EK layovers
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EK layovers
Do you guys get nice 48 hours layovers typically with an occasional 72 hour one? Nice layovers can be an attraction to some new guys wanting to see the world. What percentage for each(24/48/72).
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Some ULR layovers are 48 hours, many are 24. Almost all the non-ULR layovers are 24 as most of the places we fly to have at least a daily service. Remember the 24 hours is from scheduled arrival to scheduled departure. A typical timeline for a 24 hour layover is something like this:
00:00 On chocks.
00:45 Off aircraft, into queue for immigration
01:15 Through immigration, waiting for bags (crew bags are not always the first ones off)
01:45 Through customs. Can take much, much longer if some genius has decided to smuggle a banana into Australia
02:00 Bus departs for hotel
03:15 Bus arrives at hotel
04:00 Finally have room key in your hand. Layover starts!
This process is repeated at the other end of the layover when the pickup from the hotel is typically about 3 or 4 hours before departure.
So, your 24 hour layover typically has 4 hours removed at each end, assuming you actually arrive on time, and is actually about 16 hours. Obviously you need to sleep for about 8 or 9 of those hours (you probably left Dubai at 2am) so realistically you probably have about 7 or 8 hours per layover to "see the world."
If your aim in life is to travel, see new places and meet new people this is not the job for you. You will only achieve the first (and maybe third) of those. You will see a lot of airports.
On the plus side, most of the hotels are pretty good and some are very good although locations can vary greatly from central downtown to airport.
00:00 On chocks.
00:45 Off aircraft, into queue for immigration
01:15 Through immigration, waiting for bags (crew bags are not always the first ones off)
01:45 Through customs. Can take much, much longer if some genius has decided to smuggle a banana into Australia
02:00 Bus departs for hotel
03:15 Bus arrives at hotel
04:00 Finally have room key in your hand. Layover starts!
This process is repeated at the other end of the layover when the pickup from the hotel is typically about 3 or 4 hours before departure.
So, your 24 hour layover typically has 4 hours removed at each end, assuming you actually arrive on time, and is actually about 16 hours. Obviously you need to sleep for about 8 or 9 of those hours (you probably left Dubai at 2am) so realistically you probably have about 7 or 8 hours per layover to "see the world."
If your aim in life is to travel, see new places and meet new people this is not the job for you. You will only achieve the first (and maybe third) of those. You will see a lot of airports.
On the plus side, most of the hotels are pretty good and some are very good although locations can vary greatly from central downtown to airport.
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Poor.
EK works out what you would need to eat in the hotel, then negotiates discounts or typically, fixed rates for breakfast, and then reduces the allowance by the percentage of the discount.
The amount varies on your arrival time as dinner is more than breakfast. Approx values for LHR are £47 (early arrival - b'fast, lunch, dinner, overnight and b'fast) to £65 (late arrival with 2 dinner times).
Don't plan on saving anything from the allowances!
EK works out what you would need to eat in the hotel, then negotiates discounts or typically, fixed rates for breakfast, and then reduces the allowance by the percentage of the discount.
The amount varies on your arrival time as dinner is more than breakfast. Approx values for LHR are £47 (early arrival - b'fast, lunch, dinner, overnight and b'fast) to £65 (late arrival with 2 dinner times).
Don't plan on saving anything from the allowances!
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It has been covered before but not for a while.
In a word, inadequate. When EK negotiate a contract with hotels they negotiate hard and include a big discount on food and beverages. Good, you might think. Wrong. The allowances are based on this discounted rate, which can be up to 50%. Hence, if you want to eat anything outside the hotel you will end up out of pocket. The allowances inside the hotel will cover whatever the cheapest kind of meal is- typically a buffet if there is one. Don't fancy a buffet? Out of pocket again. Finally, room service is often at a lesser discount and the "tray charge" isn't covered. Want to eat in your room (and at some of our arrival and departure times you will have to- the restaurants will be closed)? Out of... well, you get the picture.
As an example, the breakfast allowance for the UK is typically £5. For the USA $10.
In a word, inadequate. When EK negotiate a contract with hotels they negotiate hard and include a big discount on food and beverages. Good, you might think. Wrong. The allowances are based on this discounted rate, which can be up to 50%. Hence, if you want to eat anything outside the hotel you will end up out of pocket. The allowances inside the hotel will cover whatever the cheapest kind of meal is- typically a buffet if there is one. Don't fancy a buffet? Out of pocket again. Finally, room service is often at a lesser discount and the "tray charge" isn't covered. Want to eat in your room (and at some of our arrival and departure times you will have to- the restaurants will be closed)? Out of... well, you get the picture.
As an example, the breakfast allowance for the UK is typically £5. For the USA $10.
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'Layover allowances' are meal allowances. As has been mentioned, based on the discount that has been negotiated by the 'logistics and procurement' department. There are some places where the timings preclude availing of the often good value breakfast so while £5 for a slap up brekkie is great value, you might not want that at 8am after being up all of the previous night. Also, the majority of places alcohol is excluded from the discount so if you want to eat in the hotel to take advantage of the discounted meals, you'll be paying top dollar if you want to wash it down with a glass or two of vino.
Having said that, Flight crew will often get lounge access and this will include breakfast even though you still collect the allowance. Asian destinations often extend that to evening food and alcohol so despite the usual moaners on here, Flight crew often do ok financially....believe me. Further more, despite the negativity, NEVER in my 14+ years have I ever gone home without some cash in my pocket, as long as It isn't spent on anything other than food and drink (non alcoholic). If someone can't survive for 24 hours, even on £47, then they have friggin expensive tastes. Unlike other airlines, EK's meal allowance is just that, an allowance to COVER food while you're down route. It's not a salary enhancer.......
For what it's worth, my UK & European trips will often keep me fed and watered and enough groceries to keep the kids happy and the missus away from Spinneys for a few days!
Harry
Having said that, Flight crew will often get lounge access and this will include breakfast even though you still collect the allowance. Asian destinations often extend that to evening food and alcohol so despite the usual moaners on here, Flight crew often do ok financially....believe me. Further more, despite the negativity, NEVER in my 14+ years have I ever gone home without some cash in my pocket, as long as It isn't spent on anything other than food and drink (non alcoholic). If someone can't survive for 24 hours, even on £47, then they have friggin expensive tastes. Unlike other airlines, EK's meal allowance is just that, an allowance to COVER food while you're down route. It's not a salary enhancer.......
For what it's worth, my UK & European trips will often keep me fed and watered and enough groceries to keep the kids happy and the missus away from Spinneys for a few days!
Harry
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I'll bet Harry is a great laugh on layovers...
Yes, if you never leave the hotel you can save money from your allowance and as Harry says it is really only to cover the cost of keeping body and soul together on the layover. But if you want to go outside of the hotel to eat, forget it. Some people might want to do a bit more on the layover than go to the supermarket and eat in the hotel every time and it should be possible to feed yourself outside the hotel without going over the allowance or restricting yourself to McDonalds.
As an example, because London has already been mentioned, lets say you pop into the big smoke and fancy some lunch. Garfunkel's, which is pretty mid range, will cost you £24 for soup, steak and chips, Pepsi and a coffee. That is half your allowance gone on one meal and steak and chips with a Pepsi is hardly expensive tastes.
Like I said, unless you fancy a lot of Delsey Dining, inadequate.
Yes, if you never leave the hotel you can save money from your allowance and as Harry says it is really only to cover the cost of keeping body and soul together on the layover. But if you want to go outside of the hotel to eat, forget it. Some people might want to do a bit more on the layover than go to the supermarket and eat in the hotel every time and it should be possible to feed yourself outside the hotel without going over the allowance or restricting yourself to McDonalds.
As an example, because London has already been mentioned, lets say you pop into the big smoke and fancy some lunch. Garfunkel's, which is pretty mid range, will cost you £24 for soup, steak and chips, Pepsi and a coffee. That is half your allowance gone on one meal and steak and chips with a Pepsi is hardly expensive tastes.
Like I said, unless you fancy a lot of Delsey Dining, inadequate.
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Dallas...you'll love the interstate location for 48 hours.
SFO......office parks are wonderful this time of year.
Not a complete list, but cities with 24 hrs or more at the airport.
Rome, Paris, London, Manchester, Milan, Chicago, Atlanta, Dusseldorf, Birmingham, and I'm sure there are others.
But not to be totally negative, there are, without question some truly quality hotels and layovers in beautiful cities. You roll the dice and take your chances.
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Big Fella
At my advancing years I'm well past the 'let's meet downstairs at 7 and head out for dinner' routine. Hope it works for you and you get to enjoy the Company of those gorgeous 22year olds fawning all over........er........their phones all night.
For the record, I certainly wasn't defending the ridiculous policy, instigated by the despicable ex Boeing Manager, K***n 'Bloody' G******s, who slyly wormed his way into the SVP position Service Delivery during the famous 'cull' in 2005 and was equally discreetly removed last year. I was merely highlighting that my ever expanding girth can manage on less then 3 full meals a day. A good old M&S sarnie, crisps, pork pie, chocolate eclair and 4 pack of John Smiths in front of 'Dave TV Channel' does me fine in the UK. Horses for courses.
Oh, don't forget a cheeky £1.49 'steak bake' from Greggs the baker!
Harry
P.s. Don't bother with the Chicken & Leek pasty. Last one I bought , took it back and complained. Said to the assistant that it was actually lettuce and not leek in my pasty. She said not to worry, it was just the tip of the iceberg!
At my advancing years I'm well past the 'let's meet downstairs at 7 and head out for dinner' routine. Hope it works for you and you get to enjoy the Company of those gorgeous 22year olds fawning all over........er........their phones all night.
For the record, I certainly wasn't defending the ridiculous policy, instigated by the despicable ex Boeing Manager, K***n 'Bloody' G******s, who slyly wormed his way into the SVP position Service Delivery during the famous 'cull' in 2005 and was equally discreetly removed last year. I was merely highlighting that my ever expanding girth can manage on less then 3 full meals a day. A good old M&S sarnie, crisps, pork pie, chocolate eclair and 4 pack of John Smiths in front of 'Dave TV Channel' does me fine in the UK. Horses for courses.
Oh, don't forget a cheeky £1.49 'steak bake' from Greggs the baker!
Harry
P.s. Don't bother with the Chicken & Leek pasty. Last one I bought , took it back and complained. Said to the assistant that it was actually lettuce and not leek in my pasty. She said not to worry, it was just the tip of the iceberg!
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Nearly! But The Grand in Manchester used to be a favourite because we got brekky on the house and I'm sure we still got the allowance as well. Infact it was like checking into a hotel from the 'Downton' era. Restaurant Mangers in tails.....you get the picture.
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Ee Lads, when I were nowt but whipper snapper on t' first jet, we used to get Afternoon Tea and Laundry Allowance an' all. Even in Emirates in them days we could do 48 hours in Singapore, eat like kings at Fatty's each night and then go to t' Elvis Bar, buy bunch of orchids for t'missus' (guilt present!) and still have enough left over from t'Allowances to buy two weeks groceries in Spinneys. Ah, them were t'days.
And then along came TCK..........
And then along came TCK..........
Last edited by 777boyo; 3rd Aug 2016 at 08:10.
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If you want to save money on the layover, make nice with the slightly pudgy asian cabin crew. 5 to 1 odds all she's packed is a rice cooker, a 3kg sack of basmati, and charging cables for all her devices. For the price of your wifi code you'll be well fed for your 24 hour stay.
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777Boyo
Bloody hell taffy, allowances must have been good. Meal in Fattys followed by Elvis bar? Fattys is in Singapore, the Elvis bar is in Bangkok....that's an expensive Tuk Tuk!. Tom Jones also sang there some nights......but that's 'not unusual'.
crewmeal
Loved The Grand Hotel in Manchester, one of my favourite places to go for the yearly birthday treat when I was a kid. The Carvery was epic and as you say, very traditional. Dessert came round on a trolley with trifle, black forest gateau, creme caramel.....having a pre dinner drink in the bar was such a treat before the meal. Think BA moved to the Britannia in the late 80's if I'm not mistaken so you really are showing your age....as am I!
lospilotos
LHR, MAN, GLA, CDG, LIS, ROME, FRA, BUD, VIE, WAW, HKG, PER, SYD, ADD, ABJ, EZE, JFK, CPH, BRU are just some I can think of and I'm sure there're more. Certainly not the majority of places we go to for sure but still nice even if you miss the booze and get a free bacon butty next day. You should be more appreciative of the small things you get in life......my wife is!
RemoveBEFlght
Mate, not a good idea. They clean their pants in those rice cookers/kettles. I ain't eating no brown rice!
Harry
Bloody hell taffy, allowances must have been good. Meal in Fattys followed by Elvis bar? Fattys is in Singapore, the Elvis bar is in Bangkok....that's an expensive Tuk Tuk!. Tom Jones also sang there some nights......but that's 'not unusual'.
crewmeal
Loved The Grand Hotel in Manchester, one of my favourite places to go for the yearly birthday treat when I was a kid. The Carvery was epic and as you say, very traditional. Dessert came round on a trolley with trifle, black forest gateau, creme caramel.....having a pre dinner drink in the bar was such a treat before the meal. Think BA moved to the Britannia in the late 80's if I'm not mistaken so you really are showing your age....as am I!
lospilotos
LHR, MAN, GLA, CDG, LIS, ROME, FRA, BUD, VIE, WAW, HKG, PER, SYD, ADD, ABJ, EZE, JFK, CPH, BRU are just some I can think of and I'm sure there're more. Certainly not the majority of places we go to for sure but still nice even if you miss the booze and get a free bacon butty next day. You should be more appreciative of the small things you get in life......my wife is!
RemoveBEFlght
Mate, not a good idea. They clean their pants in those rice cookers/kettles. I ain't eating no brown rice!
Harry
