Using staff travel for the first time, any advice appreciated!

[tishbell]

Hey, I've been put on my friends Quantas Staff travel for a year and I'm hoping to travel to New York from LHR and from NYC to Rio with AA. First of all wondering, am I group A or B? Also, from listening to stories it sounds as though its not going to be that easy, especially as It will be around the time of Rio carnival so probably a peak time?

Just wanted anyone to give a bit of advice especially if you have any hints or tips on what I can do to get on the flight the day I need it! I'm hoping LHR to NYC wont be too busy in late Feb?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sprucegoose]

I would spell Qantas correctly in the first case!!

 

[Heleigh]

Hi and welcome Tishbell

There are staff on this site so maybe they will agree or disagree with below.

A freind's son use to work for Qantas - her family staff travel was on standby basis only so she usually allowed a couple of days either side of date. Also have another friend her father worked (now retired) in an high employment level (also Qantas) and her trips were pretty much any time she needed to fly it was approved.

Best bet is allowing a few days either side and maybe have an alternative route planed - sometime the lesser use flight plan might get you there faster.

Heleigh

 

[NYCguy]

Rio is a zoo at Carnivale, with lots of visitors from all over the world.

I'd be searching for accom ASAP, and good luck!

 

[williamsf1]

staff travel is a lottery ...

I would assume that you are a " group A " companion

Travelling between NYC and LHR you would not be able to use BA ( unless the staff member is with you ) so you would be limited to AA. There is a pecking order with staff travel and you would be 2nd from the bottom ( as you are on a Oneworld unaccompanied traveller) AA use a good system at the gate to show what your position in the " line" is on getting on.

I assume your staff member is in Australia ? The tickets would have to be paper tickets and issued here , and posted over to you , so you will have to allow time for that. You also now have to register on the AA flight you want via a website on staff travel.

Staff travel can be a nightmare ..... and end up costing you more than if you would have bought a commercial ticket ( once you add hotels and transport to and from airport when you do not get on !) , it is not uncommon for people to be "stuck" in places for a week or more . It only takes one cancelled flight and travel plans gone!

AA do look after other staff well and will upgrade where possible .

Good luck if you decide to travel on staff, and be prepared for anything to happen ! it is great if you are flexible , but if you need to be somewhere on a date ... buy a commercial ticket ....

 

[TheInsider]

You would be Group A (QEA) for travel on QF/JQ flights. As for the other flights you have to look at purchasing ZED fares on those carriers.

If you don't know how staff travel system works and are doing it by yourself, i would highly recommend against it and just purchase a commercial fare. JQ/QF it's pretty simple, but when you add other airlines to the mix, more hassles for you!

 

[tishbell]

Thanks so much for your help so far.

Ok, so I'm travelling AA all the way without my friend, does this mean i'm B group? I'm thinking I should get to the airport for a flight earlier than I need. Yes my friend has booked the tickets and is sending the paper ones to me. As I understand it I need to book on the flight the day before, and isn't there a way of finding out how loaded the flight is?

I'm very worried now though, I don't think I can spare more than a day or so either side! But it will be to late for me to get regular flights as they will be expensive.

I guess I have to way up the risk. Can anyone explain the procedure of booking on as staff? I understand you get your paper tickets and call up 24hrs before to 'book on', then what happens when you get to the airport? And is it wise to get there as early as possible or does that not make a difference in terms of getting bumped?

 

[milehighclub]

Your most likely a Group A companion, but either way, I would get to the airport for the first flight and wait for subsequent flights if you don't get on the first one. At that point the ground staff will be able to give you a better indication of the flights for later in the day if you miss the first one.

With AA, they changed they way you need to list for standby just last week. You must now do it online and the link can be accessed from the staff travel website, so your friend will need to send you the link. You'll also need your ticket number to book as well so you'll have to wait to you get your tickets to make the listing.

Listings can be made at anytime and it will show you a face based on how likely you are to get on. A smiley face means a good chance, and a sad face means a bad chance. Also keep in mind that although there may be a smiley face, other factors such as freight, or weight restrictions could prevent you from getting a seat even though there is one spare.

You don't need to get to the airport super early - it won't change where you are on the pecking order. I'd say an hour and a half before departure is more than enough.

My last tip. Board last and take a box of chocolates for the crew to say thank you for the impending service and give it to who ever greets you at the aircraft door.

 

[jb747]

Well, as someone who actually has reasonable priority within the staff travel system....I never use it for overseas travel. Unless you are very careful, and pick flights that have plenty of empty seats, your chances of being left behind are high.

Operating, I've seen cases where we've had over a hundred staff trying to get out of a place...with none getting on board.

It's a lottery. It can work, but if it goes wrong it quickly ruins a holiday, and the costs will quickly mount to the point that it would have been better to have bought a real ticket.

 

[tishbell]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Just two quick questions that would really help me make a decision, firstly are the paper vouchers refundable to their full value? There is a refund form included with the paper tickets. There is a really good confirmed fare at the moment so I figure if I can get a refund would be worth cancelling them.

Secondly, if you arrive for an early flight during the day, does your priority increase for subsequent flights compared to those on staff travel who have turned up later?

 

[milehighclub]

Staff travel is just about being smart and having options - thinking outside the square. I have gotten on flights where people have been amazed that I was able to get where I needed to be - even during busy school holiday periods.

I've used staff travel 71 times in the last two years - I have never been left behind (although I have the added advantage of being able to sit in the flight deck which has come in handy - JB747 hope you'll let me sit up there with you too if I have to!)

 

[milehighclub]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Just two quick questions that would really help me make a decision, firstly are the paper vouchers refundable to their full value? There is a refund form included with the paper tickets. There is a really good confirmed fare at the moment so I figure if I can get a refund would be worth cancelling them.

Secondly, if you arrive for an early flight during the day, does your priority increase for subsequent flights compared to those on staff travel who have turned up later?

All tickets are refundable. Even partly used tickets can be refunded but they take longer to refund. Unused tickets refund within 48 hours.

Your priority will always be the same even if you missed an earlier flight. I don't know the American priority order, but with Qantas, American employees and friends are 6th from the bottom. I imagine it is the same way for Qantas employees and friends traveling on American.

Should someone have the same on load category as you, then the start date of the employee is used to determine the order.

 

[jb747]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Just two quick questions that would really help me make a decision, firstly are the paper vouchers refundable to their full value? There is a refund form included with the paper tickets. There is a really good confirmed fare at the moment so I figure if I can get a refund would be worth cancelling them.

As far as I know, all staff tickets are fully refundable.

Secondly, if you arrive for an early flight during the day, does your priority increase for subsequent flights compared to those on staff travel who have turned up later?

Not at all. Your staff category controls whether you get on the flight or not. If someone with a higher category turns up you will always be trumped.

 

[tishbell]

Thanks for all your advice, I found a great deal on confirmed flights and decided to go with that . I had to build in a long layover and change one of the dates by a day, but far more preferable to waiting on m own in a strange city for days..