2 Group have been on the capped actuals system for about 8 months, and it has proved to be completely unworkable. This goes for the aircrew who when visiting 4 countries in 3 days with 4 different currencies, and who are supposed to be operating the aircraft safely rather that filling in reams of paperwork and counting coins, had a justifiable complaint.
It also goes for the poor staff in the Imprest Office who had to spend every hour of their work time ploughing through all the extra paperwork, the receipts and work out how to operate the new system. Bear in mind no official guidance was ever issued about running imprests on the capped actual scheme, it was never intended to be part of JPA, and within 2 months of its introduction there was 3 months backlog of paperwork.
So thanks to BZNs ex OC PSF putting in a lot of work, 2 Group FSAs are now run on a different system, designed to make it less of an admin burden to run. This is as a temporary measure for 12 months until a proper system is designed which allows crews of 20 to have a meal together without asking for seperate bills, doesn't need the co-pilot/loady to spend 3 hours after a flight has landed trying to fill in the paperwork, then 3 weeks chasing up his crew(who are by now spread across the globe) for their returns and money, and doesn't result in the guys finding the most expensive meal combo available just to justify the rates provided.
It combines the old rates system with a capped actual overnight rate. Each country has an nissue, you have to be on the ground nfor 5 hours to qualify for a daily rate, and you get your £10/night subsistence on top. If you are required to purchase Brekky, this is on a capped actual basis.
The paperwork is the same as it was a year ago on the old system, and everyone knows what they are entitled to. It can be managed by the Co/Loady without having to neglect their primary duties.
Whether the system saves money or not, I don't know, but if you can't use it, what's the point? It just frustrates the guys even more.
Why we didn't wait until we could tie a system in with JPA and make it easy to claim money (easy and JPA in the same sentence???) before changing it I don't know. It has cost millions to change though, and lost a lot of good will from our people, serving or civil service,