Travelling on duty - what class?
 

Hey guys / gals, just wondering what is the current situation in our industry (corporate / business / private jets) pilots. When time comes for you to travel on the airlines for a recurrent training or for the usual base-return, which class is your company paying for you? Economy? Business class if flight is more than 4 hours...

Here it is Eco for flights shorter than 6 hours, otherwise Biz. Trouble is that our travel department has found out that you can airline to/from Dubai with Ukraine International via Kiev (B738), meaning that both legs are shorter than 6 hours... Quite disrespectful.

They found out very fast lol. I remember these positioning tricks. Glad it has not changed (improved) grrr on the last 5 years. A bit like Enoba-Bordi FL 150 LoL !

Our little team is put on Eco for short flights and prem-eco (or Business if Prem-eco is not available) for longer flights. Although there is no definition of what a longer flight is :-(

Other colleagues get business everywhere.

We travel business class for all legs longer than 4 hours.

Coach in North America, business outside. There are way too many advantages to business class other than comfort--priority bags, customs expedition, priority if flights get delayed or cancelled.

GF

UK based. Economy when domestic, always business when European/International.

Here (UK small Biz) the rule is Eco on intracontinental, don't know what'll happen after Brexit, and Business on intercontinental.

I don't think Brexit involves moving the UK to a different continent, but let's see the bargaining terms first.....

Business class always.

The cheapest they can get. And it seems to me that this is the new industry standard. LC

We are usually that busy that we get close to the 60 hour limit of weekly duty. For this reason our travel department cannot always book the cheapest flight home, because it may take too long to get to our gateway airport, busting the weekly duty limit.

Economy as a rule, but depending on fare and what is cheapest.

Although, I have always positioned on my old commercial airline and still know a lot of people there, so as of yet, still to travel actually in Economy... ;)

You mean you get to FLY? We get to position by road and rail.

Under 10 hours of flight block time (not per segment) is economy. Over 10 is business or better. West coast based pilots get mostly business for international since both Europe and Asia are 10+ hours. East Coast based pilots at my company get a lot of almost ten hour economy to Europe.

Economy class for us.

Flew back from Nigeria a few days ago - two other expat pilots I know were also in economy class.

There were also a few junior British High Commission people and a mid-thirties uk military officer on the flight - all in Business Class.

We usually deadhead in a 48 seater A319:) But for days off, its business or first depending on the destination/aircraft configuration. Gotta love seniority.

Funny story, our company, for awhile used 8 hour rule. Captain BS'd the travel agent to putting him in business. F/A and I were booked economy, BA, JFK-LHR. Really not an issue, only 5+45 and I'm only 5'9". I just curl up with and wait it out. At the departure lounge, Cappy gets called to the podium and told Business is oversold and gets upgraded! DOH!

GF

Business here.

Business not always best. Dubai - UK they provided me with Business with Egyptair changing aircraft at Cairo. NOT recommended. Subsequent trips I chose to route non stop direct with Emirates in economy (similar cost to Business with Egyptair) - several hours quicker door to door, less chance of baggage missing the transfer, and yes EK economy was still more comfortable and less tiring (try sleeping through a few hours on the ground changing flights in Cairo). Of course Business in EK would have been better ! But normally I'd always prefer direct flights. Moral of the story - if given the chance to stipulate then make sure it is Business class in a direct flight if available.