[Linux-aus] LCA2014 update update - what can we do to reduce workload?

[Chris Neugebauer]

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 1:53 AM, Jonathan Corbet <corbet at lwn.net> wrote:
>
> As one of those obnoxious speakers who has to be flown all over the world,
> I have truly come to dread the words "our travel agent will arrange a
> flight for you."  I always end up going several rounds with such people
> before it's possible to come up with an itinerary that maximizes my
> chances of actually arriving on time and in a condition to give a coherent
> talk.  Those of us who do a lot of this are happy (OK, willing) to go
> cheap, but control over the details makes a huge difference; I sure hope
> it will remain possible to make my own arrangements.

Based on my dealings with the LA travel agent, through running PyCon
AU and needing to bring speakers in...

They're more than happy to take an itinerary that you provide them,
and match the price of it. I ended up doing this more than once after
getting unsatisfactory results from them, but we had no issues with
them replicating an itinerary that we provided.

The nett benefit that you as a speaker should see here is that you get
the flights that you want (within reason – PyCon used the policy that
it could be no more than 10% of the best possible fare, LCA may be
different), and that you won't need to be out of pocket at all.

But if you want a flight arranged, completely hands-off, then that can
be done as well.

--Chris


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--Christopher Neugebauer

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