Experiences on Qantas staff travel

[Ade]

If they are unable to work remotely, depending on what their employer agrees to they would probably have to take annual leave, negative leave or unpaid leave.

Sounds like one has to take negative/annual/unpaid leave because one can't make to work because work was not able to get them on time, to work ...

 

[mviy]

Sounds like one has to take negative/annual/unpaid leave because one can't make to work because work was not able to get them on time, to work ...

I assume with staff travel for a holiday it would be the staff member's responsibility to ensure that they book to fly home early enough that they make it back in time for work or fly a normal revenue ticket. Flying back home on the last possible day would not be advisable if it's not appearing pretty much guaranteed that they would get onboard.

Staff travel where a few pilots have e.g. come down with the flu upsetting the roster and they need to fly fresh pilots in to turn around and fly the return trip would be a different thing entirely. In that case they would bump paying passengers if they need to to ensure the pilots can get on.

 

[RichardMEL]

20+ years ago I had a buddy pass aka staff travel benefit on an airline that no longer exists (in the US lol). I flew MKE-YYZ (I had a confirmed AC sector as part of a RTW, but got the opportunity to fly on a MRJ and I took it!). anyway as others have said it's all standby and there are various stipulations regarding use of the perk but the flight I was on was empty so that was no issue and it was fine, but of course it was not guaranteed until I was cleared at the gate (and that's when I called AC to cancel ). it's a great perk but as others have said priority is standby and you need to keep that in mind, have backup plans and an idea of what options are out there - specially for popular/busy routes. I paid nothing for the ticket (my donor was generous).

I know many airline employees over the years with multiple plans and missing one flight or the next to get to wherever. It certainly shouldn't be relied on.

specially in these days of very high loads (talking about domestic AU travel now), cancelled flights etc.. even MEL-SYD may be a challenge for a standby pax on a busy day.. so it's important to keep this in mind and be absolutely flexible.

 

[ayebee]

Having a brother now ex-QF, I had some excellent experiences for cheap standby travel last century.
Even some onboard first and business upgrades, but key words there were "last century".

 

[AIRwin]

Having a brother now ex-QF, I had some excellent experiences for cheap standby travel last century.
Even some onboard first and business upgrades, but key words there were "last century".

Or last millennium?

 

[TheInsider]

specially in these days of very high loads (talking about domestic AU travel now), cancelled flights etc.. even MEL-SYD may be a challenge for a standby pax on a busy day.. so it's important to keep this in mind and be absolutely flexible.

I've seen close to 80 staff on standby on a SYD - MEL flight within the past few months. Some were waiting from around 8am to 10pm. This was more so other airline staff, as they have a lower priority.

 

[cbreeze]

I've seen close to 80 staff on standby on a SYD - MEL flight within the past few months. Some were waiting from around 8am to 10pm. This was more so other airline staff, as they have a lower priority.

If I were to accept this offer I’d be in staff travel group E. Whatever that means.
So I assume Qantas’ tiers board staff in their group order and then other airlines (only Jetstar?) board next?

 

[milehighclub]

So I assume Qantas’ tiers board staff in their group order and then other airlines (only Jetstar?) board next?

99% of staff have an onload category of 50 (that is all Qantas group staff) and then it is sorted by date of joining. As an E, your onload is 57. Groups 51-56 are unaccompanied companions (in groups ABCD), retired staff and some casual staff.

 

[TheInsider]

If I were to accept this offer I’d be in staff travel group E. Whatever that means.
So I assume Qantas’ tiers board staff in their group order and then other airlines (only Jetstar?) board next?

There are a lot of catagories, probably about 30-40 different ones off the top of my head.
Everything ranging from exec travel, to leisure travel with QF staff, OW airline staff, non OW staff, duty travel, family, beneficiaries. If I find the list I'll post it.

Post automatically merged: Nov 30, 2022

99% of staff have an onload category of 50 (that is all Qantas group staff) and then it is sorted by date of joining. As an E, your onload is 57. Groups 51-56 are unaccompanied companions (in groups ABCD), retired staff and some casual staff.

On top of that onload category, there is also a regrade category also. Which is based on where you work and what you do, what type of travel it is and also date of joining.

 

[HGills]

I grew up travelling mostly on staff travel (not QF). It's a fantastic benefit if you're flexible and willing to change plans on the fly. I wouldn't rely on it if you must be somewhere at a specific day/time. Always be willing to connect via whatever cities to get to your destination.

If you're going ahead with it, I'd definitely invest in an EF subscription as this will let you get an informed idea about loads before you bother your family member.

May I ask what is an EF subscription ? My daughter has been offered staff travel, she lives overseas and I have a lot more flexibility to use it so they will put me on it instead but I don’t want to have to keep messaging my daughters friend in order to look for availability or to book my flights. Does an EF subscription let me do that myself ?

 

[TheInsider]

May I ask what is an EF subscription ? My daughter has been offered staff travel, she lives overseas and I have a lot more flexibility to use it so they will put me on it instead but I don’t want to have to keep messaging my daughters friend in order to look for availability or to book my flights. Does an EF subscription let me do that myself ?

Don't bother with an EF subscription if you have access to staff travel, it's not accurate. EF only shows the available seats that are available in that fare class up to a maximum of 9.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

EF subs lets you pay a certain amount of money per year, and that lets you see the load of pax on a certain flight.
Some on here love that.
I don't use it, so don't pay.
Some see the good in what empty seats are available, or what their wanted seats vacancy are on a flight, or if its a full flight, etc.
===
EF allows some searches for free, maybe 5 flights, after that, they charge, I think Usd$9.99 a month, but if you travel a lot, (not considering your daughter works for an airline and that you are allowed family travel "benefits").
Lets say you travel for work 5/10 times a year, maybe monthly, and want to see if a particular class is ok to book, EF will show this, it does rely on the airline info/data though.

 

[jpp42]

My daughter has been offered staff travel, she lives overseas and I have a lot more flexibility to use it so they will put me on it instead but I don’t want to have to keep messaging my daughters friend in order to look for availability or to book my flights. Does an EF subscription let me do that myself ?

I don't think you have any alternative, you will need to book through your daughter. If she's willing to gift you the staff travel benefits, part of what she's committing to is to be your travel agent, so to speak. Not sure how the daughter's friend comes into the picture though?

 

[Rangalad]

Having a brother now ex-QF, I had some excellent experiences for cheap standby travel last century.
Even some onboard first and business upgrades, but key words there were "last century".

Used staff travel to its fullest pre COVID.
Not so much now,

 

[HGills]

I don't think you have any alternative, you will need to book through your daughter. If she's willing to gift you the staff travel benefits, part of what she's committing to is to be your travel agent, so to speak. Not sure how the daughter's friend comes into the picture though?

My daughter was offered the staff travel by a friend, but rather than adding my daughter the friend said she could add me instead as I am semi retired and have a lot more flexibility and can travel with very little notice if required - that’s how the friend comes into the picture

 

[jb747]

Basically staff travel is so good these days, that most of us travel full fare with other airlines. There are lots of reasons that it has become unworkable for most people, but the predominant one is that the company has been handing out "onload" priorities to new management staff that are sufficiently high that they bump everyone else. Before I left there were apparently some 3,000 of these "management" people. Being bumped on a 30 year long service trip, by someone who joined last week, leaves a sour taste.

Staff travel where a few pilots have e.g. come down with the flu upsetting the roster and they need to fly fresh pilots in to turn around and fly the return trip would be a different thing entirely. In that case they would bump paying passengers if they need to to ensure the pilots can get on.

That's not staff travel. That's the company officially needing to move staff and is called duty travel. Mostly they won't bump others, but yes, for the pilots it's "must fly".

 

[justinbrett]

Basically staff travel is so good these days, that most of us travel full fare with other airlines. There are lots of reasons that it has become unworkable for most people, but the predominant one is that the company has been handing out "onload" priorities to new management staff that are sufficiently high that they bump everyone else. Before I left there were apparently some 3,000 of these "management" people. Being bumped on a 30 year long service trip, by someone who joined last week, leaves a sour taste.


That's not staff travel. That's the company officially needing to move staff and is called duty travel. Mostly they won't bump others, but yes, for the pilots it's "must fly".

A former colleague of mine had a temporary contract with Qantas Freight as an executive (head of Freight Operations) - she was jetting off to LHR in F about once a month on personal travel (she had family there).

I guess they might have fudged the reason for travel as it wouldn't be hard to invent a reason to visit LHR in that position.

 

[bam71]

@TheInsider - you might want to take that down …I certainly wouldn’t publish that ….

 

[TheInsider]

@TheInsider - you might want to take that down …I certainly wouldn’t publish that ….

Why? It's literally what every staff member has access to, it's not a CIC document. But sure will take it down.

In the booking engine, it gives out all the listed staff, their categories and date of joining.

 

[brett-au]

A former colleague of mine had a temporary contract with Qantas Freight as an executive (head of Freight Operations) - she was jetting off to LHR in F about once a month on personal travel (she had family there).

I guess they might have fudged the reason for travel as it wouldn't be hard to invent a reason to visit LHR in that position.

I've heard it can be easier to travel in F than J, because not every staff member gets F, and not every passenger wants to upgrade beyond J.

It would be interesting to see how much of a pay cut she was prepared to accept with the idea of being allowed to fly first class - I assume unlimited.