The Government is going to take my FF award seats

[Andyzx]

In a bold move the government is looking to use FF award seats to reduce their travel costs.
Currently the cost of government travel excludes FF points but includes SC’s. With their latest pretender discussion paper they may look at collecting and using FF points as a pool (pigs trough) for reducing their travel costs. i.e. they are going to take my award seats away from me…:evil:

To clarify: Currently government contract air travel does not accrue FF points to the government or traveller but the Govt are looking at changing this and pool them for their use. This suggests they will then consume / use / take Award seats and reduce availability..

From SMH
The federal government isn't expecting to be able to collect a massive pool of frequent flyer points to help save on its $377 million annual air travel bill anytime soon.
Travellers under the whole of Australian government contract do not receive any frequent flyer points but they do receive status credits that allow them to receive benefits like lounge access and extra baggage allowances.
However, in a discussion paper released in July ahead of a fresh tender for air services, the government raised the prospect of receiving the pool of frequent flyer points earned by its travellers to be used at a department or agency level – presumably for redemption's on future flights to cut travel costs.
Following industry feedback, the government released the official tender documents on Tuesday. The documents stated the winners of the tender should not award frequent flyer points to any travelers, although status credits could continue to be awarded in keeping with the status quo.


Read more: Federal government's frequent flyer point balance will remain empty for now

OK - I will step off the soapbox and remove the sensational headline, read the last line again but they might...

Cheers
Andy

 

[burmans]

I don't understand you headline anyway, as a government employee your second sentence say you didn't get award points so I can't see what would be taken away?

 

[blackcat20]

I don't understand you headline anyway, as a government employee your second sentence say you didn't get award points so I can't see what would be taken away?

Because they are looking to change the agreement so that FF points are earned but by the government rather than the traveller. They can then be used to book award seats.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Got me stumped too - you are worried about the Govt taking away something you are currently not receiving?

 

[Deleted member 9370]

As I understand it, they receive Status Credits and for every 500 they earn they receive 8,000 FF points (just like you and me). At this point in time they can keep them and use them for personal use.

 

[OATEK]

Got me stumped too - you are worried about the Govt taking away something you are currently not receiving?

I read it as saying if the Government becomes a consumer of Classic Award seats, then there will be less for the rest of us provided the pool of seats available does not increase.

 

[Mattg]

I read it as saying if the Government becomes a consumer of Classic Award seats, then there will be less for the rest of us provided the pool of seats available does not increase.

There goes the good availability to/from CBR!

 

[get me outta here]

They have tried this before as a directive of, 'if at all possible'. However, the availability coupled with the need to be flexible re meeting dates and times or whatever, meant that the workers actually hardly ever felt the need to stuff about trying to get award flights. We'll see if it is different this time.

There goes the good availability to/from CBR!

 

[medhead]

I'd assume it's not going to happen as per this in the second linked story:

Airline sources said the prospect of receiving frequent flyer points in a pool might have been a false economy for the government because points are not free - they might have led to a rise in the price of the fares paid.

Basically Government will have to pay more to collect points.

There there are the other options mentioned like free lounge access, limos etc. Except defence personnel get free lounge access at present, at least with VA. I assume other departments might as well

 

[Isochronous]

Foolish idea from Canberra bureaucrats who don't understand how airline economics works in reality.

 

[get me outta here]

LGOP

(Looks good on plan).

Foolish idea from Canberra bureaucrats who don't understand how airline economics works in reality.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Will never happen - government departments tend to make bookings late - when all the award seats are long gone!!

 

[andye]

I could foresee the travel arranger mistakenly booking at ASA rates

 

[DC3]

In a bold move the government is looking to use FF award seats to reduce their travel costs .....

Is this due to ABBOTT or TURNBULL?

 

[amaroo]

Is this due to ABBOTT or TURNBULL?

Probably Gordon Grech...

 

[burmans]

Because they are looking to change the agreement so that FF points are earned but by the government rather than the traveller. They can then be used to book award seats.

Yes, I understand they are planning to accrue to the government but existing rules meant they never accrued to the traveller (or at least not without breaching the relevant code or conduct/employment agreement).

 

[burmans]

As I understand it, they receive Status Credits and for every 500 they earn they receive 8,000 FF points (just like you and me). At this point in time they can keep them and use them for personal use.

Except the proposal doesn't propose to change how SC's are earned.

 

[Gold Member]

Nice to see our taxpayer funds well spent on Economy awards with breathtaking QF fuel surcharges and taxes.... Adopt the Taxpayer position, ATO.

 

[marki]

Nice to see our taxpayer funds well spent on Economy awards with breathtaking QF fuel surcharges and taxes.... Adopt the Taxpayer position, ATO.

I plus one it long time no see Gold Member

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Will never happen - government departments tend to make bookings late - when all the award seats are long gone!!

Interesting issue.

I just looked now (10pm Wednesday) for flights tomorrow (Thursday) between MEL-SYD. Most of the early morning flights had award seats available, taxes/fees of $30. The cheapest red e-deals are in the $200-$251 range. So a saving of $170-$221.

Let's assume an average of $200 saving... if just 5 Victorian public servants a day were heading off interstate on 220 work days a year - that's an annual $220k saving. Coming home however most of the evening flights had no awards.

More of a saving if you had secretaries/ministers flying - business class awards are freely available, saving $750, and those seats are available both ways, even at peak times.

Although I don't know if govt fares were slightly reduced anyway because no points?

probably not going to be a good thing for the average punter if govt departments can snaffle all the award seats