NuName and others...

Totally agree that one does not want to wear attire the boss is opposed of. My boss could care less what we wear, just that we get the job done safely and efficiently. I have been in the part 91 owner world for many years but flew 135 jet charter prior and even then wore business attire....no uniform. No problem.

In the US the majority of uniformed guys you see are employed by NetJets and the like. The pilot uniform is a must in this environment for standardized look and to satisfy the variety of pax they service.

Again, I have seen no advantage to wearing a formal uniform in my travels but I don't work in an environment where I am left on my own to navigate my way in and out of foreign airport terminals...always with an escort. This admittadly is a big advantage.

We were full uniforms complete with hats and even an overcoat, company supplied and mandated. . But when the aircraft is empty, we can change, but the expectation is that the uniform will be back on at the destination.

Ksjc, as for tips, do you have a float? I have noticed that my colleagues are bad tippers. . .

Mutt

Mutt.

My employer requires us to spend our own money on trips and we are reimbursed including tips spent. There is even a "Line Service Tips" category on the expense report. It's to be expected in the US.

At least $40 on arrival and occasionally $100 if we need special attention or "hangar is full"....sometimes the hangar is not so full. On the GLEX everything costs more....including tipping.

Also, this helps us on return visits as the guys remember.

KJC - Nice try.

Unless your an occasional contract pilot, your not covering your own expenses and waiting weeks for reimbursement. The fact that a biz owner would trust his pilots with his families life and a $25 million dollar plane doesn't jive with him not trusting you with the hotel bill, taxis and meals.

That said, it also requires the pilots to be carrying serious dedicated plastic for just aviation trips, requiring a credit line most pilots don't have, and an accounting system most pilots aren't smart and disciplined enough to maintain.

So I call bull****, but if by some stretch you are flying for an outfit that makes you cover your expenses, they must have been burned by pilots before, which talks of their hiring practices...which not surprisingly jives perfectly with the pay to fly, my buddy got me a job type of mentality so rife in this forum.

Just an observation.

RainingLogic-

Easy there Chief. Why so hostile?

Having the crew pay their own expenses and then get reimbursed is not uncommon in the industry, at least in the US. Not sure how long you have been around this biz but if you recall TAG Aviation (US) was an industry leader. I worked for TAG for many years and this is how they managed crew expenses.

Although I fly for one individual I am "employed" by a large aircraft management company who processes my expense reports along with 100's of others every week. I don't hear many complaints about the system.

Yes, I do have a dedicated credit card with a high limit but this is a requirement for employment where I work. Your remark about questionable hiring practices doesn't fly as a credit check is done for all applicants and if one can't qualify for high limit credit one is not going to get the job. Good credit is often associated with good character.

Sometimes my monthly cc bill exceeds $5K and my expense reports match. What's so hard about managing that?

We on the other hand dont spent 1 cent of our own money, nor carry a company credit card. Everything is arranged for us, right down to the limo to take us from New York to recurrent training ......

Hence the reason my colleagues aren't the greatest tippers!

Different stokes for different folks.

Mutt

Mutt.

That's nice but how do you rent a car? .... or pay for a taxi or bus, or buy a meal where YOU want to eat, or get a Coke from the food simulator, or buy a coffee, or get your shoes shined, etc?

I would think any sort of travel, for work or otherwise, requires a credit card and some amount of cash to get through the day?

I do see that with your structure why tipping can be a burden for you and your colleagues.

Same here Mutt. Company credit card, company cash. Never in 2 decades have I had to dip in my own pocket for expenses for any outfit I have ever flown for. Just about everything at destination is prebooked, even use the company cash to tip the barstaff.

Seems to me KSJC is either not very trustworthy, hence the steps his employer has taken, or he is taking the mickey here as he is a not very trustworthy employer himself.

Wow.

Just trying to answer a guy's question about Epaulettes/Uniforms and the thread turns into bashing the character of someone you don't even know. Bummer.

I like to think we are here to help each other along. I guess I'm wrong.

Last word: I work for a company who employs over 200 pilots and 50+ flight attendants and we all manage our expenses the same way...using a personal CC. Does this mean we area all not trustworthy? We are not a cookie-cutter flight department...each crew has the flexibility to choose where they stay.

The way it is here now ksjc - unfortunately.

I work for one company with company CC and everything covered. The other company I pay out everything and claim back everything, just as ksjc - so I wonder what that makes me or my employers?

Both companies are great to work for and I have every confidence I will get paid within days of submitting my expenses. I have worked for both for 6 years and never once have had an issue regarding payments.

Horses and courses.

Well I get to see both sides of the fence, I sometimes find myself in the position where I have to use my credit card, and have done over many years. Because of this my credit limit has crept up to a truly amazing amount. I aint been burned yet (touch wood).

No need, if i need to get somewhere, transport is supplied.

We get daily per diems for this sort of stuff.

cldrvr, you have to appreciate that there are many different ways of doing things, ksjc is detailing what appears to be a standard US system, just because its different shouldnt be taken as an indicator of his character, to do so, is IMHO extremely rude.

Mutt