Industry Travel Tips - Discounts

[VH-XXX]

Thought I'd start this to see what ideas people have and what you've learnt around the traps.

I'll start with:

- Flashing your ASIC card at Travelex and you are waived on the conversion fee (I was surprised but this one really does work)

- When overseas, US in particular, flash your ASIC and ask the hotels etc if there is an "industry discount"

Any more..... hire car codes are always good ones.

[6080ft]

my new zealand airport ID for a large international courier company got me through all the staff security screening lanes in the USA when travelling as regular joe public! Easiest was denver international. Was put onto the idea by a American Airlines check in agent.

[maverick22]

Wear your uniform at brisbane airport when buying coffee, and you can get 5 for $10, and not to mention the 20% off Red Rooster:cool:

[ozangel]

Flash your asic at hilton for 50% off and free upgrade to executive club level (i.e free booze 6-8pm)

Hilton hotels Travel Agent Offer (http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/promotions/hi_travel_agent_offer_search/)

[Turban]

As a joung "wannabee" I always swore to myself I'd never go into the bright side of the force and become an airline jet pilot...

But you guys are killing me now :}:p

Oh by the way, Hi everybody first post here, nice forum :ok:

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

Most airports shops give a 10-20% discount on ASIC presentation, although the requirement to be in uniform is becoming more common.

[damo1089]

If you want to deadhead (get free flights) anywhere you like, make up an employee number for your chosen airline. After this, ring up the help line and declare that you have lost your uniform.
After they tell you where to get a replacement uniform, proceed to get it from the supplier.
Next you will need an ID card. Go to a ID manufacturing company and pretend to like the ID of your chosen airline and say that you want one with the same colours / holograms on it, take it as a sample to 'show your collegues.'
After you get the sample, head down to your local toy shop and buy a model airliner for the sitckers that it comes with, and stick those stickers to your card after conducting reconnosance on what the actual card looks like. 30 bucks for parking at your favourite airport and some good binoculars will accomplish this nicely.
Then go to the counter and pretend that you need to get somewhere for work reasons, with your ID and new uniform, you should get straight onto any spare seat.

When you are bored of where they have taken you repeat the process.

For unlimited funding, you can actually forge cheques by changing one of the numbers on the bottom sso it goes to the other side of the country where it is processed which is good, because by the time your least liked hotel realises that they have been duped by your authoritative uniform, you would have high tailed it out of there a long time ago.

[empacher48]

Damo, mate. I think you've been watching that movie too much!

[lemel]

Ahahaha! Classic post Damo.

[FRQ Charlie Bravo]

Hey Damo,

Righto; I've finished sewing up the the uniform now and I've got my Ansett model stickers off but production is at a stand-still at the moment due to what seems to be a serious lack of Ansett crew to spy on today (well over $30 spent on parking already). Why couldn't I find anyone? Was there some sort of industrial action going on today? Do you think that maybe I'd be better off trying one of the more reliable carriers like Compass, Impuls, TAA or maybe I'd be able to find some SAW folks.

Much obliged,

FRQ CB

[Cravenmorehead]

DAMO cute, but you will end up in the Big House. Boys and girls don't try this at home.

[Mr.Buzzy]

For a free punch to the head, try wearing your uniform to the Broady pub in Melbourne.

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[apache]

Most duty free places will give you at LEAST a 10% discount to aircrew who show/hold/wear a valid ASIC card. ... at least in oz and NZ, anyway.
personally, I would stay clear of travellex, and shop around to change your money.
IF going to NZ, just change your $$$$ at the bank or money changing place in town... they don't charge commission, and give a much better rate than travellex.
Many hotels will do an "industry" rate, although WOTIF dot com seem to do deals just as good, if not better.
most rental car companies also do deals for airline personnel as well.
some luggage companies, I am thinking of the one on Botany rd at mascot, will do you a discount..... and I believe that western Plains Zoo is sponsored by QF, and will give QF persons a discount.

[multi_engined]

90% of the time when I check-in using an ASIC I am not charged for overweight baggage, maybe upto 5-10kg over?

[nitpicker330]

How about we all stick together as a Professional group to increase our renumeration levels significantly and we wouldn't need to beg borrow or steal to live.

Nah, thought so.

[legaleagle73]

I just thought I'd share my experience of flashing my asic at airports. I should say at the outset that I fly for pleasure and not as a career.
I had flown home (as a passenger) from Singapore and thought displaying my asic might mean an easier trip through customs. Instead, a customs chap told me I was committing an offence by wearing the asic "while not on duty" at the airport. He quoted a section of the Customs Act that I later found out didn't exist. I probably didn't help things much by laughing - I wasn't laughing at him, I just found it ironic that the first time anyone had ever looked at my asic was to tell me I was commiting an offence by wearing it!

I didn't think much of it until a few weeks later I got a call from Customs wanting me to come in to the airport, so they could talk to me. I told them I was a lawyer and asked for details of what I had allegedly done wrong. I checked out what I was told and was convinced I had done nothing wrong. There are restrictions designed to stop airport workers (eg baggage handlers) wandering around secure areas when not on duty but as I was lawfully in a secure area as a passenger I could wear my asic if I wanted to. Nonetheless, in order to avoid a pointless fight, I told Customs I wouldn't wear my asic again at the airport unless I had actually flown there myself. I didn't hear anything more.

So, in summary, flashing the card around to get discounts/special treatment may lead to grief!

Cheers

[nitpicker330]

Correct. I think you'll find that the ASIC card is ONLY VALID whilst engaged in your employment/vocation. Even then you must have a valid reason for being in secure areas. For eg: Looking at a visiting a/c on the ramp is not a part of your job and you will get your ass kicked!!

ie, been there, done that!!

I can also safely tell you that arriving from an international flight in full uniform displaying the appropriate ID Card doesn't even get you easy passage through Customs/Immigration. Sometimes the opposite actually.

[VH-XXX]

Correct. I think you'll find that the ASIC card is ONLY VALID whilst engaged in your employment/vocation.

Remember you might be an ASIC equipped PPL and it's not how you wear it but rather how you try and use it.

The idea of flashing an ASIC card to Customs had never crossed my mind. You are a brave man!

[601]

I had a experience in Athens back in the 80s.

Landed on a ferry flight and were being driven to our hotel for the night by our agent when security at the gate did not want to let us off the airport because we were wearing jeans and polo shirts and not in uniform.

For the next 3 days we were in uniform until arriving on Oz.

[Stationair8]

I have found the best deal for foreign exchange is through Australia Post.

[Metro man]

Probably better off trying a crew ID card if you have one, rather than an ASIC.

[Art of Flying]

My experience of wearing an ASIC as SLF is that customs see you as a Beacon to react to.

I had a non to polite experience paxing on Domestic leg of International Flight and used ASIC as Identity. Got a firm public dressing down. Not wishing to make a scene publicly, I suggested we took the matter up with the Federal Police as it was their jurisdiction to scrutinise the ASIC. There was a backward step with the Customs officer concerned.

Though follow up with DOTS was unhelpful and unable to to advise of actual procedures, I was informed that it is an acceptable method of Identification and that it is scrutinised by the Federal Police, not Customs, however they can carry out their usual procedures if they see fit.