You don’t necessarily have to do hotlines, both hotlines and staff travel tickets do the job although obviously you don’t collect your tier points on the latter. Staff travel is a pain granted and it’s a faff with the standby queue at T5 but just get your jumpseat request in early and 90% of the captains are absolutely on side and respect the unwritten rules, even the 10% who seem to go rogue with their own personal interpretation I struggle to believe would leave someone behind and would exhaust all avenues in getting you on. Been commuting for 8 years now and never yet been left behind. It all depends on your own personal tolerance I suppose.