£6 billion spending cuts to be announced today

[d000hg]

The problem is that First/Business class travel applies to most civil servants for any flight over a couple of hours if I remember rightly. This immediatley makes the number a lot bigger

Fair enough. I'd still say senior people and MPS should be allowed it, as a reasonable perk of the job though.

Why?

If a company thinks I'm important/valuable enough to pay £100k/year, they should treat me with the respect such a position entails.
And if my job requires a lot of travelling, I expect to do so in comfort.

If you were hiring someone good, they would often have a choice of employers offering good salaries... treating people well becomes a big factor in getting them to choose to work for you.

[Sysman]

WHS

The dopey gits

It amazes me that they paid for a pilot.

[fullyautomatix]

What about the thousands who jumped onto the HIPS gravy train ?

I did a website to a HIPS trainer and there were mugs who chucked in a proper safe job in private sector and paid about 10K to train as HIP. They were all promised riches by the HIPS trainer with some figures around the 500 per report.

I do not know if I need to feel sorry for such fools who get blinded by greed.

[minestrone]

The definition of the title 'Civil Servant' is the reason why they should not be in first class.

[fullyautomatix]

The definition of the title 'Civil Servant' is the reason why they should not be in first class.

What soup Said.

They are in civil service to serve the country and it's population and not to put thier snout in the trough.

If they want perks like first class let them take up a job in the private sector and ask for it.

[AtW]

If a company thinks I'm important/valuable enough to pay £100k/year

You seem to have some sense of entitlement to luxury - if you really think it's a worthwhile expense then you should pay your own money from your high salary.

they should treat me with the respect such a position entails. And if my job requires a lot of travelling, I expect to do so in comfort.

Only if it's in the contract - I doubt any of the civil servants had it in writing, this was perk of the job that cost massive amounts of money.

[d000hg]

What soup Said.

They are in civil service to serve the country and it's population and not to put thier snout in the trough.

Travelling in comfort when you are a public figure whose job involves a lot of travel is not having your "snout in the trough". It's bad enough for a regular person to get any work done in standard class, if you're recognisable then forget it.
Being an MP is an important job, MPs should get privileges that make their job easier.

[d000hg]

You seem to have some sense of entitlement to luxury - if you really think it's a worthwhile expense then you should pay your own money from your high salary.

It's called capitalism, not entitlement. I work hard to reach a point where I'm a valuable resource, not another bum-on-seat, and reap the rewards for it.

[bobspud]

Why?

The actual statement should read we ban 1st and business class travel however no longer expect the person in question to work during their travel time...

I caught some representatives from a major accountancy firm talking about customer stuff on the 7.13 morning train from Bath a few years ago. I happened to know one of the partners concerned and had "A Chat" when I got to work. If the idiots concerned had been in first class they would have only exposed the information to 5 people instead of 90 odd...

I also used to travel business as standard, but then when the bad times hit I got forced into cattle. The difference was clear. When I had a private lounge with wiifi and food I would get there early (in my own time) and work there till the flight. Once I had to do cattle My laptop went in my luggage and I didn't work. So £100 saving cost £1000 in time that could not be billed...

[DieScum]

It's called capitalism, not entitlement. I work hard to reach a point where I'm a valuable resource, not another bum-on-seat, and reap the rewards for it.

I don't know how widespread first class travel is in the civil service but I'd want it be broadly in line with the private sector.

So very senior people should be allowed it and even then if they do without when it's not needed then that is looked on very favourably. Otherwise no, because it's too expensive. Just like a well run business.