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

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Definitely ask. Your risk for clotting is substantially higher when pregnant, added to the increased risk of clotting fir anyone who flies. It truly is a health issue.

[Anonymous]

If boss says no, then what? Make sure you have a plan B.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely ask. Your risk for clotting is substantially higher when pregnant, added to the increased risk of clotting fir anyone who flies. It truly is a health issue.

Ask not to go if that’s at all an option. And it sould be — you could very well be on leave by then or develop complications that make flying a bad idea. I was supposed to travel overseas around 25 weeks but my doctor wouldn’t okay it because of something in my anatomy scan. You job will need to have someone else in place to cover this trip anyway, just make sure that someone else is plan A.

[Anonymous]

Are you expected to work on the flight? When I was pregnant I could not lower the tray in coach for my laptop when I was 30+ weeks.

[Anonymous]

Ask is a verb, not a noun. The word that OP wants is "request."

[Anonymous]

As a manager, I'd want to see a doctor's note. Otherwise, other employees may say I'm playing favorites or being unfair. But if there's a documented medical need, I can justify it.

Sure, you're pregnant but I'm not one to judge if that necessitates it since I'm not a doctor.

[Anonymous]

I flew cross country at that point in a pregnancy (personal) and my doctor said to just make sure I stood up and walked during the flight but said I was likely to need to pee enough during the flight it wouldn’t be a problem. For my 2nd pregnancy I flew at about 10 weeks and had to tell my colleagues early because it was a higher risk pregnancy and I wasn’t allowed to lift anything over 10 lbs. With both I got aisle seats and was fine. That said, we arrived in the evening and I wasn’t expected to work right away vs many European flights that arrive in the morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our policy is business class for anything over 6 hours.

I’d totally ask.

This should be the policy for anyone. I would not travel for work in coach for a flight over 6 hours.

Im pretty sure this is the fed rule but it may be just the level beyond coach- Idk if that is business but I do remember reading something about that in our contractor manual on travel.

Granted it has been a few years but I am a fed and there's a strict no upgrade policy in my agency. I routinely flew 30 hours in coach. One of those legs was 14 hours a middle seat. Next to a woman holding a 2 year old.

As to OP, I would first see what the doctor says. And IF she must go, ask for upgrade, assuming it's consistent with company culture (do people ever get upgrades?). But honestly, I would not want to fly to Europe at 31 weeks pregnant,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I flew cross country at that point in a pregnancy (personal) and my doctor said to just make sure I stood up and walked during the flight but said I was likely to need to pee enough during the flight it wouldn’t be a problem. For my 2nd pregnancy I flew at about 10 weeks and had to tell my colleagues early because it was a higher risk pregnancy and I wasn’t allowed to lift anything over 10 lbs. With both I got aisle seats and was fine. That said, we arrived in the evening and I wasn’t expected to work right away vs many European flights that arrive in the morning.

This is good advice. At a minimum, OP should insist up on an aisle seat. Also, when I fly long haul, I wore compression socks. They really help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our policy is business class for anything over 6 hours.

I’d totally ask.

This should be the policy for anyone. I would not travel for work in coach for a flight over 6 hours.

Im pretty sure this is the fed rule but it may be just the level beyond coach- Idk if that is business but I do remember reading something about that in our contractor manual on travel.

Federal employee? Uh no. That would be 14 hours but even with a longer than 14 hour trip you may have to follow individual agency guidance, which may deviate.

Or if her doctor writes a note recommending business class to accommodate for any of a number of issues a pregnant woman might be at higher risk for including joint strain, blood clots, fainting due to low blood pressure, etc. My OB wrote a note for me and my agency happily accommodated. They have to give the same accommodations for pregnancy they would give for any other health concern.

[Anonymous]

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

Your pregnancy experience is irrelevant to your employees pregnancy experience, and “I would lose respect for a pregnant woman requesting accommodations” is “I will soon lose a discrimination lawsuit”

[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

Your pregnancy experience is irrelevant to your employees pregnancy experience, and “I would lose respect for a pregnant woman requesting accommodations” is “I will soon lose a discrimination lawsuit”

PP didn't say what you quoted. There is a difference between a person asking for an employer to pay for an upgrade regardless of the reason and a person submitting a formal medical accommodation request. If OP can get a doctor to say that her pregnancy itself is a medical condition and that sitting in a roomier seat will enable her to fly safer, then of course the employer should grant that request. But I agree with others that the most likely appropriate accommodation is not flying at all. The difference in seat is about comfort, and ANYBODY would want that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our policy is business class for anything over 6 hours.

I’d totally ask.

This should be the policy for anyone. I would not travel for work in coach for a flight over 6 hours.

Im pretty sure this is the fed rule but it may be just the level beyond coach- Idk if that is business but I do remember reading something about that in our contractor manual on travel.

Federal employee? Uh no. That would be 14 hours but even with a longer than 14 hour trip you may have to follow individual agency guidance, which may deviate.

Or if her doctor writes a note recommending business class to accommodate for any of a number of issues a pregnant woman might be at higher risk for including joint strain, blood clots, fainting due to low blood pressure, etc. My OB wrote a note for me and my agency happily accommodated. They have to give the same accommodations for pregnancy they would give for any other health concern.

How would business class accommodate any of those things? It is like saying I have diabetes so I need a big window office. The two don't connect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be worried about blood clots in the legs.

Yes that is the real danger and flying business class won’t change that

Yes, Op would need to stand up and walk around every 1hr regardless of where she sits.

It is *much* easier when you’re not in coach. But there is also just the comfort issue which is 100% a legitimate reason to ask for business. If they are going to make her go, it shouldn’t have to be significantly more uncomfortable for her than it would be for anybody else in the company. Really I think OP should just not go though.

Sure. But "Business class is more comfortable" =/= "a legitimate health matter"