Can one make a living from being a Frequent Flyer

[Simo]

I can see a reason for it but not sure if it would be enough demand in most industries to keep WP1 status year after year.

Maybe diplomatic circles.

Law firms high end maybe but not enough to get and maintain WP1 or even WP status.

I had a customer that needed some work done in LHR for a court case and they sent 4 QC's or high end legal eagles First to LHR with there PA's in J for a 4 day issue to be dealt with. Customer data roaming bill was nearly 100K.

It was a once only type event in the firm

 

[serfty]

No, that would be giving it away for free. Plus, you might be promptly crucified.

Not necessarily - haven't you come across the term "click through advertising"?

See here for how this can be rorted: spider.io — Discovered: Botnet Costing Display Advertisers over Six Million Dollars per Month

 

[anat0l]

Not necessarily - haven't you come across the term "click through advertising"?

See here for how this can be rorted: spider.io — Discovered: Botnet Costing Display Advertisers over Six Million Dollars per Month

Well true, but do you think that's necessarily honest?

Still stand by the crucification consequence.

 

[thommo101]

:shock: How does that work with the xray scanner?

I've had to carry classified material through a few airports. However the whole 'handcuff to your wrist' thing never happens (nor required) however items are supposed to remain on your person at all times. When going through the scanner I simply watch it go in, rush through and make sure I see it come out. I know it is not being tampered with in-between.

More often however we send items through a commercial company (TNT FailSafe!). They don't have a person carrying it the whole way, I think they just have a tamper detectable lockable cages and employee access at either end to monitor lock/load of the items.

Whilst pricey, it is still cheaper than airfares / accom / hire cars so sadly I rarely get called up to hand-deliver stuff myself. Which is a shame as I'm 50 points shy from QANTAS Gold status (joined in Feb this year).

 

[Jack_OC]

I once got a lift from a taxi driver in Dublin who said he used to work as a diplomatic courier - he claimed he'd been to loads of countries, including Oz, without leaving the airport. I think that would be soul destroying!

 

[Limewood]

We had young 20 year old lady friend from SFO USA about 25 years ago, she got a free fight to OZ by having carry on plus bringing about 8 large blue bags full of documents, when she cleared I near had a fit, had no idea how I as going to fit all this in my little 323 bimmer, a company rep walked up asked her for the manifest, check No. bags, had her sign for them, took the loaded trolley away. The deal was she had to have passport ready, be OK to go at short notice like 10days to travel, be in OZ for max 14 days and had to take a couple of these blue bags back with her to US. Being so long ago I can't remember the company she went through.

 

[JohnK]

I once got a lift from a taxi driver in Dublin who said he used to work as a diplomatic courier - he claimed he'd been to loads of countries, including Oz, without leaving the airport. I think that would be soul destroying!

I would love that type of job. Paid to travel and more than likely business class.

I know someone who has done it in the past. Be able to travel at short notice.

 

[DalyWaters]

I did that once when in London in the late eighties. Got a free flight to New York carrying a satchel full of waybills. The cargo was on the plane.

I handed in the satchel at the desk in New York (DHL or similar). They also got me a $50 or so flight from Boston back to London for a week later with no need to carry any satchel on that leg.

Nowadays, I suppose it is all done online with parcel tracking.

 

[prozac]

Yes it still happens. I have a friend who is a doc courier and flies first everywhere with a brief case some times chained to his wrist. Some docs luckily for him can't be emailed. The DHLs and FedExs still have a niche serrvice.

Chained to the wrist...could make it difficult in the toilet.

I would love that type of job. Paid to travel and more than likely business class.

I know someone who has done it in the past. Be able to travel at short notice.

I doubt anyone would pay for you to fly J.......or would they?

So I see the icing in this sort of job (which I figure would be spasmodic? Therefore not a job but a pass time.) would be the earning of status.

 

[Kieran2274]

Chained to the wrist...could make it difficult.

Most security organisations avoid the handcuffed briefcase look - because it screams I'm worth stealing (even when it isn't), which is bad news for the organisation and the person unfortunate enough to be locked to it (people like their hands lol).

Its a dead practice - with anti-tamper wafers, reinforced locks, and designs that require such force to breach that you destroy the contents, far more in favour.

 

[Limewood]

Chained to the wrist...could make it difficult in the toilet.

Have the guy next to you hold it (the bag) while you...

 

[BVT]

Sure, in high end personal banking and some other business type transactions where the signature has to be real ink and witnessed by a rep of the counter party, you fly from Where ever to wherever with a briefcase and papers, get the autograph then fly back again.

I guess there are companies that offer this, but 10 years ago when I was in banking and electronic signatures weren't as usual as they are now, some lucky guys ( always guys it seemed) , deemed trustworthy but not critical to day to day business used to get shunted off to Zug and other tasty places with a round trip ticket but no hotel reservation.

Back in the day, I got to do BNE/JFK/BNE twice in two weeks to get papers signed. Not so much fun as you might think. Especially as the flights were booked in whY, but I got frequent upgrades. I was Old Gold with QF then.

 

[anat0l]

Back in the day, I got to do BNE/JFK/BNE twice in two weeks to get papers signed. Not so much fun as you might think. Especially as the flights were booked in whY, but I got frequent upgrades. I was Old Gold with QF then.

Probably it'd be a novelty to start, but then it'd wear off quickly, especially if you're being pushed on knife-edge timings for a time-critical task. Economy doesn't help either (although in the old days, you might have had an extra inch of pitch on what we are used to today ), and BNE-JFK is assumed to take a bit longer than attempting the same journey today. And of course, the parties and superiors would be all over your hide even if the weather caused you to be minutes late.

Probably could be somewhat physically draining after a bit, too.

 

[BVT]

Probably it'd be a novelty to start, but then it'd wear off quickly, especially if you're being pushed on knife-edge timings for a time-critical task. Economy doesn't help either (although in the old days, you might have had an extra inch of pitch on what we are used to today ), and BNE-JFK is assumed to take a bit longer than attempting the same journey today. And of course, the parties and superiors would be all over your hide even if the weather caused you to be minutes late.

Probably could be somewhat physically draining after a bit, too.

From memory, the first itinerary went something like this:

BNE/SYD/MEL/AKL/LAX/ORD/JFK; obviously the cheapest option. The return journey was something similar, that may or may not have included Tahiti! On check in at JFK for the return, after about 14 hours in the City, the kindly AA Angel took one look at my itinerary, uttered a sotto voce expletive and said just you wait!

I did and the result was JFK/LAX/HNL/CNS/BNE all in F. Thanks!

Notwithstanding F, I was, as you surmised, exhausted on return. Only to do it all again in too weeks. All in steerage this time, alas.

PS: I got F points for the return too!

 

[JohnK]

I doubt anyone would pay for you to fly J.......or would they?

The person I know travelled business. He was carrying documents that needed to be signed and witnessed.

 

[marki]

Aromedical transfers come to mind

 

[Clive005]

Mother in law flew back from coughet in J because of a infected foot, paid by insurance accompanied by a young Dr that said he had a stack of ff point due to his job, it was the highlight of her trip. Exempt he wouldn't let her have a glass of champagne . Not a bad job if you are a nurse, or maybe a paramedic, I have a firs aid certificate

 

[trooper]

Apparently still an option for a year or two in DFAT..... but its not your "actual' job...just something you do for a while...according to a friend who works there....

So you have to be there first.

 

[prozac]

I have an open calendar if anyone needs me.

 

[prozac]

Have the guy next to you hold it (the bag) while you...

I was out to lunch once with a Chinese friend. I was recovering from a recent bike accident and had one arm plastered with my hand set at an odd angle and the other arm bandaged to the elbow but usable. I needed to use the amenities and my friend eagerly offered assistance, which I took to mean with the doors and such. I quickly replied I needed someone to hold it. You could see the colour drain from his face. Took him a good 3 seconds to realise I was joking.