have time to post on MN mid morning then I suspect the latter

Anyone would think you're rowing across the Atlantic.

With the price of business class and the relatively short flight I don't blame them for only forking out for PE. It's not a long journey - kick back with a prosecco and try and get some kip.

I would go in the next day and just phone it in.

Or you could tell them 'I only turn left when I get on a plane' and see how they respond.

Our company policy is anything over 6hrs is booked as Business Class. We generally tend to do week long trips, so you fly out on Friday or Saturday, dependant on the region you're visiting, then fly home the following Friday.

I have the same issue, overnight flights back from North America in economy and then expected to work the next day. I do always arrange to start later and then work from home and always arrive home on the Friday. The annoyance for me is my boss flies business because of his job level and doesn’t see why I have a problem working after an overnight flight.

Annoyingly all my business class flights have been turn right so I haven’t had the turn left moment yet.

I used to work for a company that did this- was just execs who were allowed business class (which I was at that time). Eventually they scrapped it for everyone to save money. I just refused to go on the trips.

This was the same at my old work but I think NYC may be just on the cusp?

I think they're being v u to expect you in the next day.

Are we talking civil service here?

Business class or an extra nights hotel and a day off after you get back.
Their choice.

My employer (one of the top, most expensive universities in the UK) won’t even pay for milk in the kitchen for tea and coffee. We get instant coffee and tea bags, but you gotta fund your own milk. 🤣

Our Christmas party was in the conference room and catered by Lidl. And by catered I mean, the director stopped at Lidl on the way in. For drinks, we got Lidl juice cartons.

I’m not even sure anyone travels anymore, but I’m pretty sure if we did we’d be expected to pay our own travel costs.

Even in business class from JFK to LHR, the most sleep I have ever managed is about 4 hours (and not exactly great quality). It’s a 6.5h flight with time you need to be upright for take off and landing and then crew bumbling around with trays for part of it.

Generally I fly out in the morning, do the super long extended day as the first day I’m at my clients office. The heaviest/most important work day the day after that and a TOIL day when I’m back. If for some reason I need to work the day after getting back, I don’t expect myself or anyone I manage to really do a full day.

Expectations while on site for a client are different because that’s the whole point that they’ve paid for you to be there, but they still have to respect that you’re human and not a robot!

Economy would be fine but I wouldn't be going back into work without a 24hr break.

Depends on the sector as well. I doubt taxpayers want to pay business class fares via their taxes, charities either.

In my 20s and early 30s, I could do a night flight from the US in Economy and go to work in the afternoon.

30 years on? Not a chance!

Universities have made huge cuts apparently in how they send their valued staff overseas.
No more being picked up and dropped off, economy not business. Sounds horrific.

You can't lay flat and you're next to at least one person, you cannot sleep well.

Premium economy is fine, I prefer to business class as it’s too claustrophobic