10 hours in economy for 3 nights?

[DreamingofItaly]

I appreciate this is a real first world problem but I'm after some advice, perhaps from MNers that travel more than I do.

I have to travel for a work conference. Policy is normally business class for long haul, but as it's an internal event we have to go economy. It's 9.5 hours UK to US. For 3 nights. They expect us to be productive for the 4 day event. I often work long hours, but factor in getting to airport 2-3 hours before the flight and the fact the airports with direct flights are a 2.5 hour drive from me, I'm looking at a 14-15+ hour day travelling with bugger all sleep and being super jolly on arrival.

AIBU to think this isn't on? I don't want to pay can't afford to pay £1500 for the upgrade fee and I'm going to be knackered all weekend, land Friday morning meaning it cuts in to my family time. Oh, and I'm expected to then do the return drive on most probably no sleep.

My colleagues it seems are happy with this. I find it appalling and a health and safety risk.

Does anyone know if there are precedents against this? Probably sod all I can do and it's not an option to not go so I think I'm going to have to suck it up.

Any ideas? I'm thinking of asking for a taxi to/from the airport, see how they take that.

My DD1 has travelled all over the world with her work, usually for 2-3 nights at a time, always economy. We are talking long haul to South Africa, Australia, USA etc. She appears to have survived and i rather think you will too. Stop being so precious.

Raise it with your manager. They might be open to you flying out a day early and home a day late. Hotel being cheaper

What is your con5xeen, you think you should be flying business class instead of economy, you'll get jetlag whatever class you travel in. Maybe you could upgrade to premium economy.

It’s not a health and safety risk, don’t be so dramatic. I agree that it’s pretty cheap of the company if their policy is usually business though and I wouldn’t be overly impressed either but I’m not sure what, if anything, you can do about it.

Given the usually timing of flights between the UK and the US I’m guessing that you’ll arrive in the afternoon/evening so can head to your hotel to rest before working the next day. And that you’ll fly back overnight and land in the morning and presumably you get the day off. I personally wouldn’t go in that day unless I’d flown in business class and slept properly unless I really couldn’t avoid it (that was my previous job’s policy- flatbed = straight to work on arrival).

Everywhere either DH or I have ever worked would have paid for a taxi to/from the airport though, it’s perfectly reasonable to ask for that. But that’s because work requires you to get to the airport, not because you’re flying economy.

Fair points. Thanks. Maybe I am being precious, sounds like this is standard stuff.

Totally normal in my company - you don't get to travel in anything except economy unless you are board level.

However, if you’re expected to jump off the plane from the UK and head straight to work (it’s not clear from your post) then that’s terrible. I’d ask to go a day early if and for an extra night’s hotel if that’s the case, it will be cheaper than upgrading the flight so the company might go for it.

What about an airport hotel? That might be a better option

Flights land at 3pm, event starts at 6pm.

I don’t think you’re being precious. I wouldn’t fly much over 4 hours in economy. Certainly not for work. My husband flys a lot on business but always insists on flatbed for longer flights. He tends to fly direct and rarely gets jet lagged but like you he is expected to be working as soon as he gets off the plane. The idea of working well after 10-12 hours sat ne t to goodness knows who, poor food, queues for the lavatory and other people’s noise and smells is horrible.
Speak to your boss. Says it’s mean and you want either business class or premium economy with an e tea days accommodation either end of conference.

3 hrs between landing and attending event is very tight and I'd be surprised if you make it on time. My DH regularly flies internationally (economy always, I think only the M.D. flies business class) and there's usually delays of some sort.

It's not unusual expectation though and I agree you should ask to fly out a day early. Cite the unpredictable nature of delays and how little time there is between arrival and event.

If you are only there for 3 days you will power on through and it will be when you get home it will kick in which you state is the weekend.

Gone are the days when business travel meant business class. Most companies I know use economy nowadays.

So if that’s on the east coast it will be 11pm in London when the event starts and presumably it lasts a few hours, meaning that if you don’t sleep on the plane (easier said than done considering a) you’re flying economy and b) it will be the middle of the day on your body clock) your company are expecting you to be up for 24 hours without sleep. Also if you have 3 hours between landing and the event then you’ll be late if the flight is delayed and/or there are long immigration queues. So actually I don’t think you’re being precious at all.

I’d ask to go the day before and offer to ‘compromise’ on costs by agreeing on a cheap hotel for that extra night if necessary. That way you’ll be well rested and it’s guaranteed you’ll actually make the event.

And they should be paying for your travel to the airport regardless- it’s part of the costs of the trip.

No that's not on - timing wise. You won't even have time to shower (unless hotel is at airport).

I'm not sure you'll get an upgrade but I'd ask to fly the day before and work from there the next day.

Re the upgrade my DH's company has a long standing policy of economy for flights under 5 hrs unless you are expected to work pretty much upon arrival IF it involved overnight travel (so flying from Middle East to Europe flights could be 4.5 hrs but would often depart at 4am meaning little sleep). They'd get business then, have some sleep, shower and change in business lounge upon arrival and head to the office for a 9am-ish start. If they took an afternoon/evening flight it was economy.

I have done this a few times

It was easy in my 20s, would find it harder now in my late 40s...

Thanks for all your comments and thoughts. I'll look into flying the day before and see what is said. Challenge is, as I say in the OP, my colleagues seem to think it's fine so I'm on my own here. Previous years it's been a 5 day event, fly in at weekend, acclimatise then work but it's changed this year.

I don’t think you are being precious. DH always flies business long haul for work. It means he can sleep on the flight and be ready to work as soon as he gets off. Of course there is still jet lag but flying 10 hours in business means the flight time can actually be used for sleeping instead of getting increasingly exhausted in economy and needing to factor in an extra hotel night for sleep and he can therefore keep trip lengths to a minimum- much better for us as a family and much less disruptive to his day to day work too.

I think it's unacceptable and wouldn't be doing it but it wouldn't be a popular view.

Don't be overly vocal about it for now. And - wouldn't it be terrible if you came down with a nasty D&V bug the night before??

Have you actually traveled business? It really won't make any difference to how tired you are. It's more pleasant than economy but still impossible to get a decent rest.

I would be most unhappy about driving him 2.5 hours after a trip like this. I think it could be very dangerous. Can you sort out alternative transport home?

HOME!

What different will it make flying business? Is it that you’ll sleep, but won’t sleep in economy? Or is the issue the short time between landing and getting to the event?

Just asking as we fly both for work and I don’t sleep on either so would be just as tired regardless!

Race car driver are you serious? I’m flying out to Hong Kong to meet my husband who will have been in China in December - about 12 hours direct. I fully intend to have supper and then get about eight hours sleep lying flat in a quieter, darkened cabin.

Have you actually traveled business? It really won't make any difference to how tired you are. It's more pleasant than economy but still impossible to get a decent rest.

I don't agree with that statement!!! ^

A few years ago it was accepted that anything over 7 hours warranted a business class flight. Now, hardly anyone flies business including directors and the Board because it is insanely expensive.

If you have to fly economy then I would factor in as much as possible to make it as painless as possible (i.e. flying day before, taxi to the airport, etc. etc.). However, I doubt that bleating about landing on Friday/being knackered over the weekend will go down particularly unless you have a very sympathetic boss/workplace. Most people I have worked for that have needed to do this have just got on with it.

You have my sympathies. I certainly don't condone these ridiculous working patterns....

Of course flying business helps with the tiredness - you can sleep far more easily and the experience is much more relaxing than being cooped up in economy

I don't think you're being precious at all, I wouldn't fly economy long haul for work - it's exhausting but sounds like decision is made.

When I fly to West coast I often take melatonin. Won't help you on night one but enables me to get a full night sleep night two rather than a 3am wake up. Buy it over the counter