I was talking to a friend in the UK civil service earlier this week - and he told me that the pressure to be seen to be travelling economy is now so great that if they get an opup they are required to refuse it! (And of course, they cannot even think about upgrading with miles etc.)
As taxpayers we might not want to see our civil servants buying flex-F tickets routinely - but forcing them to refuse opups from economy is surely too far the other way?
I find this hilarious -- particularly since many in the civil service get to fly J if over a certain flight time, and then F if even longer. I think members of parliament can only fly J, which means the civil servant advising the minister sometimes is in F, whilst the minister is in J.
Are you sure you had your sarcasm detector switched on?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trueblu
I find this hilarious -- particularly since many in the civil service get to fly J if over a certain flight time, and then F if even longer. I think members of parliament can only fly J, which means the civil servant advising the minister sometimes is in F, whilst the minister is in J.
Are you sure you had your sarcasm detector switched on?
tb
MPs are in Y these days. Ambassadors get First. Will Hague often finds himself in C with diplomats in First and his other advisors down the back.
MPs often decline upgrades, I've seen them do it, as did David Cameron on some recent flights. Boris has fewer scruples!
I find this hilarious -- particularly since many in the civil service get to fly J if over a certain flight time, and then F if even longer. I think members of parliament can only fly J, which means the civil servant advising the minister sometimes is in F, whilst the minister is in J.
Are you sure you had your sarcasm detector switched on?
tb
This was a more junior civil servant (albeit one who used to be able to assume J if international over 6 hours flight time).
I have good reason to trust the statement - even if it amazes me. It may well be that this department has implemented more stringent rules than centrally dictated.
No way would I have declined an Op Up. We flew everywhere in Y anyway (not for my department the 6 hour rule, regardless of our level - everyone flew Y everywhere), and I (illicitly) collected miles to gain status to make that Y flying bearable. As a result, once status was attained, I started to get Op Ups.
OTOH since I normally flew solo, I'd have op-upped and shut up. What the department didn't know wouldn't hurt them (much as with the miles thing - conversations with the corporate TA suggested I was not the only one!). More difficult on trade missions etc though.
Have to say, my CS friends will be very cheesed off if this is a new policy. Didn't know standard MPs have to fly in Y -- I just think that is mean-spirited tbh.
I think the US is more enlightened in these regards. Even as an academic, many US institutions have an 'up to paid J' policy for international -- although many choose to fly Y anyway, because we have to fund our flights from our own grants, but at least it's an option. In the UK, it tends to be Y/Y+ only, same as my current institution.
In the UK, it tends to be Y/Y+ only, same as my current institution.
tb
My institution is Y, unless you have a business case to be "effective". Off our own grants going to NA we usually go for WT out /WT+ back with UUA for a flat bed home
I think they should fly Y, when travelling on public money.
They should only travel business if they are taking a night flight and going straight to the office.
MPs are in Y these days. Ambassadors get First. Will Hague often finds himself in C with diplomats in First and his other advisors down the back.
MPs often decline upgrades, I've seen them do it, as did David Cameron on some recent flights. Boris has fewer scruples!
Ambassadors do not get First. They are Y up to 6 hours and J over that and that has been the case for a couple of years. The Y can and does include Easyjet.
Ambassadors do not get First. They are Y up to 6 hours and J over that and that has been the case for a couple of years. The Y can and does include Easyjet.
This is so sad. And incongrous with the reports I have of much more junior (relative to an ambassador) civil servants getting F on occasion. All seems very inconsistent.
I think they should fly Y, when travelling on public money.
They should only travel business if they are taking a night flight and going straight to the office.
Then I'd like to apply the same to all corporate travel, where corporate staff are travelling on customer money. If I bank with a bank, I don't see why that bank should get to use the money I invest with them to fly their staff around in F and J.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KenJohn
Could an Op-Up be construted as some form of bribe?
Not unless your department has a business relationshop with the airline. It would not be considered a gift (all gifts >£15 in value have to be declared regardless of source).
This is so sad. And incongrous with the reports I have of much more junior (relative to an ambassador) civil servants getting F on occasion. All seems very inconsistent.
tb
It's all very consistent now. I had it first hand from one of the Court of St James's finest, have seen the policy and even the orange BP.
Personally I don't agree with the policy and do think someone of that significance should be J everywhere, similarly with senior cabinet ministers. Civil servants...they could trade their gold plated pensions and iron ricebowl salaries for better travel perks.
Then I'd like to apply the same to all corporate travel, where corporate staff are travelling on customer money. If I bank with a bank, I don't see why that bank should get to use the money I invest with them to fly their staff around in F and J.
Why apply the same rules to corporate travel as travel on public money? If you invest in a company, you need only be concerned about the return on your investment, not on day to day decisions.
You won't see a headline about 'scandalous expenses' in a large corporate for the very reason that it's not the public's business.
