Justification for J travel policy

[Evan]

So, i am re-negotiating my contract.... and i need some hints on justification of business class travel, higher level employees do get this privlege and i want it in my contract if i can. (Atleast for +7hrs flights)

I figure the best approach is about health reasons since i will be looking at doing Asia-USA travel and Asia-Europe a bit potentially.

The can start wook sooner etc is a little bit less important point since they offer recovery time, fly early etc, but that is one justification.

E

 

[taswegian77]

I wish you luck in your justification quest to travel J. Our company has a Premium Economy policy for flights over 6 hours. Sometimes we can snag a J class seat in D class but it is rare. Once your company offers extra days to recover etc you are going to struggle to get J. I would use the angle of being away from the family and by traveling J i can get there, do work and get back in the shortest time. I guess if you don't have a family that angle will not work. Good luck.

 

[Evan]

Well i guess the thing is i just need some words for when i put it in writing... even though we may get days etc still does not make up for lack of comfort.... back pain etc... (no i don't get it but i do feel cough after a long haul in Y)

Premium fine would be a great start but i wont mention it unless i loose out on J.

Managers one level above me get J travel, people i travel with from Europe get J travel... and its hard to take an extra day off when your traveling in a group.

But since i have yet to sign a contract its the best time to try and get it... i am not actually specificly asking for J travel on long flights but rather the travel policy of employees 1 level above me.

E

 

[Jobu]

I suggest it is a H&S issue if you travel frequently, particularly if you have overnight flights. Personally I would say for all flights over 3 hours long at a minimum.

It should also be a pre-requisite if you are ever expected to do any work on the plane, especially if you do alot of work on flights and/or your work is confidential.

If you are a consultant you can often justify this based on the amount of work you can do on a flight vs your charge rate.

However if your company is serious about H&S and well-being of their employees who travel frequently, it should be easy to explain.

JOBU

 

[Sprucegoose]

So, i am re-negotiating my contract.... and i need some hints on justification of business class travel, higher level employees do get this privlege and i want it in my contract if i can. (Atleast for +7hrs flights)

I figure the best approach is about health reasons since i will be looking at doing Asia-USA travel and Asia-Europe a bit potentially.

The can start wook sooner etc is a little bit less important point since they offer recovery time, fly early etc, but that is one justification.

E

Get a job in mining or oil and gas!!!!

 

[simongr]

I think the angle re the recovery time is a good one - linking it to travelling with a group. Perhaps if they wont swing that for all travel - maybe suggest J when you are travelling as part of group also travelling J.

 

[Dave Noble]

So, i am re-negotiating my contract.... and i need some hints on justification of business class travel, higher level employees do get this privlege and i want it in my contract if i can. (Atleast for +7hrs flights)

I figure the best approach is about health reasons since i will be looking at doing Asia-USA travel and Asia-Europe a bit potentially.

The can start wook sooner etc is a little bit less important point since they offer recovery time, fly early etc, but that is one justification.

E

The main thing to me, given that they have a policy, is whether your role is that which would be of a level with business class travel if you were an employee

If yes, then shouldn't be too bad to negotiate
If no, then I would think that the chances of getting approval is v low

Dave

 

[vt]

I read you plight as...

1 level above youu gets J.
Same level in Europe get J.

What I would angle is the following.

1. Y is still Y. So if your doing AUS-USA, thats from 15 to 30 hours airport to airport. I would expect quite a lengthy (2 days) recovery. In your circumstance, you are travelling frequently so you should be justified to get J. Rest time is great if you only do 1 or 2 internationals a year. Not so great if your doing it every week.

2. At the ripe old age of 31, my backpacking days are over. 14 hours in a whY seat although bearable greatly reduces productivity at the other end. Especially when it could take 3 days to get over jetlag.

3. Do they require you to travel on weekends? Personal time? Night time? Depending on how much clout you have, try and get travel time credited to your 40 hours a week. So if you do mel-sfo, get 2 days annual leave in leiu. This may be a career limiting move though.

At the end of the day, if they stick to policy and say your not high enough to get J, there is little you can do. The strongest points would be the frequency of your travel, the productiveness at the other end and a healthier and happier employee.

 

[codash1099]

What is the cost, in real $ terms and in lost productivity, of tacking a couple of extra days on both ends of a trip. Or on multiple legs of a trip? Or the possibility of actually doing some productive work in J that would not be possible in Y.

It seems to me that they are recognising the problems of long Y flights and a seeking a half baked way of overcoming them.

 

[Flashback]

I suggest it is a H&S issue if you travel frequently, particularly if you have overnight flights. Personally I would say for all flights over 3 hours long at a minimum.

Sounds just like our companies policy. And yep, mining industry

 

[Evan]

I think the angle re the recovery time is a good one - linking it to travelling with a group. Perhaps if they wont swing that for all travel - maybe suggest J when you are travelling as part of group also travelling J.

This is correct, i am not asking for J travel all the time only when its required, if there is no issues with recovery etc and i am not doing too many hours in a plane, eg to Europe then whY i will accept.

Thankfully i am never expected or asked to work on a plane, that is completely out of the question even in J (I do usually check my mail in the lounges though)

E

 

[Evan]

I read you plight as...

1 level above youu gets J.
Same level in Europe get J.

<..>

3. Do they require you to travel on weekends? Personal time? Night time? Depending on how much clout you have, try and get travel time credited to your 40 hours a week. So if you do mel-sfo, get 2 days annual leave in leiu. This may be a career limiting move though.

At the end of the day, if they stick to policy and say your not high enough to get J, there is little you can do. The strongest points would be the frequency of your travel, the productiveness at the other end and a healthier and happier employee.

Thanks for the ideas, your correct about my plight !
Actually travel time is time in leiu or on work hours (atleast it was in my old contract) and i am happy with this for the most part.

E

 

[JohnK]

I figure the best approach is about health reasons since i will be looking at doing Asia-USA travel and Asia-Europe a bit potentially.

I see nothing wrong with this excuse if you are doing point to point long haul travel with necessary stopovers/transits.

If you do state health reasons but then start to incorporate mileage runs into your travel it will not look good and may well be frowned upon even if is actually saving the company money. Many companies actually provide business class travel for long haul flights but it must be the most direct routing and the cheapest airfare on reputable carriers.

g a J class seat in D class but it is rare. Once your company offers extra days to recover etc you are going to struggle to get J.

I would rather have the extra days either side and travel in economy than travel in business and be expected to hit the ground running. Even better when I can get time off in lieu for travelling in economy during my own time and save these days to have a 1-2 week holiday.

 

[Harpoon]

My work has a 4h+ policy for J seats. It seems to work pretty well. I don't think sitting in Y for 3 hours 50 is unreasonable when travelling to NZ. it's not the best but it's ok.

However up that to 5 or 6 hours to the pacific islands and then Y becomes a whole lot more uncomfortable.

Perhaps just work out what amount of time justifies J seat and run with that along with the comfort, family, efficiency, ability to work in the air etc.

 

[Evan]

Inside Asia at upto 7 hours in whY on a day flight is ok... just.

I have no chance at all for a status / mileage run strict company policy. Sure i prefer to route into China if not direct on SQ then via HKG and CX/KA combo rather than fly some dodgy China airline but thats my choice as the cost is same.

As John says the days off or J, i simply want the choice sometimes the days off is not practical. And flying J would never fly in and work the same day, always one night sleep, so arrive Sunday for a monday work... and still claim TIL for travel time over MY weekend.

I know if i don't ask now then its pointless asking later that is for sure.

E