QF93 > Qf 11 > Dinner Meeting Advice

[Ben174]

HI Guys, I'm flying the above just after Christmas, and unfortunately my company has got me landing the evening of my first dinner meeting. I basically have to drop bags and continue on to the reservation, meaning ill take a suit with me on board (flying J) but what would you guys recommend would be the best way to do this. Is there time in LAX to get a shower and change in (I'm a WP) or is there anything in JFK for a freshen up? Really concerned how to tackle this as the past 3 years all trips that have involved this has been singapore which is easy!

 

[serfty]

Strait off QF11 to a meet in New York? It's due in at 16:30.

Don't like your options for freshen up there.

LAX is your best bet ... but move ... you have perhaps a 30 minute window if flights are on time. Ask about a shower immediately upon entering the lounge at TBIT.

 

[Anna]

If it was me, I would be explaining to my company how it will not be the best representation of it to be going to a dinner possibly smelly, definitely jet lagged and maybe exhausted (not to mention the very short window for dealing with any delayed flights) and I would be asking to fly 24 hours earlier.

As I am my company I would agree with myself about all of that But good luck.

 

[offshore171]

Is it a flexible fare? If so, are you able to get on a flight a day earlier?

 

[TheBOSman]

HI Guys, I'm flying the above just after Christmas, and unfortunately my company has got me landing the evening of my first dinner meeting. I basically have to drop bags and continue on to the reservation, meaning ill take a suit with me on board (flying J) but what would you guys recommend would be the best way to do this. Is there time in LAX to get a shower and change in (I'm a WP) or is there anything in JFK for a freshen up? Really concerned how to tackle this as the past 3 years all trips that have involved this has been singapore which is easy!

No offense to you at all OP, but I always wonder if the people/companies who set up their employees in such scenarios have ever actually done it themselves...

Also, as noted, arrival at JFK is scheduled for 4:30 (although it has a habit of lateness, it is 4:49PM in NYC currently and QF 11 is currently on final approach, many other landings after 6PM as well this week), and it will take you 45-60 minutes minimum at that time of day to get from JFK to Manhattan as well, even by taxi. So, unless your dinner is 7PM or later, you're going to need to work out any freshening up at LAX. As serfty notes, get to the lounge at TBIT as fast as you can and immediately ask for a shower. There aren't really any other good options unfortunately.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Communicate with the people who you're meeting for dinner just to let them know you're doing the MEL/xLAX/JFK flight that same day and that you'll need to go from airport to the hotel first to shower and change before heading to the restaurant.

By all means have a shower in LAX if there is a window of opportunity however allow for that on arrival in NYC at your hotel. I wouldn't think New Yorkers would make dinner reservations before 2000. They would have to be pretty uncaring not to understand that situation and I certainly don't think they would expect you to directly from JFK to a restaurant after 20 hours of flying.

Do you know where the dinner is in relation to your hotel? I'm sure you have the cell phone numbers of your US colleagues because if the flight is late you want to be able to ring them. It may be a good idea to pre-arrange a limo or do UberX to minimise any unnecessary waiting around on arrival at JFK.

What class of travel are you flying and do you have lounge access?

No offense to you at all OP, but I always wonder if the people/companies who set up their employees in such scenarios have ever actually done it themselves...

No way! Policy makers would never attempt such a feat. It's no different to the political 'do as we say not do as we do' mantra.

 

[Christoo]

No offense to you at all OP, but I always wonder if the people/companies who set up their employees in such scenarios have ever actually done it themselves...

All my working life I have been scheduled this way, I have landed in the AM and gone straight to a meeting more times than I could count.
Now I have my own company and I still do it to myself... When you travel a lot and constantly miss birthdays, anniversaries, functions etc. you try to maximise your time at home.

It's been a constant annoyance to me that me that more airports don't have showers in the arrivals area.
I would think that if you converted a shop at the airport to a mini lounge with great showers and an ironing board you could charge a $100 a go, I know I would pay it.
It would also be great if more airports had Arrival Lounges, the only one I have used is the CX one in HKG.

Anyway OP your best bet might be to pay for a nights accommodation at JFK, shower there then go to dinner and on to your normal Hotel.
I have done this several times, but not in NY.
You can present it to your bosses as an extra $300 for a shower or have you arrive a day earlier.

I don't think you will have time in LAX, the immigration process is too unpredictable.

 

[TonyHancock]

No offense to you at all OP, but I always wonder if the people/companies who set up their employees in such scenarios have ever actually done it themselves...

Did it in BA Y+ to the UK in June myself. In my case I could at least grab a quick shower before driving two hours to the meeting. (Incidentally I don't expect it from my employees.)

 

[TheBOSman]

Did it in BA Y+ to the UK in June myself. In my case I could at least grab a quick shower before driving two hours to the meeting. (Incidentally I don't expect it from my employees.)

All my working life I have been scheduled this way, I have landed in the AM and gone straight to a meeting more times than I could count.
Now I have my own company and I still do it to myself... When you travel a lot and constantly miss birthdays, anniversaries, functions etc. you try to maximise your time at home.

It's been a constant annoyance to me that me that more airports don't have showers in the arrivals area.
I would think that if you converted a shop at the airport to a mini lounge with great showers and an ironing board you could charge a $100 a go, I know I would pay it.
It would also be great if more airports had Arrival Lounges, the only one I have used is the CX one in HKG.

Anyway OP your best bet might be to pay for a nights accommodation at JFK, shower there then go to dinner and on to your normal Hotel.
I have done this several times, but not in NY.
You can present it to your bosses as an extra $300 for a shower or have you arrive a day earlier.
.

Of course, different if you do it yourself.

I've been fortunate to use quite a few arrival lounges, the BA one at LHR and the NH one at NRT, both good options. Really wish more airports had them as well. If JFK had a more unified terminal structure, I would bet one could work there. But, as noted, might be best to get a hotel at JFK, clean up there, then head into town. Depends all on how much time one has, and it might not matter if the flight is delayed as it has been recently.