I'm considering taking a red-eye homeward on Monday night, which would get me in at 7:14 AM in Boston... theoretically, early enough to get into work for at least a part-day. Am I being terribly unrealistic?

If you are able to sleep on a plane I would say go for it.

Not if you're the complete opposite of me and actually have a working brain immediately after vacation-ending travel. But I wouldn't be functional even assuming plenty of sleep before the Monday night flight.

I'm a huge fan of the redeye for easterly travel over any kind of significant distance -- I hate losing an entire day to travel because of time difference, and I'm willing to put up with a day-after of fogginess to avoid it.

Redeyes are useless to me because I can't sleep on planes

What are the current people going to do if they don't like your holiday plans? Fire you? I mean - you're leaving anyway, yes?

Well, by taking 7 days off work I will be having a negative impact upon the education of 21 kids who are presently getting additional support that they sorely need. I'm not entitled to any holiday during term-time, obviously, so I'm asking for unpaid time off. Basically, they can say 'No'.

And if they say no, then I'm looking at trying to negotiate for a shorter period of time off. And if they still say no, then I'm looking at whether I make it a 'well, I'm going, so you can just deduct my pay for the days I'm gone, or you can fire my ass' thing.

As things are at present, they should be paying my salary from now through to the end of July, when my contract with my new employer starts. They should also be paying for my flight back to the UK. If they decide they want to screw me, they are holding quite a few cards, because I'm not independently wealthy, and I pretty much am counting on that money.

But fingers crossed it should all be a moot point. It's just...I have no reason to trust in the philanthropy of my employers at this point, based on their treatment of me or of colleagues. (They have sacked several people during the course of the year for precious little provocation - sacked as in escorted-of-the-premises-the-same-day.)

I'm a huge fan of the redeye for easterly travel over any kind of significant distance -- I hate losing an entire day to travel because of time difference, and I'm willing to put up with a day-after of fogginess to avoid it.

Jess is me. Although, I really really don't like going into work right when I get off the plane, even with no more than the usual amount of fogginess.

As things are at present, they should be paying my salary from now through to the end of July, when my contract with my new employer starts. They should also be paying for my flight back to the UK. If they decide they want to screw me, they are holding quite a few cards, because I'm not independently wealthy, and I pretty much am counting on that money.

That's a good cogent answer. I don't know that an unscheduled week off ever had a life-changing negative impact any kid's education, but the asshattedness of the bosses and the cards they hold, that's the biggie.

Jess is me. Although, I really really don't like going into work right when I get off the plane, even with no more than the usual amount of fogginess.

I used to take the red eye and then still take the day off of work, so that I could hit the sack at home for a couple of hours and then have the rest of the day to chill.

...so my immediate boss has okayed it. Which is very exciting. Now we have to see whether the lovely Men In Suits (who have thus far done little to endear themselves to me) are going to pass it.

crosses fingers, toes, legs, arms and eyes