staff travel yeah!

[star84]

Hey guys

Im going on my first staff travel trip in 2 weeks to Bangkok, and was wondering if anyone has any tips for me? I have chosen a flight with the most seats left and least staff listed, so Im hoping that my mum and I get on without any problems.

I am also using this as one of my 'high priority' trips, does this actually make a difference? I am also thinking of buying an 'upgradable' economy ticket on the domestic part of my flight, so that we get to SYD to make our international flight.

Any advice would be appreciated!!

Star84

[cokecropduster]

I think you don't need to worry about making it a high priority trip because you will always be able to get to SYD. If worse comes to worse you could get there via MEL or BNE etc. You might be able to ask for the jump seat too but you would need to board and leave after everyone else.

Hope this helps!

[twiggs]

Star84,

definitely buy the upgradeable one to get to/from SYD as it is not much more and increases your chance domesticly.
The other option is to forget staff travel completely for the domestic sectors and buy a cheap Virgin blue ticket.
Not sure where you are coming from, but if you check during happy hour on their website at 12pm EST, you can get MEL-SYD as cheap as $69 one way, which is the same as economy stand-by on QF for you and much less than what your mum will pay on QF, and the ticket is confirmed.

As for the international sectors, make sure you get a paper ticket, NOT an E-Ticket as you can only use paper tickets on BA if you need to (or prefer to), which also do SYD-BKK-SYD.

If you go another time by yourself, you are better off buying an interline ZED fare ticket from staff travel which can be used on Thai, BA, QF and any other Zed carriers that do the sectors.
The Zed fare ticket is cheaper and gives you more options than the QF ticket.
Unfortunately Zed Fare tickets are not available for parents of QF staff.

Good luck.

[star84]

hey twiggs

thanks for your advice, the thing is, that we are going on a BA flight, and they have issued us with E-tickets already, there wasnt an option to get a paper ticket when I was booking.

I hope that this means that we can still get on. If they automatically issue e-tickets it must be ok.

[twiggs]

Originally Posted by star84

hey twiggs

thanks for your advice, the thing is, that we are going on a BA flight, and they have issued us with E-tickets already, there wasnt an option to get a paper ticket when I was booking.

I hope that this means that we can still get on. If they automatically issue e-tickets it must be ok.

Staff travel recently issued a memo stating that E-tickets cannot be used for uplift on BA for the JSA route.

I would definitely go back to staff travel and refund the E-ticket and get it reissued as a paper ticket.
Better still just call them or book the tickets online, its much easier provided you have a few days available for the tickets to arrive.
Just go to the staff travel web site and click on bookings/application forms
and there is place to request a paper ticket.
Don't refund your e-tickets though until the paper tickets arrive and they are correct.

[ozskipper]

Enjoy Bangkok as well!

Get a massage, go to MBK for cheap everything, go see the reclining Buddha, the Grand Palace, Wat Po etc, etc.

You'll have a blast

[JQchick]

Ive been over to BKK with QF staff travel via Sydney and it was very hard to get on. We were the last 2 accepted on the way over as I was the most junior staff member, and on the way back they were doing the final boarding call and there was still a group of about 15 of us standing in the departure gate, we did still get on but they were saying right up to the end 'we dont think you'll be getting on'

[star84]

thanks for the info twiggs, I will get onto it right away.

It seems silly that they issue e-tickets for these flights when they know they arent accepted, it just makes for more people turning up with tickets they cant use.

I suppose I should have read the info page before I made the bookings, but this is my first time booking, so I assumed it would all be ok.

Thanks everyone for your replies!!

[sarah saffar]

Thailands the best!

Don't forget your mosquito repelant!
If you do get bitten, get the best stuff ive tried. Topical cream for Jelly Fish. I know,I know, but trust me, nothing i've ever tried before works!

Remember to have the Thai soup,Tam Yam Gung, and one more thing, bargain hard in the markets at least 1/2 what they tell you!!!

Sawasdee

[apaddyinuk]

My main tip would be ALWAYS HAVE OTHER AIRLINE/ROUTING BACKUPS!!!! You never know when things could go wrong with the airline you chose to fly with requiring you to think of another way to get there!
Whatever tickets you dont use you can always send back for a full refund!