Job Discussion Forums

drjtrekker · Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 251

Do the Uni's pay out if one's flight is not direct to china? (i'm thinkin someting like a multi-flight/one or two stops before main destination)

What if i just purchase a 1 way?
ex. If they offer 10,000 for RT ticket, do the Uni's pay half/ 5000?

Your past experiences/thoughts are greatly appreciated.
drjtrek

Moon Over Parma · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 819

GeminiTiger · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:53 pm Post subject:

I recently ran into a contract from a Shanghai University that claimed because it was in the special economic zone it didn't have to offer any airfare. The monthly pay was a bit higher but it was also 22 hours.

Shrug.

Every contract has slightly different language. Read it carefully.

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Read the contract on offer. As far as I know they can make any offer they like as of about a year ago. The important thing is how much money you get if you work here twelve months along with of course how many hours you have to put in along with conditions. Ten month contracts put you in a bad postion for two months in general as most contracts start around the first of September for Uni and public schools etc. So bottom line is total wage, holidays, class hours plus attendance time. conditions eg accommodation utilities, airfares etc.

Moon Over Parma · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 819

Mpho · Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 58

Most university contracts include a phrase about most direct way without any layovers.

Also, many universities consider the first stop in the U.S. to be the most direct, not to your hometown airport, e.g. Los Angelses not Philadelphia, San Francisco not Atlanta. And many do not let you take a Northwest flight which goes to Tokyo and on to Detroit or MSP.

Similarly, many won't reimburse from Philadelphia to LAX to Beijing for instance as that is not a direct flight.

I had trouble with the only flight I could get Philadelphia to Charlotte to Denver to Los Angeles to Beijing. This was the cheapest fare at the time. Once I proved this to the College, they reimbursed me in full.

So do your research, buy the cheapest ticket without long layovers and make copies of the prices of more direct flights in case the university gives you trouble.

Likewise, fight ahead of time about reimbursing the domestic portion of your flight in the U.S. It is always good to use Air China or China Southern who code share in the U.S. This means "direct" flights to many FAO's.

If flying from the East Coast of the U.S., you might try some flights through Europe to China as well. But once again, make sure you compare cheapest with most direct. Your FAO will not argue with "cheapest" in most cases.

Returning home is a different story as the university gets a sizeable discount on air tickets when they buy them. You may never get the same price they do. Though if you want the frequent flyer points, they usually will allow that.

I have always given them my itinerary, the lowest cost flights I could find.They FAO usually books the flight after calling her travel agent to see what the "real price" is.

Also, flights from China to the U.S. are less expensive, in general, than flights from the U.S. to China over the same route and same carrier.

Mpho

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

A flight from Beijing to New York is usually cheaper then a flight from Beijing to LA (to New York is more direct)

But my FAO a couple years ago insisted I go to LA (my home is New York), the more expensive ticket. Honestly

I told her what SAFEA says (forget using common sense)

International airport nearest the school to international airport neares the FT home, most direct and economical