Paying for flights out

Did your school pay you in advance for the flights or did you have to pay and get reimbursed?

 

I start my post in September in the ME. My school pay for my flights in advance but reimburse me of my freight allowance after I arrive. It makes sense to do it that way, in my opinion!

 

Did they book and pay for the flights or did they send out a cheque?

 

My first overseas job paid for me to fly out there - as in there was someone at the airport waiting for me with my ticket.
My second and third overseas posts reimbursed my expenses on the production of receipts. This was done immediately and in cash.

 

Current school books and pays for flight in advance.
Of my previous schools:

• didn't pay at all
• sent a cheque in advance
• reimbursed on arrival

So it's all up to the school.

 

Cool. It'll make soo much difference if the school just booked and paid for the flights, 1 less thing to worry about.

 

Yup, my school booked and paid for my flights out then emailed me the details so I could check in online and print my tickets.

 

On several occasions I've had flights paid for. I've always booked the ticket myself, but the schools in question have always reimbursed me very promptly.

 

What i find mildly irritating is the assumption i want to fly from London as i reside in the UK. Been abroad 7 years and it has always been the case even though my home city is known. Luckily, I have finally got it through to the agent who books our tickets that i can fly to Manchester via Dubai just as easily and for the same price as a Heathrow bound connection. That saves me both money and time, yippee!
To the OP, i'd be wary about anyone expecting you to pay for a flight out of your own pocket and seek reimbursement. It smacks of poor organisation. A good school would put you in touch with someone and ask you to forward your preferred flight date/airport, with them then buying and sending you the e-ticket. Common sense really, as otherwise you'd find yourself staying in a hotel at your expense to make some early morning departure.

 

Not particularly true. My current school reimbursed my travel expenses after I had paid for them. Their reasoning being that I generally knew exactly how I wanted to get from where I was to where they were, with some additional stops off visiting people. They would pay whatever seemed reasonable on the production of receipts, which they did without asking the details.
It is relatively easy for a school to pay for your travel expenses from point A to point B in advance. It is not so easy for a school to figure everything out if you wish to go from point A to point C for a week. Then from point C to point D for a month or so and then finally head to point B. Any reasonable school will leave you to it and then pick up the cost of the equivalent direct route.

 

I got burnt over this. A former school left me to book and pay for my own tickets and then the person in charge went on honeymoon without delegating anyone to takeover. My frantic emails to check the restrictions and what they would cover went unanswered. Finally I booked the ticket via LA. When I got there they refused to reimburse it as their policy was to fly via Dubai.
Eventually after a few very anxious and unhappy weeks of wrangling, they reimbursed part of it. Result: out of pocket by $US500.
Not surprisingly, things went downhill from there at that school. Yet apparently most people are quite happy there.

 

Good point. I always get an agreement in writing ( via email from the headmaster ) before I start any ticket purchasing.

 

Last 2 contracts the schools booked and paid for my flights 3 months before. I am now setting off on my 3rd contract and the school are supposed to book and pay for my flights this time to. Have to pay for shipping myself though but will be reimbursed when I arrive.

 

My school have been really good. They have asked me which UK airport I want to depart from and then organised a ticket on my behalf. I am pleased that they don't presume I am flying straight from London as I live 400 miles north!

I am expecting it in the post fairly soon.