British airways commuting crew

[andreas20001]

Hi.

Any commuting British airways commuting crew out there? How is it to be a commuter and work for BA?

[jacquelinee]

Many CC at BA are commuters, if only from MAN!

I have been commuting for some time and actually need to take two flights to get to LHR. It's definitely possible but takes a bit of planning, for instance book accommodation for early reports or late clearing when you can't make the flight. The only negative bit is that very few airlines accept our e-tickets, which means that you have to go to Waterside (HO) and collect paper tickets and those must have been booked at least 48 hours before.

I think you will find that many CC live all over the world. I know of some crew living in both BKK, CPT, LAD and SFO that are commuting!

[sevenforeseven]

Lots of cabin staff commute from Spain and France. Very easy to do especiallly when you dont pay tax in either country.:ok:

[Jean-Lill]

Are you serious, some crew commute from as far away as Bangkok?

Why?

Surely the time changes and the time is takes to get home and then back again for work gives virtually no time at home. If one has 3 days off which is often the normal amount and they have 24 hours flying time and two 6 or 7 hours time changes in 3 days what sort of home life does that provide? Not to mention what does it do to their health.

Commuting from France and Spain yes, but from Bangkok seems an impossible task to me. Additionally I would expect a night or a day in a hotel would be needed after a 12 hours flight.

I recently flew from Bangkok in a club seat and felt so tired or arrival at LHR., the last thing I could have doneis go to work soon afterwards.

I am amazed it is allowed.

[jacquelinee]

I know of two people that live in BKK unless any of them have moved.

One of them has her boyfriend there who runs a business in northern Thailand.

The first person I know of is half-time (one month on, one month off rotation) and as far as I know never goes back to BKK during the month of work. The other person, which is the girl mentioned above, is 75% (which includes anything between nine and twelve consecutive days off every 28 days). I know she usually goes to LHR the day before a duty but tries to go back to BKK with the earliest flight possible. We did a PHX last year, which cleared in the afternoon around three-ish, and she went home to BKK in the evening!

[A-V-8R]

I have a Korean wife and a house in Seoul. Commuted from Seoul to JFK for 4 years. Peace of cake, actually.

Only reason we moved back is because another Korean woman sent me an unsolicited lovenote.

I'd still be commuting from Seoul if that note hadn't fallen in my suitcase.

[swashbuckler]

How can you not pay taxes in France & Spain ? Shouldn't the French/Spanish Tax Office be aware of your foreign salary ? Do you have access to social security, healthcare without paying taxes?

[Jean-Lill]

There is no access to free healthcare and the social system in France unless one is a French resident and contributes to the social system through paying the relevant payments.



Only non -French persons over 65 (and their spouse regardless of age) now get free health care if they retire to France.

[swashbuckler]

Granted, No access to free healthcare for commuters, which is understandable and indeed normal as you don't contribute to any social payments. As for those retiring in France, shouldn't their foreign pensions be declared to the French Tax Office and taxed? I haven't heard of anyone having access to free healthcare without participating in one way or another to social payments (for the record, even your unemployment benefits are taxed...) those who are dispensed with social payments are those who are in great destitution or asylum seekers...

[sevenforeseven]

SWASHBUCLKER, I do not do it myself but a lot of cabin staff and pilots do. No tax in UK as you are not in the country long enough and I assume like wise in either France or Spain.:ok:

[Jean-Lill]

Swashbuckler.

The foreign people who retire to France and make themselves residents do indeed have to declare their state and company pensions as income if they are paid in France and are taxed accordingly exactly the same way as French people are. They do not escape the tax man by living in France.

I live in France myself.

[swordsman]

It is quite legal to live in france and have state health care if you pay NI in the uk under the dual treaty.

[Jean-Lill]

There is no free health care in France for anyone. French people or residented non French people pay 8% of their earning towards health care which is a part if their income tax deductions.

The arrangement between the two countries mentioned in the above posting only applies to people who are over 65 + their spouse of any age. It used to apply to everyone until about a year or so ago when it was changed with only 2 weeks notice.

British people under 65 receive only basic health care in France and other EU countries obtainable under the European Health Insurance Card system which replaced the old E 111 forms they had to get. (details of this can be obtained on the internet) No longer can British people under 65 get free health care in France for on -going chronic illness like they used to.

We seem to be straying off the original topic here about commuting crew and their income tax arrangements. I doubt very much if any commuting crew are over 65 at the moment, but who knows in the future perhaps there might be some.

[swordsman]

Perhaps you can explain why I along with many others under 50 employed in the UK but resident in France have a carte vital without paying any french social security :confused:
With respect you are getting confused with people who have retired with people who have not .

[swashbuckler]

I would tend to agree with jean-lil..I'm bewildered by the fact that you own a "carte vitale" without contributing to any social payments in France, did you get it by fraud ? :suspect:
Anyway, I'm quite delighted to know that my social securiy taxes enable people who pay ZERO TAX in the country where they reside to have access to free healthcare...

[the heavy heavy]

swashbuckler,

think of it as a thank you to us brits for ensuring the big lufthansa-air france merger fell thru back in 44 :O.

not only health care but schools! :D.

[KitKat747]

Swordman.

Do non -French EU people who have not contributed anything to the French Social System automatically get a carte vitale by registering themselves as French residents when they work in the UK and pay only UK income tax and NI contributions?

Is it the UK NI contribution that entitle them to get a carte vitale (green card)that entitles them to enjoy the same health care as French people do?

My understanding is that the carte vitale which has to be re-activated every 6 months in machines in hospital and chemists only covers 70% of health care charges and a seperate private insurance is needed to make up the rest called a CMU?

If that is the case then the commuters should be entitled to a carte vitale.

I thought that people beneath 65 who became French residents and do not contribute to the French social system by paying 8% of their income only got the new European Health Insurance Card.

The new rules relating to British people retiring to France confuses the issue.

I am only asking this question because I own a home in France (with no income in France) and could commute to work myself, health care is naturally important to all of us.

[Jean-Lill]

Swordman,

I was totally unaware British people who are French residents but work in the UK and pay UK taxes and National Insurance contributions could get a carte vitale on that basis without contributing to the French social system in any way. I presume your UK contribution to the UK health care system pays for any health care you need in France in the form of issuing you with a carte vitale. The previous posting is correct the carte vitale has to be renewed by inseting into a machine located in pharmacies etc.

I assume then that the commuters could get a carte vitale too as they pay UK NI contributions.


My apparently incorrect understanding was people in your situation received health care in France under the E106 scheme which lasts for 2 years and is renewable.

Take a look at this link which relates to health care for UK citizens becoming residents of another EU country but are employed and paid in the UK and pay UK taxes and NI contributions without contributing to the health care of their country of residence.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/international/sa29/medical_06.aspt

You will now see why I thought only retired people over 65 get free health care in France as it has been in the media recently. Their pensions are taxable in France but the 8% social charge is not paid by them nor by French pensioners, that is seperate from French income tax anyway.
I beleived the under 65's could only use the E106 scheme which is not a carte vitale.

So sorry if I have confused the issue if I have.

[swordsman]

The downside being that once you have the carte vitale you are not then entitled to use the nhs save for emergency treatment in the uk.
French workers employed in france but living or based in the uk are entitled to use the nhs in the same way afaik.
Income tax is a seperate matter and you have to declare your income in both the uk where you work and in france where you reside.