EK Short Changing Crew Allowances

[desert-capibara]

Recently one of the 777 Capts was on a TIP layover, and checked the allowances issued by the hotel. He found that the lunch allowance on the last day was not being paid. On questioning the station manager, the rather wet-dick excuse given was that the crew leave the hotel 15 mins before the allowance is due..wrong answer pal!!:ugh: So the Capt persisted in chasing up the missing allowance, which had incorrectly and very conveniently been missed out for all crews since the TIP layovers started some months ago. He'll probably never get to see the money promised as "back pay" in his wages sometime in the next decade, but at least the future allowances in TIP should be correct.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how much money has been "saved" on this one...and of course questions remain where that money has gone..not that we'll go there of course.

Also, there seems to commonly be "mistakes" made in calculating allowances when we shift hotels, and other occasions.

So...moral of the story...how about we all make an effort to check allowances due at destinations, and take the company to task if we're being short changed. After all, the allowances hardly let me get pissed anymore anyway.

[Mack Tuck]

Allowances are due if you are on-station during the meal window; it has nothing to do with when you arrive at or depart the hotel.
Another station to watch is Accra; I was short changed there on one occasion but had left the reception when I discovered the error. The following time the allowance was similarly 'discounted' but I brought it to their attention at the time and was paid the difference.
Suggest always check what allowance should be off briefing sheets and count it before leaving reception.

[Eldin]

Keep discovering, even if nothing changes.
The crew meal story is an old hat in EK.
18 years ago we had a situation where a meal allowance in EK was not being paid because we landed 10 mins after the window closed, but a crew meal wasn't loaded either since we "wouldn't have time to eat it on a 90 mins sector".
Kinda reverse "eating your cake and keeping it", isn't it?
Cheers,
Eldin

[halas]

Happened to me in Heathrow two years ago, and l wasn't alone.

10 Quid missing.

halas

[ironbutt57]

Why dont you guys get per deims???:ok:

[millerscourt]

ironbutts57 I guess it is because they copy GF who did that when I was there. You all collect your little envelopes from the hotel on check in. GF also deducted the crew discount which they negotiated from the hotel from allowances which I believe EK also do!!

[ironbutt57]

No sir, we get 1.5BD sign on at base to sign off upon return to base...no little packets at hotels..it comes in the following month's paycheck...

[millerscourt]

ironbutts57 I said GF did that when I was there not that they still do it. Before your time I guess!! Certainly up to 1995 they were doing it that way.

[ironbutt57]

do ek crews prefer it that way??? i sure wouldnt...maybe for the cabin crews it's better though...whatever..

[Gulf News]

I speak only from personal preference but think collecting little envelopes of local currency at the check in desk of hotels is ridiculous and prone to all sorts of problems as indicated in posts above. The allowances are pitiful as it is however at some stations one can get by a lot easier than others. For example the location of the crew hotels in BKK and SYD will allow you access to a wide choice of facilities which will allow you to choose how you budget for meals etc with your meager allowance. Places like DAC, LOS and the like have you captive in the hotel unless you are the ultra adventurer. The nature of some pairings too have a bearing on what I need in terms of food and beverage rather than what the company policy dictates therefore I always have a build up of one weird and almost unusable currency and a deficit of another in my flight bag.
There is a lot to be said for an away from base allowance as my previous company paid. At least it would be in one single currency and I could decide how and where to spend it. I am sure it would be easier to administer too.

If the newpapers are to be believed UAE has recently signed a bilateral air services agreement with Zimbabwe opening the way for Emirates to operate to Harare. Immagine a layover in a place where your allowance would be worth 25% less every day that you were there without you having to spend anything.

[Schnowzer]

GN,

Immagine a layover in a place where your allowance would be worth 25% less every day that you were there without you having to spend anything.

A bit like living in Dubai then! I quite like my little envelope, its like having a 'keep me back'. I'd like a bigger envelope much more though!

[Saltaire]

Much prefer to have the per diem in local currency upon check-in. Had it both ways, and to receive it a month later..:yuk:

At least if there is a discrepency, you can deal with it at the time and not 6 weeks later with some bean counter.

More conducive to socializing, spending and having a good time with the local currency in hand. No question.

[Warlock2000]

More conducive to socializing
What airline you working for - to get the crew to socialise at EK you'd have to bring along a bunch of pot noodles on layovers and invite everyone for FREE dinner...:rolleyes:

RIDICULOUS!

[411A]

At one airline some years ago, the 'little envelopes' were not available at HOTAC check-in, nor were they brought around later...and we had a three day stopover in FRA.
The station manager was nowhere to be found.

So, we all came to the aeroplane on the day of departure, and here is the stn mgr, all neatly pressed and shampoo'd, and he says...'sorry, I forgot to authorise the allowances.

Me (the Commander) says, pay up NOW, in cash, or we don't depart, Bubba.

He paid, and we departed.

HE also departed, the very next week, to parts unknown.:E

[145qrh]

Wow 411a, I am impressed

How big and strong you must be....

Please tell us more stories of days gone by...if your memory hasn't yet gone completely...

Cant wait for the next thrilling installment....


To##er..:D