Travelling as a contractor

[Mupps]

Book a day and go business class.

Be flexible, take the airmiles and the experience. But don't take the piss and don't let them do so in return.

[Wanderer]

I have done this quite a few times. The reason for the >5 upgrade is on health and safety reasons.

Good old 'elf and safety. I've done over 30 flights of 11+ hours and if I'm paying then it's always in economy which hasn't killed me yet. I must admit that as I get older I consider business class but if I'm paying then it's just not worth the money. Economy class on the "One World" alliance airlines like BA is pretty sucky, but if you hunt around then you can find a decent airline and it's not so bad.

I agree that if the client puts their permies in business class then they are going to have to put me up there for a long haul too. Probably the kicker for them is that if they put me on a 12 hour flight in economy then I'll be wanting a day off at the end of the flight to get some sleep because I can't get any meaningful sleep sitting back there in steerage. And I don't rate that stupid premium economy as being any better than economy either.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Any travel I have agreed with client co; payment starts from leaving home. I do not get up at 3am to get a 6am flight for free. No other profession does that either.

Not so easy if you're on a daily rate though is it?

No problem: a daily rate is the rate for a "professional day". Getting up at 3am exceeds any reasonable criterion for a professional day, so the bill exceeds 1 day. And smile when you say "professional day" to them.

[Scoi]

All came to a happy conclusion (not a double entendre). Proj Man asked me to book travel, I emailed to get upgraded, he's on holiday, I ask my line manager and he says the budget is 5k. Business class flights 5.4k . First class 4.9k other line manager goes and check with Dir of Proj, too late, never mind.

Anyone know if you can steal the noise cancelling headphones from First?

[northernladuk]

Anyone know if you can steal the noise cancelling headphones from First?

Nothing worse than common people in first class

[bless 'em all]

I regularly hear people whispering "Nothing worse than common people in first class"

FTFY

[Scoobos]

Personally, I dont let my client book anything for me - and if I was to ever do so, I'd make sure I'm billed for it.

When I travel:

1. I book the flight, so the type is mute
2. I charge for the flight
3. I begin the clock when I leave the house to go to the airport
4. I stop the clock when I arrive at the airport / hotel
5. All of the above is expressed on an invoice as "On-Site International Visit " with all the above rolled up into one sum.

So my £10 daily rate is worked out on a (fair) 8.5 hour day , so if it takes 17 hours, its 2 days + the cost of the flight and then I apply VAT.

I can't say it enough though, for me, EVERYTHING, everything goes through business expenses, not through the client. (you can also be cheeky and slip the extra few quid VAT in)

[kingcook]

So my £10 daily rate is worked out on a (fair) 8.5 hour day , so if it takes 17 hours, its 2 days + the cost of the flight and then I apply VAT.

WOW

[northernladuk]

WOW

It's a fair price to be honest.