Using RAF 'Air Miles' ??
Hellbound
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Was fortunate enough to travel Virgin comfy class once (before the fun stopped) and someone actually told me that I wasn't entitled to use the free (ie included, at no expense to tax payer!) collection service and that I should have used MT!
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Fortunately NATO are rather more enlightened! In a previous life I did a great deal of air travel during a posting at a Stat HQ. Gathered bazillions of Air Miles (Delta unfortunately!) but at least we could use them as we wished!
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In Green Shield stamps days, tank regiments convoying from Germany to Wales used to collect the stamps on the way out and back. Can you imaging the volume of stamps given filling up tank transporters and trucks for that distance? Used to have an empty 4-tonner just to load up with stamps. Eventually came to an agreement with Green Shield to get accredited with stamps onto the Regimental account on production of duplicate receipts.
Boys rooms in barracks in Germany were well equipped, I hear.
Boys rooms in barracks in Germany were well equipped, I hear.
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A couple of years ago, my boss found out most members of our flight were using rewards cards from a hotel chain we frequently used for duty accommodation. The points accrued on these cards could (eventually) be redeemed for free nights (or, more realistically, 'night').
The boss (who must have been in a particularly vindictive mood) checked with legal services, who said the points should either be used to subsidise duty accommodation or (get this) the holder could keep the points until they left the Service and then redeem them for their personal benefit.
Fine. Rules is rules, but they ought to apply across the board. What about those airships who blatantly abuse their corporate Amex cards? I heard of one who paid for excess baggage with his RAF Amex, which he wasn't entitled to do. But who was going to argue?
To digress slightly, another airship was due to attend, at no personal cost to himself, a very posh annual charity bash, where it was customary for his appointment to cough up £100 cash for the charity. He did everything he could to find a service fund to claim the cash from.
I suggest we simply follow our leaders (though I'd stop short of the charity ploy).
The boss (who must have been in a particularly vindictive mood) checked with legal services, who said the points should either be used to subsidise duty accommodation or (get this) the holder could keep the points until they left the Service and then redeem them for their personal benefit.
Fine. Rules is rules, but they ought to apply across the board. What about those airships who blatantly abuse their corporate Amex cards? I heard of one who paid for excess baggage with his RAF Amex, which he wasn't entitled to do. But who was going to argue?
To digress slightly, another airship was due to attend, at no personal cost to himself, a very posh annual charity bash, where it was customary for his appointment to cough up £100 cash for the charity. He did everything he could to find a service fund to claim the cash from.
I suggest we simply follow our leaders (though I'd stop short of the charity ploy).
Don't forget to declare 'free' Happy Hour foodin the 'Hospitality Book' if you stay at the Holiday Inn and have been paid for an evening meal allowance.......ah, spotted that one - I guess under crapped actuals it wouldn't apply these days..
Same with the 'free' soap, shampoo, shower cap, choccies.....where does this stupidity stop?
Same with the 'free' soap, shampoo, shower cap, choccies.....where does this stupidity stop?
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Thanks, Pompey - except it was 31 May 2005 not 2006 (it expires 31 May 2006)...
I was about to post it in toto, except the opening line suggests it must not be communicated to anyone outside HM Service without authority.
However, the jist of it can be read here:
http://www.ams.mod.uk/ams/content/do...odind/gfi2.htm
Interestingly enough; your spouse and offspring must also not collect air miles or similar rewards if they travel with you on official business.
I can only suggest that to cya, every time you are offered air miles on duty journeys/ rewards points for filling the sqn tea bar/ green shield stamps/ a free cuppa from the naafi wagon etc etc - you should "report the incident at once to your Head of Establishment or Division or Commanding Officer, who should take the appropriate action, consulting Command/Civil Secretariat staff, as necessary."
I was about to post it in toto, except the opening line suggests it must not be communicated to anyone outside HM Service without authority.
However, the jist of it can be read here:
http://www.ams.mod.uk/ams/content/do...odind/gfi2.htm
Interestingly enough; your spouse and offspring must also not collect air miles or similar rewards if they travel with you on official business.
I can only suggest that to cya, every time you are offered air miles on duty journeys/ rewards points for filling the sqn tea bar/ green shield stamps/ a free cuppa from the naafi wagon etc etc - you should "report the incident at once to your Head of Establishment or Division or Commanding Officer, who should take the appropriate action, consulting Command/Civil Secretariat staff, as necessary."
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Originally Posted by Scud-U-Like
A couple of years ago, my boss found out most members of our flight were using rewards cards from a hotel chain we frequently used for duty accommodation. The points accrued on these cards could (eventually) be redeemed for free nights (or, more realistically, 'night').
The boss (who must have been in a particularly vindictive mood) checked with legal services, who said the points should either be used to subsidise duty accommodation or (get this) the holder could keep the points until they left the Service and then redeem them for their personal benefit.
Fine. Rules is rules, but they ought to apply across the board. What about those airships who blatantly abuse their corporate Amex cards? I heard of one who paid for excess baggage with his RAF Amex, which he wasn't entitled to do. But who was going to argue?
To digress slightly, another airship was due to attend, at no personal cost to himself, a very posh annual charity bash, where it was customary for his appointment to cough up £100 cash for the charity. He did everything he could to find a service fund to claim the cash from.
I suggest we simply follow our leaders (though I'd stop short of the charity ploy).
The boss (who must have been in a particularly vindictive mood) checked with legal services, who said the points should either be used to subsidise duty accommodation or (get this) the holder could keep the points until they left the Service and then redeem them for their personal benefit.
Fine. Rules is rules, but they ought to apply across the board. What about those airships who blatantly abuse their corporate Amex cards? I heard of one who paid for excess baggage with his RAF Amex, which he wasn't entitled to do. But who was going to argue?
To digress slightly, another airship was due to attend, at no personal cost to himself, a very posh annual charity bash, where it was customary for his appointment to cough up £100 cash for the charity. He did everything he could to find a service fund to claim the cash from.
I suggest we simply follow our leaders (though I'd stop short of the charity ploy).
The higher they get, they tighter they get unfortunately, even to the extent of not wanting to pay £2 for a railcard (before they eroded our ToS and made it more viable to get a civilian railcard). I have seen claims submitted for pennies when it was probably less financially efficient for the clerk to process it than it was for the bloke to receive the money.
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Mid 90's on a penisula south of Spain.
Had a RPO working with us who did the bookings for a Very Senior Naval officer. He was instructed to quote the VSNO personal Air Miles account. Despite warnings from the RPO that using the air miles for personal flights was against the rules.
(Regulating Petty Officer - a naval policeman. good move that - doing something dodgy and asking a cop to do it for you)
Unknown to the VSNO the RPO was keeping a record of the air miles claimed and informed him that unless they were used for duty trips then he would report the matter to the OC Cops (RN).
VSNO didn't repsond but just as he was going to report it to OC Cops (RN), OC Cops (RN) was being charged and courts martialled himself......
Had a RPO working with us who did the bookings for a Very Senior Naval officer. He was instructed to quote the VSNO personal Air Miles account. Despite warnings from the RPO that using the air miles for personal flights was against the rules.
(Regulating Petty Officer - a naval policeman. good move that - doing something dodgy and asking a cop to do it for you)
Unknown to the VSNO the RPO was keeping a record of the air miles claimed and informed him that unless they were used for duty trips then he would report the matter to the OC Cops (RN).
VSNO didn't repsond but just as he was going to report it to OC Cops (RN), OC Cops (RN) was being charged and courts martialled himself......
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Originally Posted by November4
Mid 90's on a penisula south of Spain.
Had a RPO working with us who did the bookings for a Very Senior Naval officer. He was instructed to quote the VSNO personal Air Miles account. Despite warnings from the RPO that using the air miles for personal flights was against the rules.
(Regulating Petty Officer - a naval policeman. good move that - doing something dodgy and asking a cop to do it for you)
Unknown to the VSNO the RPO was keeping a record of the air miles claimed and informed him that unless they were used for duty trips then he would report the matter to the OC Cops (RN).
VSNO didn't repsond but just as he was going to report it to OC Cops (RN), OC Cops (RN) was being charged and courts martialled himself......
Had a RPO working with us who did the bookings for a Very Senior Naval officer. He was instructed to quote the VSNO personal Air Miles account. Despite warnings from the RPO that using the air miles for personal flights was against the rules.
(Regulating Petty Officer - a naval policeman. good move that - doing something dodgy and asking a cop to do it for you)
Unknown to the VSNO the RPO was keeping a record of the air miles claimed and informed him that unless they were used for duty trips then he would report the matter to the OC Cops (RN).
VSNO didn't repsond but just as he was going to report it to OC Cops (RN), OC Cops (RN) was being charged and courts martialled himself......
Take a look at some of the recent CMs involving VSNOs who thought they were above being caught out. NA Paris springs to mind with fraudulent claims, misappropriation of government stores, etc. And as a 4-ring Captain, he was hardly short of a few quid, let's be honest. Greed gets them in the end. That or stupidity - bet he didn't think that he'd be getting a big ankle tag as part of his leaving present!
Cunning Artificer
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In the airline business we travel on what's called Interline Discount and earn no air miles. For the large local British garrison, the MOD has an arrangement where they buy full fare economy tickets and officers are upgraded to business class at check-in - subject to load. A nice little perk for you chaps. But we don't give frequent flyer miles to anyone other than individuals who sign up for the scheme, and you can only earn air miles on regular tickets. Specials don't qualify.
In the case of aviation manufacturers and equipment vendors that visit us on business, I know that most of them accumulate air-miles and use them when purchasing tickets for company travel. Their contracts of employment usually preclude them using air-miles acquired on company business for personal travel and doing so would leave them open to dismissal and legal action for fraud.
In the case of aviation manufacturers and equipment vendors that visit us on business, I know that most of them accumulate air-miles and use them when purchasing tickets for company travel. Their contracts of employment usually preclude them using air-miles acquired on company business for personal travel and doing so would leave them open to dismissal and legal action for fraud.
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The USAF regs, from AFI 24-101:
http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfi.../afi24-101.pdf
3.30. Frequent Flyer Program Benefits. Government travelers on official business at government expense that are frequent flyer program members may keep points or miles, upgrades, or access to carrier clubs or facilities for personal use. The promotional material must be obtained under the same terms as those offered to the general public and must be at no cost to the government. Air Force personnel when using their frequent flyer miles to upgrade to business or first class shall not wear a uniform or allow a
rank or grade to be associated with an upgrade.
http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfi.../afi24-101.pdf
3.30. Frequent Flyer Program Benefits. Government travelers on official business at government expense that are frequent flyer program members may keep points or miles, upgrades, or access to carrier clubs or facilities for personal use. The promotional material must be obtained under the same terms as those offered to the general public and must be at no cost to the government. Air Force personnel when using their frequent flyer miles to upgrade to business or first class shall not wear a uniform or allow a
rank or grade to be associated with an upgrade.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
D-IFF, that is very illiminating and a reverse on a new item I read in a US military paper a good 10-15 years ago. What it actually does is address reality in a pragmatic way. The bit about uniform being particularly clear.
Trouble is, if you report in uniform and are upgraded what do you do? Have a stand up row and insist on ejecting some other poor sod who is trying to travel cattle class?
Trouble is, if you report in uniform and are upgraded what do you do? Have a stand up row and insist on ejecting some other poor sod who is trying to travel cattle class?
What an obviously sensible approach from the US Military! No admin cost, no pi$$ing people off - just a simple "If you receive air miles, they're all yours. Just don't try to use your uniform to gain pecunary advantage!"
If someone in uniform is upgraded, then it seems to me that, as long as the upgrade wasn't obtained as a direct consequence of being in uniform, then no problem.
Compare to the turgid UK 'rules' - and discuss!
If someone in uniform is upgraded, then it seems to me that, as long as the upgrade wasn't obtained as a direct consequence of being in uniform, then no problem.
Compare to the turgid UK 'rules' - and discuss!
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Eminently more sensible approach from the USAF, but unfortunately it's HMR&C that are crapping on this one as a "benefits in kind" problem, and from the propriety people in central Government who believe that the poor bookings clerks may be swayed by the promise of adding their own Air Miles card to every booking they make.
However, one of the recommendations for getting upgrades on flights from someone I know is to wear uniform!
However, one of the recommendations for getting upgrades on flights from someone I know is to wear uniform!
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I prefer this approach from MPs - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...182122,00.html
Just don't declare anything until a national newspaper investigates you, then claim you haven't done anything illegal, get your friends to cover your tracks, and carry on as you were....
Just don't declare anything until a national newspaper investigates you, then claim you haven't done anything illegal, get your friends to cover your tracks, and carry on as you were....
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I spoke to an USAF O-5 today, who told me that they used to have the same rules as us. But changed them in the late 1990's, because the more restrictive rules were unworkable and demotivating.
I'll see if I can't find the RAAF regs later...
I'll see if I can't find the RAAF regs later...
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Can't see what all the fuss is about! What should it matter? If some poor chap has had to endure hours of sitting in a Jumbo or whatever and crossed the oceans enough times to earn air miles to take a holiday, then good luck to him - I think he deserves it!!
The problem is of course, the spineless little civil servant who will find a tiny clause in some obscure little document that says otherwise, and Mr Plod says 'sorry, that's illegal Sir, and you're nicked'
I tend to agree that other people have kissed their carreer(and pension) goodbye for a far less serious offence.
Winco, good luck to your mate, but I should tell him that the fun police will be watching out for him!!
Kind regards to all
TSM
The problem is of course, the spineless little civil servant who will find a tiny clause in some obscure little document that says otherwise, and Mr Plod says 'sorry, that's illegal Sir, and you're nicked'
I tend to agree that other people have kissed their carreer(and pension) goodbye for a far less serious offence.
Winco, good luck to your mate, but I should tell him that the fun police will be watching out for him!!
Kind regards to all
TSM
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I notice that no-one has mentioned tax. They are taxable as a benefit in kind and I know that all you officers and gentlemen would never fail to report such benefits in your tax returns... 
