work trip while pregnant - is business class a reasonable ask?

[Anonymous]

I'd also be worried about getting Covid in Europe and having to quarantine for 10 days.

[Anonymous]

Everyone I know that travels to Europe Asia for work has a policy that any flight over 5 hours should be booked as business. Some even have policies that anything over 10 is first.

[Anonymous]

Forget business class, you will still be with the peasants that take their shoes off and fart constantly. Get up in 1st class. Go big. You deserve it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want it, you pay the difference.

This^^

You (and others) embarrass yourself asking for special accommodations for pregnancy. If you need something special, you should be at home, on bedrest.

The only person embarrassing themselves is you. Stay classy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:It’s a legitimate health matter and that’s a long flight. I’m sorry you even entertain the notion of being considered a “diva” for being concerned about your physical well-being on a long-haul flight at 31 weeks pregnant. I would ask.

How is it a legitimate health matter? What about business class is healthier?

Pregnancy is a tremendous change in the health and well-being of the woman. Business class is roomier. Are you dense?

+1. "How is it a legitimate health matter," WTAF. Let's guess, PP, you are one of those guys that thinks women should be denied access to abortion because "it's no harder than carrying a handbag around and she can just give the baby up for adoption when it's born." Pregnancy is a serious health condition, yes, dumb-dumb. And OP, you are not being a diva to ask about this. I have worked for companies that upgrade travelers at their request because they're "big men" and "need more room," or "sprained their ankle hiking" or whatever lame excuse. Plus if your company is already willing to pay $3K to send you overseas, they can suck up the extra.

Of course pregnancy is a legitimate health condition. But how will being in business class address that health condition? Of course it will be more comfortable, and I personally think the company should spring for it for that reason alone. But the PP said being in business class is necessary to address a health condition, yet no one seems able to explain how exactly it will do that.

Pregnant women are at increased risk of clots, and having your legs cramped up for 8hr vs stretched out for 8hr affects clotting risk tremendously.

No it really doesn't. The issue is being seated for that long, regardless of whether your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle or a 110 degree angle. In either circumstance, OP should get up and move.
Economy v. Business, is about comfort not medical risk.

Amazing how many MDs disagree with your assessment. Mine was happy to write a letter saying the increased space and the ability to lie flat was beneficial to avoid clots. Weird they didn’t ask you first…

So is coumadin and compression socks. Would you argue that your employer is obligated to provide them to you as an accommodation?

Why do you keep talking about warfarin? You are aware that it's pregnancy class D and is almost never prescribed to pregnant women, right? It's come up multiple times in this thread and it's just plain stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a legitimate health matter and that’s a long flight. I’m sorry you even entertain the notion of being considered a “diva” for being concerned about your physical well-being on a long-haul flight at 31 weeks pregnant. I would ask.

How is it a legitimate health matter? What about business class is healthier?

+1
I would be annoyed as a manager/owner and would lose respect for you (and I have flown pregnant many times for work). Use your own points or pay the difference

Were your flights over 6 hours and international at 31/32 weeks pregnant? If not it’s apples and oranges, and you are the type of female manager that all women should strive to avoid. No pregnant woman should be expected to travel over 6 hours internationally at that stage of pregnancy. OP, your doctor will gladly excuse you from this type of flight at that stage of pregnancy.

The problem is that a baby born at that point is viable and very expensive. Would the OP’s regular health insurance or a travel medical policy purchased while the OP was pregnant do a good job of covering the services required by a premie born at 31 weeks? Maybe the OP would have to try to sue the employer to get the employer to pay $100,000 or more in non-U.S. preemie care bills. (And, even in single-payer countries, preemie care bills for the baby of a business visitor could be very high.) Or, $10 million for lifetime care for a preemie who’s permanently disabled as a result of being born on a plane during a work-related business trip.

So, actually, it’s idiotic of the employer to send the employee on that trip, if the employer realizes the OP is pregnant. The employer is just asking for a complicated lawsuit.

[Anonymous]

IT DOESN"T MATTER WHAT THE DOCTORS SAYS IF THE PLANES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU ON

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IT DOESN"T MATTER WHAT THE DOCTORS SAYS IF THE PLANES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU ON

True.

But no airline prohibits travel at 31 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Forget business class, you will still be with the peasants that take their shoes off and fart constantly. Get up in 1st class. Go big. You deserve it.

Most international airlines do not have first class anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IT DOESN"T MATTER WHAT THE DOCTORS SAYS IF THE PLANES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU ON

True.

But no airline prohibits travel at 31 weeks.

MOST AIRLINES DO NOT ALLOW INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL POST 32- WEEKS.
I AM THE ONE WRITING IN CAPS BECAUSE THIS IS A MOOT ISSUE.

"Most airlines in the United States allow pregnant women to fly domestically in their third trimester before the 36th week. Some international flights restrict travel after 28 weeks."

[Anonymous]

You can ask and he can say NO.

BTW, are you a feminist? May be not otherwise you wouldn't have asked for a special treatment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would check with your airline and your OB about flying at all that late tbh

this, I was not supposed to leav3 the DMV area that late in pregnancy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a legitimate health matter and that’s a long flight. I’m sorry you even entertain the notion of being considered a “diva” for being concerned about your physical well-being on a long-haul flight at 31 weeks pregnant. I would ask.

Agree! Ask OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know that travels to Europe Asia for work has a policy that any flight over 5 hours should be booked as business. Some even have policies that anything over 10 is first.

.

There is no way in hell my employer (large and well respected global relief org) would give business or first. So maybe true forbusinesses, but not non profits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know that travels to Europe Asia for work has a policy that any flight over 5 hours should be booked as business. Some even have policies that anything over 10 is first.

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There is no way in hell my employer (large and well respected global relief org) would give business or first. So maybe true forbusinesses, but not non profits.

Uh yeah. My fed agency only gives business for 14+ hours. I flew to Europe 7 months pregnant for a two week work trip. Flew economy. It really wasn’t the catastrophe everyone is making it out to be.