Fully self funded WP

[dede]

Fully self-funded. Hit WP for my first year, and about to requalify for my 2nd year.

Never would have reached or retained WP if it wasn't for all the advice here on AFF

I'm fully funded as well and it's all personal. I agree that I wouldn't have made it without this forum. It's become an addiction.

(stands up) My name is Dede and I'm a Wankaholic!

 

[JohnK]

I am a fully self-funded Platinum for 4 years and Gold the year before. Last flight paid by work was April 2005 (joined QFF in May 2003) and in June 2008 prospective employer paid for SYD-BNE return flights (20 SCs) for job interview.

I always look for creative ways to maintain status and do not mind travelling somewhere the long way. I do like flying but sometimes I get carried away with the bookings and schedule too much travel in a short period of time which puts too much strain on the body.

 

[YQY]

Since then I have always earned well over than the required 1200 SC through personal travel although each "year" since, work related flights have been responsible for up to 500 SCs.

Wow! only 500SC's per year from work travel? given that you are on the "road" most of the time - i assumed you were always on work related travel.

I'm quiet the opposite - for the last three years - at least 2000 SC's per year is from work travel (almost all on SYD-MEL, SYD-AKL routes with some US trips) - rest is (300-400SC's) from personal travel.

 

[simongr]

Interesting - I would separate out leisure travel from self employed related travel.

Personally in the prior qualification year 2400 SCs were work funded and 140 credited incorrectly...

 

[Alanslegal]

I'm a self funded WP all from leisure trips - no work trips or tax deductible travels - but I cheated big time by going around the world on a recent dONE4 ex-UK in fact, I am still on my dONE4 but having a holiday / long stopover in SYD right now

Don't know if I will requal. for WP in 2012 as I don't want to do paid cash MR and/or JASA runs etc and as LTS/G is still a very longggg way away, I will probably try new airlines (think Star Alliance) when I drop to SG and see what's on the other side of the fence with an equiv. RTW type fare.

 

[serfty]

Wow! only 500SC's per year from work travel? given that you are on the "road" most of the time - i assumed you were always on work related travel. ...

Since around 2000, all my work travel has been in discount economy. I barely made SG 2001-2004 (was comped twice) ... ~3800 TC's/SC's in total between September 1998 and November 2004.

Then I can across AFF & FT ... >15,000 SC's since ...

 

[burrco]

I'm another 100% leisure self funded. First qualified as WP last April and have now re-qualified for the second year (Oct. anniversary date). Do a fair bit of travel within the USA and Asia - so while I haven't had to do any pure status runs yet - I often will chose a route to maximise credits.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Wow I had no idea. I am 85% work funded and I would fall very short of WP or even SG without. I assumed most were the same. Well done to those self funders! It's a big ask...

 

[medhead]

Interesting - I would separate out leisure travel from self employed related travel.

A point I didn't really think about. I guess the OP asks if anyone self funded travel for WP. I pay for my flights to go to work and the ATO considers them to be personal (except for the odd meeting that I have on the afternoon I fly home ) different from leisure travel but still self funded....

 

[JohnK]

Interesting - I would separate out leisure travel from self employed related travel.

I guess my situation would not be classed as self employed (permanent job) and I could not claim any of my flights.

Anyway I consider all my travel leisure travel.

- Thailand for holidays
- and BNE-SYD to get away from Brisbane

 

[Mal]

I am usually self-funded, although I do get some work trips, and others are tax deductible.

 

[bossreggie]

I'm 100% Self funded. I fly way less than some on here but the premium cabins help.

I run no risk of not requalifying unless I should happen to decide not to travel so much.

 

[simongr]

A point I didn't really think about. I guess the OP asks if anyone self funded travel for WP. I pay for my flights to go to work and the ATO considers them to be personal (except for the odd meeting that I have on the afternoon I fly home ) different from leisure travel but still self funded....

I guess conceptually that is still funded by your work because you fly for your work (not sure I understand why you can't claim the flights on tax unless you are commuting to your normal workplace).

The only reason I made the comment is that there is occasionally some quite derogatory comments about people like me who earn status based on business travel like we dont really deserve it. I thought it was just interesting that some people see their travel as non work funded even though they actually are self employed and their travel is paid for as part of their cost of doing business.

Personally I don't care how people got status - the fact that you had your a$$ in the seat enough is fine with me.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Last membership year 120SCs out of 1435 was business funded, but really its all self funded if you own part of the company.
This year for me its 185 out of 890.

 

[medhead]

I guess conceptually that is still funded by your work because you fly for your work (not sure I understand why you can't claim the flights on tax unless you are commuting to your normal workplace).

I do commute to work. So I don't consider it work funded at all. Unless we can say that leisure travel is also conceptually work funded. Much like Johnk I pay to get myself to my normal work place out of my pocket, non self employed style. I wasn't very clear on that point. But I do see your point about self employed people.

As for the other stuff, I'm struggling to remember if I said any comments about work funded status. I know I've been pretty robust in pushing the line that paid QP membership is equal to status QP membership. However, now that I have status I don't think the method of getting there matters. Hence, I may have changed my tune.

 

[Alanslegal]

Personally I don't care how people got status - the fact that you had your a$$ in the seat enough is fine with me.

Totally agree there as well. It doesn't matter how one gets there or who pays or does not pay for it, at the end of the day each pax had to earn enough SCs to get there.

 

[JohnM]

I first reached WP about 6 or so years ago while working and have maintained it ever since but have self-funded renewal since retiring 4.5 years ago.

It's easy - I do a DONEx or AONEx every year using every one of the 16 sectors (even easier when 20 sectors were allowed :evil plus a bit of domestic pottering around.

LT SG was quickly obtained. Bring on LT WP QF! .

My main stretch now is keeping Partner JohnM in the Partner SG status she has become rather attached to over the last 4-5 years, given the latest QF 'enhancements' :evil:. But I'll do it .

I also have friends who just don't get it (but others who completely understand .)

 

[JohnK]

As for the other stuff, I'm struggling to remember if I said any comments about work funded status. I know I've been pretty robust in pushing the line that paid QP membership is equal to status QP membership. However, now that I have status I don't think the method of getting there matters. Hence, I may have changed my tune.

I may have commented in the past.

There have been posts on AFF from people whose work pays for business class, first class, business RTW, first class RTW, top notch hotel rooms etc, criticising self-funded status chasers for finding creative ways to earn status and that we did not deserve to have status as they fly on more expensive airfares.

Big deal....

 

[dfcatch]

Totally agree there as well. It doesn't matter how one gets there or who pays or does not pay for it, at the end of the day each pax had to earn enough SCs to get there.

I agree 100%.

It does not matter if you are work-paid (lucky-I'm jealous), or self-funded status, or paid QP.

You are no more or less loyal regardless of how you obtained your status/lounge access.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

It does not matter if you are work-paid (lucky-I'm jealous), or self-funded status, or paid QP.

+1

I was work funded (75%+ for a few years). Last year I was entirely self funded (~1800 SCs)

As a Diners Club ad once said "People who don't travel for work envy those that do. We know better". Travelling for work can suck incredibly. You live out of a carry on bag, have no time to see the sights and it can be incredibly lonely eating dinner by yourself every night. It gets old very quickly.

Of course, self funded travel hits the hip pocket. So there's pluses and minuses for both.