Meals & Incidentals

[guido411]

They guys I fly for have never given any direction on how much we can spend on a given meal. Everything goes on the CC and we just have to send in receipts. We will put the occasional $150 meal on a company CC but it always comes out in the wash when the next trip is a subway sandwich and a bag of cashews from the airplane.

Bar tabs. . .can't say it doesn't happen but we do it with discretion. If I let the boss pick up a bar tab I've paid for the food (or drank dinner). If the night gets a little out of control the personal cards some out.

 

[ksu_aviator]

I actually get phone calls if I don't spend enough....I love my job!

 

[guido411]

I actually get phone calls if I don't spend enough....I love my job!

Work for the government? If you don't spend the entire budget this year you won't get more next year. . .

 

[Iflewjetz]

I actually get phone calls if I don't spend enough....I love my job!

Are you hiring?????

 

[G4G5]

3 pilots - 1FA

Use company card for all meals, no cash. Anything over $75 requires a receipt

 

[ksu_aviator]

Work for the government? If you don't spend the entire budget this year you won't get more next year. . .

LOL...no, the owner is just that nice.

 

[ksu_aviator]

Are you hiring?????

LOL...sure, just pay for your (and my) training at FSI and $300 an hour to sling gear in the right seat and I'll by you meals

I'm kidding....don't give me any crap guys...that wasn't a real job offer.

 

[hyper]

Company card, no limit. Eat right, sleep right, fly right. Plane's always clean and ready on time, point A to point B with no loss of life or damaged equipment; boss stays happy and could care less what miniscule amount I spend stuffing my face to make it all happen.

Don't we wish they were all like that?

 

[Brett Hull]

Company card, no limit. Eat right, sleep right, fly right. Plane's always clean and ready on time, point A to point B with no loss of life or damaged equipment; boss stays happy and could care less what miniscule amount I spend stuffing my face to make it all happen.

Don't we wish they were all like that?

What a novel freakin' concept. We won't change FBO's to save $1 + /gallon at 700 gallons at a time, but god freakin' forbid we spend $35 on dinner. We may break them eating like kings. We're only a $40 billion company for 'chrissakes.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

The "common sense" approach seems to work best in small, one plane outfits where an individual himself is footing the bill. Keep him happy and life is easy..but that just does not fit into large companies.

If you have ever been involved in approving expenses for a large group of pilots you can relate that its a nightmare. The "live like you would on your own dollar" policy just failed for us as a few in the group insisted that they drank $100+ bottles of wine every night at home and had $60 breakfasts. All it takes is a few abusers, a couple warnings, an audit, and like magic...here's your fixed meal allowance.

I got so sick of the "they live like kings so why do we have to watch dinner expenses" argument, it's beyond old. You drive the bus, learn to live with that concept. Nothing worse than a pilot comparing himself to the folks in back.

And in reality, it seems pretty easy to live on $75-150 a day in the vast majority of places. There are times when it's hard to fit into any policy - like a short stay in Russia, etc where you may be somewhat hostage to a VERY pricey hotel menu. Hopefully departments have exceptions for such stays (like receipts)

Now, if you have one of those unlimited food, booze, golf budgets you are a dying breed and I'd suggest quietly keeping that to yourself!! - lol.