Bombshell (for me) - New travel policy

[SeatBackForward]

Well new travel policy for my (current!) organisation 1 was issued earlier this week and I only got around to reading it.

1) Best fare on day policy
2) Deal signed with Qantas for cheaper fares that earn no FF or SC's

Goodbye frequent flying. As a further cost cutting measure to my organisation I have decided that if required to fly anywhere, i will do so after
a) Arriving at the office as I would normally, and then getting a taxi from the office to the airport - saving about 50% of taxi fares
b) Ensuring that I return to the office then returning home by my normal means, again saving 50% in taxi fares.

This may mean however that meetings at desintations may only run from about 12-2pm, but I'm sure policy makers factored that in when considering the bottom line saving they are producing.


Seriously, earning FF points and SC's was one of the perks of the early starts/late finishes, and from being away from family etc. If they're taking this away from us, then I have no compelling reason to go out of my way to travel, am I being unreasonable?

I'm sure others are in similar situations with their employers, how do they handle it?

1 - It may be possible that others on here are familiar with this change, if so, assume nothing.

 

[cove]

Our travel policy is a simple deal. Treat company money like it is your own. Eat like you would at home. We feel that FF points belong to the person flying as they may experience some hardships.
Keeping it simple seems to work.

 

[nonpop]

Well new travel policy for my (current!) organisation 1 ... 2) Deal signed with Qantas for cheaper fares that earn no FF or SC's.

The no FF Points I can understand as they have a direct cost where you can cash them in for stuff (products / flights etc). So in QFs mind, they are saving coin and passing on cheaper flights to your employer. IMHO, I can live with that as I understand we need to be fiscally responsible. However; it would p!ss me off no end and would make me grind my teeth each time I board a flight.

But, no SCs ... that I don't really get. Yes there is a possible cost to QF e.g using OW lounges where QF may be charged back. But SCs only come into play when you are actually flying and very possible you will be on a QF boat. This would mean that even a shed load of flying in Y would still mean no access to lounges as you can't climb the FF status ladder (is that how I'm readin the impact ??). Mmmm I'd be not happy. I'd be wanting to ensure the company selects J for international then.

It also shows short sightedness on QFs part that they need to golden-handcuff us all to QF otherwise if there is no direct benefit to the individual they will A) Look to try to shift to another brand B) if they move to another company where they are free to choose, they will likely 'reject' QF as they have no ties

 

[Simo]

Not a great policy but it will be changed as they see that the current policy is not working.

I was doing some travel and we had a corp travel policy and the fares we use to get was more than what was available on the net.

So if that was the case you could book on own CC.

Then you get SC's and FF.

IMHO keep a real close eye on how much it is costing versing what you could have saved the company.

 

[777]

Unless your company has done the same no status credits/ points deal with Virgin, it might be a good time to discover that the BFOD is usually a virgin flight.

 

[Simo]

Unless your company has done the same no status credits/ points deal with Virgin, it might be a good time to discover that the BFOD is usually a virgin flight.

I noticed you are SYD based, Where is most of your travel to?

 

[sr81]

We have a BFOD and DJ under cut Qantas with every flight. About once every two weeks it is MEL-SYD-MEL. DJ offer us $129 flex fares. QF doesn't come close.

Apart from a few senior guys that can work around the policy everybody else flys DJ. I work for one of the big four banks so with us all flying DJ QF must be feeling the pinch.

In truth flying DJ isn't the end of the world. The afternoon snack is better then QF Y and they are pretty nice to status holders.

To the OP - if you can take the DJ plunge. Status is pretty easy to come by and hang on to.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Of course the Irony of the new policy, is that it is only QF that hs no FF's or SC's. If we can arrange timetables, and can justify why we need that flight rather than QF's timing, we still earn FF and SCs with Virgin, Cathay, Malaysian, Singapore etc..

I think I'll have to find buddies in offices that always seem to arrange meetings that clash with QF flight times.

 

[simongr]

Not good and I share your thoughts about not getting up at 4:45AM whilst your employer saves...

Recently I was directed to use Quest hotels - I will be self funding Hiltons in future.

 

[The Rok]

If it were me I would tell them to belt it up their cough... But that's just me!

Some companies know the price of everything but the value of nothing!

 

[Baysider]

Seriously, earning FF points and SC's was one of the perks of the early starts/late finishes, and from being away from family etc. If they're taking this away from us, then I have no compelling reason to go out of my way to travel, am I being unreasonable?

Agree with you 100%. All of this is small compensation for the disruptions to your life.

I had an employer that for a few years instigated a travel policy that included Economy only for long haul international travel, but also had a clause that "where possible, travel should be undertaken during normal work hours". So I simply broke up my international trips into legs less than 8 hours, with overnight stops in between. When asked why I did this, I quoted the travel policy. Eventually they changed it back to Business Class for trips over 7 hours .

 

[Baysider]

We have a BFOD and DJ under cut Qantas with every flight. About once every two weeks it is MEL-SYD-MEL. DJ offer us $129 flex fares. QF doesn't come close.

I don't know where you travel to, but I was always able to find a timeslot where there wasn't a DJ flight that paralleled the QF flight, and then conjure up a convincing argument as to why I had to travel within that window.

 

[Alanslegal]

I will get flamed here but if people feel like that travelling for work inconveniences them, impacts their family, personal, social life then why choose to have a job that involves travel.

 

[Baysider]

I will get flamed here but if people feel like that travelling for work inconveniences them, impacts their family, personal, social life then why choose to have a job that involves travel.

In my case I get involved in the development of overseas metallurgical projects. I love my job and the travel simply goes with it. However I expect to get something back to compensate for taking me away from my family.

 

[harvyk]

b) Ensuring that I return to the office then returning home by my normal means, again saving 50% in taxi fares.

This may mean however that meetings at desintations may only run from about 12-2pm, but I'm sure policy makers factored that in when considering the bottom line saving they are producing.

OK, I can sort of understand QF making a deal for no points and SC's. Whilst I think it is a little bit of a low act, I can also understand the reasoning behind it (eg tax reasons, is it a fringe benefit, plus there is some room for discounting, good for employees who don't travel much and don't collect points etc...). But insisting that you go into the office first and then take a taxi from the office to the airport, what an absolute waste of time and money. If I'm going to be interstate for the day for work, the way I see it is I try to spend as much time as possible in the destination to get as much work done from there as possible.

Of course there is always the other way to go (and why companies haven't cottened onto it I don't know), and that is insisting that all employees who travel for work, they are required to collect FF points, with the general idea that those points are then used for the employee to upgrade or purchase award tickets as part of their business travel.

I jsut remember a few years ago, myself and one of my employees, we had a meeting down in MEL, and I insisted that he signed up for QFF as had he not collected the points, I would have almost felt cheated by buying an airfare and yet no points where going to be collected.

 

[cmon0005]

I will get flamed here but if people feel like that travelling for work inconveniences them, impacts their family, personal, social life then why choose to have a job that involves travel.

My job never specified travel, but sometimes projects came up or visits were required so had to go overseas, lucky I enjoy travel and didn't mind though as we always got sent in Business for flights over 7 hours.
I think if a Business can afford to send you overseas then they can afford to send you J or at very least Y+.

If they can only send you in Y for greater than 7 hours then either whatever you're going for isn't worth much to the company, or you are getting dodged by your company being tight. (eg. a company I used to work for did Technical implementations, there was a project in canada and they required someone with specific skill and that happened to be my friend, the project was worth millions, and they flew him in Y all the way to Toronto, more than 24+ hours and multiple stops).
This is what I mean by "I think if a Business can afford to send you overseas then they can afford to send you J or at very least Y+"

I can understand small businesses etc sending employees in Y, but Big business have no excuse, (there are some exceptions to this).

 

[anat0l]

I can understand small businesses etc sending employees in Y, but Big business have no excuse, (there are some exceptions to this).

I work at a university - near or far we travel BFOD Y, unless you're very, very senior or the client pays for it (unlikely).


The way I see it is the OP's gripe is with their company's management. QF, as much as any other airline, can offer these fares because some companies will take it. Just like the fares of yesteryear at what would be considered crazy expensive prices are gone because we were happy to give up our rights to refundability / flexibility (and now we are also giving up checked bags, food etc.).

Ultimately it is up to the company to decide if they wanted these kinds of fares or not, and they will bear the consequences thereof. If that means more people will find an excuse to book another option, so be it.

FWIW at our university there are no such special fares - we all buy fares just like every other regular traveller. These fares earn frequent flyer points and status credits and by policy it is OK for us to earn these.

I worked for a mining company for a few months and the travel policy explicitly stated that FF points and status credits were allowed to be earned by employees specifically as part compensation for time and effort spent travelling. Of course, the company was extremely judicious with approving travel and expected to get their full money's worth from anyone granted such an excursion (especially international travel).

Sent from my GT-I9300 using AustFreqFly

 

[awilcockson]

I will get flamed here but if people feel like that travelling for work inconveniences them, impacts their family, personal, social life then why choose to have a job that involves travel.

I don't entirely agree with your point. My view is "if you have a job that involved travel that inconveniences them, impacts their family, personal, social life then make sure that the is fair recompense for these factors".

Which is one of the major reasons for leaving my previous job.

Previous travel policy had J for international travel over 6 hours. It also had per diems.
New travel policy had a maximum of whY+, and only receipted expenses (and a specific disclaimer stating you couldn't claim alcohol, so no glass of wine with dinner whilst overseas).

Now when I'm away from my family for 2 weeks, doing 40+ hours of travel each way, and expected to fly out on a Saturday morning, arrive Sunday evening and be at work at full capacity on the Monday morning then I think it's only fair to be travelling in J ... and don't get me started on the ancillary costs involved in long haul travel that has to be born by the employees (travel insurance, luggage etc).

 

[awilcockson]

I can understand small businesses etc sending employees in Y, but Big business have no excuse, (there are some exceptions to this).

Especially if they are charging the client for J but sending the employee whY/whY+ ...

 

[nlagalle]

I will get flamed here but if people feel like that travelling for work inconveniences them, impacts their family, personal, social life then why choose to have a job that involves travel.

I won't flame you but like someone else mentioned, I do like my job and what I do. I organise my travel at present to maximise my time away for work (leave home at 6am home after 8pm etc). My "perk" is some points and earned status to use the lounges. Take that away and I'll fly later in the day there and leave much earlier to come home. Simple.. there is give and take. I'm betting their new corp fare isn't that much cheaper without the points and SC's..