FFP's FOR GOVERNMENT STAFF

[macca172]

Purely for interest sake, can any reader advise if government staff ie; politicians or public servants, accure FF points for their business travel?

Macca

 

[Reggie]

In a word - YEP

 

[coco50]

I know some years ago the Howard government tried to curry favour with the electorate by denying pollies access to FFPs for their government travel. If you are a government employee and you have been denied access to FFPs for travel try this: After your travel has been booked, ring the frequent flyer centre (if QF, then 131131) and ask if your travel on such and such date has been booked. They will search the bookings and find you there without you FF number attached. If you ask them politely to attach your number there is a good chance they will do it for you. One benefit of a lot of government travel is full economy airfare and max SCs in that class

 

[Mal]

The answer is both yes and no.

AFAK, officially PS's at both state and federal level are not entitled to earn FF points.

However, sometimes they can earn them due to the way tickets are booked (ie. booked direct rather than through the corporate travel agencies).

Tickets normally booked through their corporate TA's (at amazing rates!) normally do not earn FF points.

SC's are a different matter. I believe all tickets are liable to earn them when bought under the contracts.

Whether claiming points/SC's is allowed is sometimes up to the govt departments involved.

I also believe random audits are carried out by Qantas in association with the Govt agencies. Receiving points is often against the code of conduct for Govt employees and could lead to dismissal if found out.

 

[roy G biv]

In a word - YEP

...or in another word........nope. seems to depend on which system you're in - with the feds or one of the states.

i've never received any FFPs for govvy travel - not even by accident....though i'm not altogether unhappy with that, as i've noted that it's more trouble than it's worth when it happens.

as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, we do get SCs, though with red-e-deals 9 times out of 10, it's pretty slow going.

being the tall chap that i am however, as long as i'm on the flying rat and not rammed in the jetstar maternity-ward stirrups, i'm not making a fuss.

 

[Reggie]

...or in another word........nope. seems to depend on which system you're in - with the feds or one of the states.

i've never received any FFPs for govvy travel - not even by accident....though i'm not altogether unhappy with that, as i've noted that it's more trouble than it's worth when it happens.

as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, we do get SCs, though with red-e-deals 9 times out of 10, it's pretty slow going.

being the tall chap that i am however, as long as i'm on the flying rat and not rammed in the jetstar maternity-ward stirrups, i'm not making a fuss.

No offence meant Roy, I understand the civil servants dont get them, but the politicians certainly dont miss out on this gravy train. Majority of them know exactly how to get them. Trying to get them to use the points on parlimentary business instead of private use is the problem. The major papers seem to do a story every year on how much the pollies spend on their travel and how many have used their points for work travel, and there isn't many.

 

[Groundfeeder]

In the Sunshine State, we don't get FF points (sacrificed for ticket discount they tell us) but do get SC's thankfully.

 

[macca172]

Had a phone call today from a mate of mine who is in the ADF and saw my original post. Apparently for the last six months or so, ADF members have been getting QFF points ad-hock, for their business travel. Not in all instances, but every now and again. They have have been in most cases, using them to upgrade from cattle class to business.

He tells me a few days ago, without notification or explanation, Qantas has gone through their FF data base and wiped all those points off the ADF guys. He additionally said that this action by Qantas has been very widespread throughout the ADF and they(the rank and file) are not happy about it. An email notify them of the impending actions from QFF; would have been appreciated, but no Qantas just went about their stealth ways and wiped them.

He said the general feeling amoungst the ADF guys' was that Virgin are going to get a lot more business from ADF guys, who use airlines for domestic travel.

Note for Qantas: Badly handled guys, Im sure a few lousy FF points for our ADF guys wasnt going to break the bank!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Yes badly handled. QFF probably thinks they already have a lock on the ADF contract, but forgets the people involved do have personal travel, tell all the friends etc.

At least it was only a reversal of points they shouldn't have received in the first place (I presume). QFF is quite within their rights to adjust (as long as timeframe is reasonable), but should have notified at the same time or immediately afterwards. Advance notification would have been silly - just encourages people to spend the points or transfer them to someone else, either of which then creates bigger headache when QF reclaims them.

 

[NM]

I wonder if they can reverse the spent points? Or points transferred to an eligible family member already?

I expect QF has directed to remove them by the appropriate government department.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I am sure QFF can. Do the right keystrokes and points reverse. T&Cs cover points obtained incorrectly and QFFs ability to reverse - I'd be surprised if transfer or spend protects anyone.

OTOH, would QFF chase after these? There is a risk of bad publicity. I suppose it would depend on how the points were incorrectly credited in the first place, how many there were and QFF's assessment of possible publicity.

 

[Fruitbat]

I am a member of the ADF and after reading Macca's post I went and checked my QFF balance. Sure enough Macca, Ive had aprox. 6000 points wiped from my account. And as with your mate, in no way has Qantas contacted me by email or any other means, to say why or who directed them to do this. I think your statement "handled badly" is an understatement to say the least, I would descibe it as one lousy tight ar*ed act. Oh well, my wife and me along with our kids are heading off to visit her parents in the UK in October and guess what, Mr Dixon you just lost four fare paying passengers.

 

[roy G biv]

No offence meant Roy....

absolutely no offence taken reggie. indeed, my apologies are due to you if my reply looked a little snippy. it certainly wasn't meant to be.

i totally agree with you. we have one particular lunatic pollie in my patch who's famed for what you might politely call 'contradictory messages'.

my all time favourite is a work colleague having to write a one page blurb to said minister's office, justifying the semi-regular overnight garaging of a departmental vehicle, for the clearly junket-oriented purposes of having to drive 5 hours to conduct full day interviews at some tin pot location...but having a reply to that submission delayed, due to minister and entourage being absent on a 'fact finding' mission in UK, US and asia!!

.....and can i just say in closing to you reggie (indeed, to all) - god i love this forum. the intellect, wisdom and general respect members display almost across the board, warms the heart. in my short time here, i've witnessed the almost total absence of comic-book-guy (from the simpsons) type personalities. bliss....

 

[Groundfeeder]

NM

I wonder if they can reverse the spent points?

Personal QFF guvverment points earned on guvverment travel can only be expended on ........ next question.

As long as our tireless fighters haven't squandered these points on something not related to their job (like a bit of R&R in downtown Bosnia), there shouldn't be an issue.

Perhaps this has something to do with a separate thread about xxxx QF employees to be asked to walk the plank?

 

[dikko]

As far as Commonwealth Govt public servants are concerned, it is on a department-by-department basis. For my Department, all travel is booked through the specified travel agent (QBT), and no FF points are accrued (however SCs are). Used to be (only a couple of years ago) that FF points were accrued, but we didn't lose any when the arrangements changed. Before that, however, Ansett was our preferred airline, so ...

 

[NM]

As far as Commonwealth Govt public servants are concerned, it is on a department-by-department basis. For my Department, all travel is booked through the specified travel agent (QBT), and no FF points are accrued (however SCs are).

I wonder if AA will provide AAdvantage miles for such fares?

 

[dikko]

I wonder if AA will provide AAdvantage miles for such fares?

Most likely to be booked on an AA/QF flight under the QF number (which covers most of the likely destinations in the US), so I suppose wouldn't earn miles? I did however get miles credited when flying SQ, but perhaps best not to say that in public!

 

[Ngariman]

Hi all,

I work for the SA State Government, We all get points for our Business travel. but we must have a separate QFF Account to our personal one and all points earned can only be used to redeem flights for work/business.

 

[kpc]

Hi all,

I work for the SA State Government, We all get points for our Business travel. but we must have a separate QFF Account to our personal one and all points earned can only be used to redeem flights for work/business.

I thought that QF did not allow multiple FF accounts

 

[serfty]

I thought that QF did not allow multiple FF accounts

They officially don't... shhh