The Home Front

Bankers Told to Fly Coach

By Luke Mullins

Posted: October 22, 2008

Good news: On your next flight from Bangkok, Thailand, to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, you might get a chance to give those bankers a piece of your mind.

From Bloomberg, via Housing Doom:

Merrill Lynch & Co., UBS AG and JPMorgan & Chase Co. are telling senior bankers in Asia to fly coach on short-haul flights and reduce nonessential travel as they step up cost cuts, officials at the firms said.

UBS advised bankers this month to travel economy class for flights of up to five hours, two officials at the biggest Swiss bank said, asking not to be identified because it's an internal policy. Merrill employees have been told to travel economy for flights of as much as three hours since mid-September, two executives at the firm said.

Baggage

I think they should fly in the baggage/cargo area.

mike of NJ @ Oct 23, 2008 13:51:51 PM

It's All Coach

"On your next flight from Bangkok, Thailand, to Phnom Penh, Cambodia..." seems to suggest that bankers might have been used to flying business or first class. There is no business or first class on flights from Bangkok to Phnom Penh. Next time, suggest to your writers that they check their facts before writing.

Mr. Magoo of MD @ Oct 23, 2008 12:42:51 PM

flying coach

Aw, too bad....

The company I work for (a Fortune 500) requires all of us (including executives) to fly coach for any flight under 7 hours and this policy has been in place since Q3 2006. The finance fat cats are finally feeling the pinch too. Get used to it bankers....you earned it.

DeDe of MD @ Oct 23, 2008 08:52:10 AM

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The Home Front

The Home Front

Associate Editor Luke Mullins tracks the treacherous housing market and explains how to unload a five-bedroom McMansion or even find that dream home.

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