WWYD - work trip logistics/saving $$

LindseyJW

i work for a small, financially struggling company. i have to attend a work conference in boston next month. i'll be 30 weeks pregnant.

i just flew for work and flew in/out of BWI b/c it was $200 cheaper than DCA, which is 5 minutes from my house.

for this trip, the ticket difference is $120. i'm not crazy about making the trip to BWI again, since the return will be midweek and rush hour b/c:

- i don't want to ask my husband to leave work early to pick up our son then battle rush hour traffic to drive to BWI to pick me up

- we don't have an extra car for me to park at the airport

- i'm not interested in the 90 minute return via super shuttle nor the MARC train option (additional walk through the airport with luggage after 3 straight 12 hr work days, to get on a train to walk through union station to take 2 different metro lines, uh, no thanks)

so my question, how do i explain this to my boss without sounding like a whiney brat? do i offer to pay the difference? split the difference? i think i wouldn't mind so much if i weren't pregnant, but i am, and that last trip really sucked. at the same time, money is tight around here (at work).

Artslvr

Lindsey, this is your pep talk.

Even though I just had to cancel this work trip, I just had a similar situation (fly out of DCA vs. BWI, my agency is really really cheap with stuff like this, etc.).  I wouldn't budge.  DCA was all I offered to do.  I just acted like BWI wasn't even an option. They asked if there were flights out of BWI, I said yes, but they were at bad times and I couldn't possibly do it. 

I know you want to be sensitive about your company's financial situation, and I'm not one to throw diva fits about stuff like this, but $120 is WORTH IT for the convenience of DCA, especially since you're pg.  I would not offer to pay the difference or split it, just present the DCA info and leave it.  If they ask about BWI, just say yes, you looked into it, but the logistics would be impossible. 

$120 is not going to put your company into bankrupcy. Stay strong!

 

LindseyJW

Artslvr:

Lindsey, this is your pep talk.

Even though I just had to cancel this work trip, I just had a similar situation (fly out of DCA vs. BWI, my agency is really really cheap with stuff like this, etc.).  I wouldn't budge.  DCA was all I offered to do.  I just acted like BWI wasn't even an option. They asked if there were flights out of BWI, I said yes, but they were at bad times and I couldn't possibly do it. 

I know you want to be sensitive about your company's financial situation, and I'm not one to throw diva fits about stuff like this, but $120 is WORTH IT for the convenience of DCA, especially since you're pg.  I would not offer to pay the difference or split it, just present the DCA info and leave it.  If they ask about BWI, just say yes, you looked into it, but the logistics would be impossible. 

$120 is not going to put your company into bankrupcy. Stay strong!

 

this made me smile! thanks for the pep talk! i was thinking this, but didn't want to be difficult (there is some history with me allegedly being difficult in regards to attending this conference stemming back a few years when they wanted me to share a room, which i flat out refused to do).

this is exactly what i'm going to do. just talked to the office manager about it. Thank you!

LMH1209

How much is the Super Shuttle each way?  (I assume you'd bill back that cost to your company.  If not, you should!)  Wouldn't that cost potentially cancel out half (or more) of the amount you'd save by flying out of BWI?

LindseyJW

LMH1209:

How much is the Super Shuttle each way?  (I assume you'd bill back that cost to your company.  If not, you should!)  Wouldn't that cost potentially cancel out half (or more) of the amount you'd save by flying out of BWI?

I'm not sure the exact cost, but last time I took it, SS was at least $25 each way. So, that would knock a minimum of $50 off the difference. Good point!

 

Sofka

can you take a cab from BWI to your home?

if not an option, just go out of DCA, it they can afford to send you to the conference, pay your hotel, M&IE, etc, $120 is not that big of a deal. If they really could not pay, you would not be going

LindseyJW

Sofka:

can you take a cab from BWI to your home?

if not an option, just go out of DCA, it they can afford to send you to the conference, pay your hotel, M&IE, etc, $120 is not that big of a deal. If they really could not pay, you would not be going

i think the cab would be more than SS, so, they probably woudln't go for that option.

the conference is actually a conference that my company puts on for a client project every year. every other year, it is out of town. everyone has to go to help out and i'm facilitating several workshops.

DCtoLowcountry

I would also just present the DCA info, but document the cost information (cab would cancel out the difference, shuttle would only save $X which will e offset by X work hours since you'll be returning directly, etc).

MrsTiara

Just go with DCA.  Coming back from BWI during rush hour is unacceptable.  When I used to travel for work, I would only look at DCA flights.  Heck, even the feds will pay for DH to only fly into DCA when he needs to go back for work.  I remember when they tried to make you share a room, also completely unacceptable.