ABIW - "If those in reciept of capped actuals are too stupid or unimaginative to plan a daily expenditure to fully utilise the capped actual allowance..."
Agreed, but however try this one. Nightstopped in Canada last week. Wheels the following day were before the hotel started doing breakfast (inc roomservice) so we had to find a really expensive restaurant for dinner and try our damendest to spend the whole aggregated daily rate. Didn't quite manage it but made a fine effort. The following day the trip was delayed - but if the plan the night before had worked properly we now would have had no money left for breakfast.
Dilemma - do you keep a suitable amount back for breakfast "just in case"? If so you risk losing it if there is no delay and (worse) the underspend will let them justify cutting the capped rate as it is not always spent.
Furthermore, still not had words on when the next day starts and the pot renews itself. Is it 24 hours after landing? Or is it 29 hours (ie including the new 5 hours on the ground)?
The admin burden for complicated multi-currency trips is huge, particularly trails, where you might also have to look after some FJ mates for a night or 2. Do the paperwork on the inbound leg they say - but what about flying the aircraft? Maybe we should ring them up and ask them to postion report, gather weather, listen to ATC, maintain a radio flight log etc whilst they are sitting behind their desks devising the next fiasco.