Travel, Lodging, etc

[mjg407]

Do you have a service that does all this for you, your flight department? Are you happy with the service? Do you get per diem or just expenses? Thanks.

[minitour]

Well....

We had a travel department that handled all of this, but now "dispatch" seems to attempt setting it up. Honestly, I prefer to coordinate it myself. Normally I can get a decent place just by asking the FBO where they have a rate with. As for "traveling", again I prefer to set up my own flights but the boss-man does that himself. Normally that means I connect through MCI on my way from PHL-PIT, which is why I'd prefer to do it myself. The man either refuses or doesn't know how to type "southwest.com" into his web browser.

If it were just a small flight department (a couple of planes, handful of pilots/mechanics), I'd say just have the Chief Pilot do it or even let the crews take care of their own rooms when they get to the FBO. Have the Chief Pilot do the Pax rooms/car/travel stuff.

If we're talking a large organization (more than about 5 planes, bunches of people) then probably hire someone to do it. Make them the "Fuel and travel department" and put them in charge of negotiating fuel prices as well as doing travel. That's what I'd do.

...and we get Per Diem. $40/day is what we agreed on in my contract. It isn't great, but my day rate is pretty decent, so I try not to worry about it. They're supposed to issue an AMEX card to each pilot (which I have yet to see after 9 months) for expenses like hotels, cab rides, etc. and then you get per diem basically for meals and tips. Though at least I get reimbursed for tips. Not sure about the "employees" here, but that's part of my contract.

Hope that helps.

-mini

[mjg407]

It does help. Currently the crews are on their own, but there is talk of using a service who will do the rooms, vehicles, etc, trying to see if that would be easier on the crews.

[minitour]

Originally Posted by mjg407

It does help. Currently the crews are on their own, but there is talk of using a service who will do the rooms, vehicles, etc, trying to see if that would be easier on the crews.

Honestly, probably not.

Part of the pre-flight planning should be to call the FBO to let them know you're coming (or at least send them the fltplan.com fax thingy) and at that time you can say "hey...we need 2 hotel rooms and a rental car. Can you set that up?". Chances are, they'll have keys and confirmation numbers for you when you walk in the door.

If it's just a service for travel, it's probably more $ than it's worth...IMO.

If they don't have a company CC, then reverse everything I just said and definitely go with the service as they can probably do a pre-pay or pre-authorization on a company account. Probably easier that way.

-mini

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by minitour

Honestly, probably not.

Part of the pre-flight planning should be to call the FBO to let them know you're coming (or at least send them the fltplan.com fax thingy) and at that time you can say "hey...we need 2 hotel rooms and a rental car. Can you set that up?". Chances are, they'll have keys and confirmation numbers for you when you walk in the door.

If it's just a service for travel, it's probably more $ than it's worth...IMO.

If they don't have a company CC, then reverse everything I just said and definitely go with the service as they can probably do a pre-pay or pre-authorization on a company account. Probably easier that way.

-mini

It's slightly different in that many times our crews get told at 5 pm where they are going.

[Flying Biker]

Originally Posted by mjg407

It does help. Currently the crews are on their own, but there is talk of using a service who will do the rooms, vehicles, etc, trying to see if that would be easier on the crews.

I worked for a company that when I first started flying for them, it was up to us to secure our own hotels. It worked out great. Once at the FBO, we would see what hotels they had special pricing with and we would chose from that list and have the CSR make the arrangements while we do other things. Something that we would take into account is if they had shuttle service and the proximity to restaurants and other amenities to include a workout room and internet.

Then over time, the company started handling it and it turned out to be a disaster. And the reason they did this is because there were a few pilots that took advantage of that and would stay at some of the most expensive places. But instead of sanctioning the few, they took it out on all of us. The biggest problem with having dispatch do it is that they would not ask the pertinent questions that we asked. Most have no clue at some of the logistics that we face in the field. All they know is their little cubical, what time is lunch and what time they get to go home. There would be times they would put us at a hotel that was the farthest away from any civilization as one could get.

Then after about another year, we went with one of those companies that handle it for you. It wasn't as bad but there were still a lot of issues. The biggest problem we found by using a third party was usually lack of communications and time issues. For example, we would land and we would be in a time crunch to meet crew rest requirements for our next flight out. Nothing had been arranged because someone had dropped the ball, either dispatch didn't call the third party to get them going or third party dropped it and didn't do their job and dispatch did not follow up. Anyways, so now we are calling dispatch getting on their backs because we can not do anything but that. So while we are standing there at the desk at the FBO, this 3rd party would call the FBO and do Exactly what we would do, then they would call our dispatch who would then in turn call us with the information. This took about an average of about 30 minutes from the time we called dispatch till the time they called us back with the information. 30 minutes to do what would normally take us 3 minutes to do because the information is 2 feet from us.

have no idea how much they were being charged for this service, but IMHO it was way to much! On one occasion it took us almost 2 hours to get hotel accommodations through the 3rd party route and to be honest, I don't where the bottleneck was but it just seems like the more people that get involved, the more chances things can get screwed up.

And remember that just because the hotel is cheaper, it does not mean that the cost of staying is cheaper. Once you start adding transportation costs plus tips can dramatically increase the costs. Just something to keep in mind as it seems to not even cross dispatchers minds.

Ans something else they need to be aware of, especially if you are working at a place that can call you up and make you do a Chinese fire drill, is if the place does not have reliable transportation, it may take you longer to get to the airport.

[minitour]

Originally Posted by mjg407

It's slightly different in that many times our crews get told at 5 pm where they are going.

Same here. We got pinged on the BB last rotation at 6pm for an 8pm departure. Sent the fax via fltplan.com and all was taken care of by the FBO.

-mini

[mjg407]

How is it been for folks that used Universal?

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Are you doing this as part of an international trip package, or just domestic and needing hotel arrangements? If we're going serious international (as opposed to only "sorta kinda" international like the Bahamas), I'll have Universal take care of everything from flight planning, weather, customs, handling, fuel, hotels, transportation etc. When it comes to putting all that stuff together in another country, there's no way I could get it all done in the short amount of time we usually have. By the time change #38 comes down from the owners, I'd be ready to hang myself if I had to do it all myself.

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by TFaudree_ERAU

Are you doing this as part of an international trip package, or just domestic and needing hotel arrangements? If we're going serious international (as opposed to only "sorta kinda" international like the Bahamas), I'll have Universal take care of everything from flight planning, weather, customs, handling, fuel, hotels, transportation etc. When it comes to putting all that stuff together in another country, there's no way I could get it all done in the short amount of time we usually have. By the time change #38 comes down from the owners, I'd be ready to hang myself if I had to do it all myself.

I use Universal during our overseas deliveries, and my last trip to Brazil they were awesome. No, looking at a better way to improve things for our crews domestically, as well as reduce costs, etc.

[TFaudree_ERAU]

I think domestically you'd nix any cost savings on the hotel with the service fees for Universal.

Try the "TVL" (Travel Industry) discount code when booking rooms online.

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by TFaudree_ERAU

I think domestically you'd nix any cost savings on the hotel with the service fees for Universal.

Try the "TVL" (Travel Industry) discount code when booking rooms online.

TVL, do you enter that on expedia or the hotels website? Thanks.

[TFaudree_ERAU]

I just found about it recently, but I've been told that it works on the Hilton and Marriott websites.

[n57flyguy]

Travis,

Is Universal any good?

[minitour]

Originally Posted by TFaudree_ERAU

Try the "TVL" (Travel Industry) discount code when booking rooms online.

I'll have to pass that along to our "travel" department. Thanks for the tip.

Are those codes still good for Hilton/Marriott points or does that hose ya?

-mini

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Originally Posted by minitour

I'll have to pass that along to our "travel" department. Thanks for the tip.

Are those codes still good for Hilton/Marriott points or does that hose ya?

-mini

Don't know. I've heard both ways. I was informed of this little tidbit of info on a website from which you have recently departed .

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Originally Posted by n57flyguy

Travis,

Is Universal any good?

They've been good for us so far. We recently had a trip scheduled to Mexico in the Lear. When they were taxiing out in the morning, the nosewheel steering failed. We were on a trip in the Hawker, but were due back that afternoon. I called them and told them to change everything over to the Hawker, but with a different crew, and to extend our hotels for an extra 4 nights (original crew was going to airline right back home). By the time we landed a couple hours later, they had it all taken care of, with the exception of our landing permit. The only reason they couldn't do that was because our Mexican insurance policy had recently expired and they needed our new copy. Within about an hour of me faxing it to them, they had our landing permit and we were on our way.

Again, most of this crap would lead to suicide if attempted by ones self.

And this was when I was running the flight department by myself

The only drawback to their service is that their departments are separated; flight planning is different than weather is different than customs/regulatory. The trick to getting things done quickly is to ask them to immediately coordinate with the other departments. Otherwise, your service request goes into a hanging file and is only picked up and addressed when someone from that department walks by and picks up your file.

[minitour]

Originally Posted by TFaudree_ERAU

Don't know. I've heard both ways. I was informed of this little tidbit of info on a website from which you have recently departed .

Gots ta save mah money! That $12 could be the difference between hitting the mini tours next year and flippin burgers on my weeks off (assuming I still have a job).


......no I'm not joking.

-mini

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by n57flyguy

Travis,

Is Universal any good?

I used them for our overseas deliveries. The last delivery to Brazil (rio) via Curacao, we would have been lost without them. We broke a windshield and the handlers were essential at getting our parts through customs. When we had to swap out crew members via commair, they walked the guys through customs. They are pricey however. Their wx department is good (we have no weather radar for the overseas deliveries) so they help us flight plan around the "bad stuff"

[mjg407]

So do all of you get issued company sponsored cards or company paid cards?

[minitour]

Originally Posted by mjg407

So do all of you get issued company sponsored cards or company paid cards?

The certificate holder is supposed to give all pilots an AMEX card for expenses. However, for some reason our airplane gets one card. So we have to find ways to make sure we get it to the new crew when we crew swap. It can be difficult. I don't use personal funds for anything. Except tips. If I get shorted on a tip reimbursement, that's fine...I still got to benefit from the service I tipped for. It's not like I'm covering a rental car or cab ride or something...just the tips.

-mini

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by minitour

The certificate holder is supposed to give all pilots an AMEX card for expenses. However, for some reason our airplane gets one card. So we have to find ways to make sure we get it to the new crew when we crew swap. It can be difficult. I don't use personal funds for anything. Except tips. If I get shorted on a tip reimbursement, that's fine...I still got to benefit from the service I tipped for. It's not like I'm covering a rental car or cab ride or something...just the tips.

-mini

How does that work, does the AMEX card just have some random name on it? Just been told that my company card is now "sponsored" so the bill comes to me, I pay, and then need to submit a claim.

[minitour]

Originally Posted by mjg407

How does that work, does the AMEX card just have some random name on it? Just been told that my company card is now "sponsored" so the bill comes to me, I pay, and then need to submit a claim.

Card has the company name on it. Bill goes to them. I don't play the reimbursement game...except with tips. However, it's real easy. If I don't get paid by x date, I don't fly and they either contract someone else or they don't make money. Aside from that, everything goes on the AMEX card. I bring cash for meals (which I take from the per diem portion of my check).

-mini

[mjg407]

Ah, so the AMEX card just states Joe Blow Corp? It works for rental cars, etc?

[minitour]

Originally Posted by mjg407

Ah, so the AMEX card just states Joe Blow Corp? It works for rental cars, etc?

Well, sometimes they ask "who is _____?" and I say "it's the name of the company". Usually they look at each other with that dog-just-farted-tilty-head-look and say "okey dokey".

Normally they don't even look, though. Seriously.

Ya know how when you hand someone a card, they swipe and hand it back to you without so much as a second thought? Yup...same deal. Except I'm wearing a white shirt and a tie, so I look more believable.

-mini