For the information of everyone: ALAC members are already allowed to book upgradeable economy flights. This was what American Express was told this time around. There is also a way for applications to be made for business class flights for medical/good reasons like that - there are members who do use these flexibilities. If that DIDN'T happen I'd like to know the situation. As I told everyone in the community: this is the first time we've used this travel provider. Using them provides many benefits, such as: multilingual reservations staff longer hours of access to agents the ability to be called back at any number of the traveller's choice to make arrangements HOWEVER, this was the first time out of the gate and everyone can help make it better by telling me what you think of the service, and of anything that didn't go as you think it should have. On 13 Jun 2007, at 12:15, Adam Peake wrote:
I think ALAC needs to consider separate policies for ALS travelling to their regional meeting and committee members who travel (mostly) much further, more often and have more work to do once at the meeting. Separate polices for both expense reimbursement and travel.
Upgradeable economy fare is appropriate for committee members (in my opinion it should be for all staff and board, imagine how many extra people could be brought on fellowships, 100? ICANN is unusual in it's treatment of staff in particular, few firms fly business class these days -- though good luck to anyone who can negotiate that in their employment contract :-)
The slightly higher economy fare (in my experience a few hundred dollars) means of course the opportunity to upgrade, but also on many frequent flyer programs it also means the chance to use economy premium seats, etc. Just an inch or two, but it's nice.
The combination of tightening the arrival and departure dates and this lowest cost economy for committee members is a false economy, and I think also looks insulting. That it is not adequately documented and introduced somewhat out of the blue is also typical.
Sticking on a Nominating Committee hat:
Please treat volunteers with respect. They are hard to find.
(hat off.)
Thanks,
Adam
At 9:48 AM +0200 6/13/07, Roberto Gaetano wrote:
Jacqueline A. Morris wrote:
I AGREED with Alice about the per diem. I'm one of the poor ones who cannot easily find $800 US in a couple of weeks. I've already brought it up as a problem with the travel staff. However, the UN uses this system, and a lot of orgs follow the UN system with regard to travel.
My company uses the UN system.
There is nothing that prevents advance payment of at least a certain percentage of the per-diem. Since we will all be in the same location, it could be done in cash in the local currency upon arrival (unless staff tells me that this is unfeasible ofr sume reason, like currency regulations of the host country). There should be no problem in implementing this in Los Angeles in October, for instance.
Cheers,
Roberto
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