Double your seat pitch

Airline tickets seem to be flavour of the month for Freedom of Information requests to the BBC.

Last Monday, we brought you news about centrally-booked flights between the UK and the USA (it took the Mail until Thursday to notice it). From April to September this year, there was one first class ticket, and 51 business class tickets.

Now we learn that demand for bigger seats and more leg room is even more widespread. From January to September, 1,044 flights were booked via the BBC’s agents which were for either business or first class travel. Clearly there were 1,044 justifications for this, accepted by Heads of Department under the BBC rules...

Upgraded travel, i.e. above economy, is not appropriate for journeys of less than four hours. For longer journeys upgraded travel may be justified for business need and, in very exceptional circumstances, on health grounds. In any of these circumstances, the travel must be authorised in writing by Head of Department or above. Examples of business need where upgraded travel might be appropriate include: 

  The necessity to travel with a contributor who has a reservation in a higher class. 
  To take advantage of an additional baggage allowance so reducing the total cost of travel. 
  Where seats are not available in a lower class. 
  Where it is at no extra cost to the BBC. 
  Where the traveller is expected to work straight after a flight of four hours or more.