If you're eating on less than $10/day, then I'd hate to see what sh!t you're eating.
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Southwest 5 year...
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If you're eating on less than $10/day, then I'd hate to see what sh!t you're eating.
Whine Lover
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Day 1:
Hotel Breakfast - Free
Lunch - Yogurt,Banana,Milk, PBJ sandwich. Free ( See above: "Breakfast" )
Dinner - ( bought at grocery store- prepared in Microwave)
- 1/2 roast chicken
- Steamed broccoli
- Fresh salad
---------------------
$ 7.00
---------------------
Day 2
Hotel Breakfast - Free.
Lunch - A/C Catering - Hoagie sandwich, salad, etc. Free.
Dinner - A/C Catering -Steak, pasta, vegetables, salad, etc. Free.
--------------------
$0.00
--------------------
Some variation of the above suffices in most cities.
You can eat fairly well and inexpensively on the road...unless you are either stupid , lazy, or all the above.
And no...McDonald's dollar menu is not an option.... just because you can eat krap for a buck a throw doesn't mean it's right.
My airline also has excellent catering and we can sometimes go for a few days without spending a cent on food.
My personal best was 5 days with no cost to me ...Followed by some nice dinners at Ruth's Chris etc. in Hong Kong, and still not spending all the previous 5 days P.D.
YMMV.
Whine
----------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. - I'm at home tonight and ordering pizza...$20.00.
No one is sending me a check for that next month. Looks like I'm out that $20...Oh, and another $43 I would have gotten in PD on the road. Oh, and another $40-$50 I could've written off my taxes next year.
I'll take a dollar of Per Diem over a dollar of ( taxable ) Direct Compensation... ANY time.
Hotel Breakfast - Free
Lunch - Yogurt,Banana,Milk, PBJ sandwich. Free ( See above: "Breakfast" )
Dinner - ( bought at grocery store- prepared in Microwave)
- 1/2 roast chicken
- Steamed broccoli
- Fresh salad
---------------------
$ 7.00
---------------------
Day 2
Hotel Breakfast - Free.
Lunch - A/C Catering - Hoagie sandwich, salad, etc. Free.
Dinner - A/C Catering -Steak, pasta, vegetables, salad, etc. Free.
--------------------
$0.00
--------------------
Some variation of the above suffices in most cities.
You can eat fairly well and inexpensively on the road...unless you are either stupid , lazy, or all the above.
And no...McDonald's dollar menu is not an option.... just because you can eat krap for a buck a throw doesn't mean it's right.
My airline also has excellent catering and we can sometimes go for a few days without spending a cent on food.
My personal best was 5 days with no cost to me ...Followed by some nice dinners at Ruth's Chris etc. in Hong Kong, and still not spending all the previous 5 days P.D.
YMMV.
Whine
----------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. - I'm at home tonight and ordering pizza...$20.00.
No one is sending me a check for that next month. Looks like I'm out that $20...Oh, and another $43 I would have gotten in PD on the road. Oh, and another $40-$50 I could've written off my taxes next year.
I'll take a dollar of Per Diem over a dollar of ( taxable ) Direct Compensation... ANY time.
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Still happy at SWA after 7 yrs. It's not for everyone and we don't get to sleep in bunk beds while on duty. I have never looked at friends at AA, DL, UAL or anyone and wished i could work there. NEVER! I also didnt worry that i was going to get laid off when an UA guy was facing the third furlough in 08.
Yeah, that's still not compensation. You're just trading away convenience and good food for cheapness and pocketing expense reimbursement. The reality is that most airlines underpay for per diem. That's why you get a tax deduction for it at the end of the year.
Whine Lover
Well-known member
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- Jun 19, 2005
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- 1,497
" You're just trading away convenience and good food for cheapness and pocketing expense reimbursement."
( Oh Man...! )
Well, perhaps you are not familiar with some of the above:
- Good Food ?
Breakfast at most International Hotels resembles something like you'd find at a top class Vegas hotel ....Smoked salmon, fresh vegetables, numerous ethnic/regional dishes, standard American fare, eggs, omelettes, etc cooked to order, cakes, pastrys, juices, health foods, meats , cheeses etc. , etc., etc.
Our catering is generally NOT the plastic box krap that most airlines serve..Many times it is local restaurants that provide specific meals to our request or the airline's request.
- Cheapness ?
Well, hmm...a schedule has you report in the A.M. and a delicious breakfast is available. You fly throughout the day and evening and most people don't care to wander off the aircraft in search of food when enormous amounts and numerous choices of really good things are available in the chiller just behind them. ( Also, wandering in Afghanistan in War Zones is ill advised. )
So, when you get back to the Hotel at 10pm ....you haven't spent a Red Cent on chow...Leaving you all that much more for those tasty cold beverages. (!)
OR....you can hit the rack because it was a long day, and bank the cash for some really good dinners/beverages in a day or two.
It's all about priorities...
Good Luck to you in all your future endeavors Sir!
WHine
( Oh Man...! )
Well, perhaps you are not familiar with some of the above:
- Good Food ?
Breakfast at most International Hotels resembles something like you'd find at a top class Vegas hotel ....Smoked salmon, fresh vegetables, numerous ethnic/regional dishes, standard American fare, eggs, omelettes, etc cooked to order, cakes, pastrys, juices, health foods, meats , cheeses etc. , etc., etc.
Our catering is generally NOT the plastic box krap that most airlines serve..Many times it is local restaurants that provide specific meals to our request or the airline's request.
- Cheapness ?
Well, hmm...a schedule has you report in the A.M. and a delicious breakfast is available. You fly throughout the day and evening and most people don't care to wander off the aircraft in search of food when enormous amounts and numerous choices of really good things are available in the chiller just behind them. ( Also, wandering in Afghanistan in War Zones is ill advised. )
So, when you get back to the Hotel at 10pm ....you haven't spent a Red Cent on chow...Leaving you all that much more for those tasty cold beverages. (!)
OR....you can hit the rack because it was a long day, and bank the cash for some really good dinners/beverages in a day or two.
It's all about priorities...
Good Luck to you in all your future endeavors Sir!
WHine
Last edited:
FurloughedAgain
Cabin Heating & Air Tech.
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2002
- Posts
- 1,657
That is not the point. We are paid per diet to compensate us for travel expenses incurred while at work. In many cases we are reimbursed at lower than the federal rate for those cities, and can expense the difference on our taxes. This is no different than if you were a corporate pilot with an expense account. Regardless of what you spend, that money is earmarked for a purpose and is not compensation by design.
People who consider it to be compensation are devaluing the profession. The last thing we want is for management to start considering per diem part of compensation.
People who consider it to be compensation are devaluing the profession. The last thing we want is for management to start considering per diem part of compensation.
Whine Lover
Well-known member
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- Posts
- 1,497
"The last thing we want is for management to start considering per diem part of compensation."
CORRECT.
"People who consider it to be compensation are devaluing the profession."
Not entirely correct.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apples and Oranges
- Per Diem is INDIRECT Compensation.
- Wages/Salaries are DIRECT Compensation.
The two should never be mentioned in the same conversation as regards Total Compensation.
Pilot A at Airline X - Makes 90k annual wages and 5k in P.D.
Pilot B at Airline Z - Makes 85k annual wages and 10k in P.D.
Q - So, do they both make $95,000 / Year?
A - NO.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm too old and been doing this for too long to continue this discussion, so good luck to all.
Love,
Whine
CORRECT.
"People who consider it to be compensation are devaluing the profession."
Not entirely correct.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apples and Oranges
- Per Diem is INDIRECT Compensation.
- Wages/Salaries are DIRECT Compensation.
The two should never be mentioned in the same conversation as regards Total Compensation.
Pilot A at Airline X - Makes 90k annual wages and 5k in P.D.
Pilot B at Airline Z - Makes 85k annual wages and 10k in P.D.
Q - So, do they both make $95,000 / Year?
A - NO.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm too old and been doing this for too long to continue this discussion, so good luck to all.
Love,
Whine
Last edited:
Whine Lover
Well-known member
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Why are we even discussing this?
Because pilots are, generally, functional illiterates ?
YKW
Whine Lover
Well-known member
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crash312
Well-known member
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- Jun 11, 2004
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So....your meal plan includes stealing an entire meals worth of food from the hotel?
and then boasting about it?
We should start a "How cheap is your pilot" thread. Minimum 10 pages.
I'll start.
We stay at a hotel that puts out complimentary plain and peanut M&M's in the lobby in huge dispensers. There are small plastic cups to fill up that fit about 10-15 pieces of candy. One of our pilots has on more than one occasion brought large ziploc bags with him and filled up one with the plain and the other with the peanut, while in uniform. On one occasion the front desk clerk saw this and asked what he was doing. He replied that his kids love these things so he brings them home to them. He was informed he can have one small cup. Last time I was at this hotel, the dispensers were gone.
and then boasting about it?
We should start a "How cheap is your pilot" thread. Minimum 10 pages.
I'll start.
We stay at a hotel that puts out complimentary plain and peanut M&M's in the lobby in huge dispensers. There are small plastic cups to fill up that fit about 10-15 pieces of candy. One of our pilots has on more than one occasion brought large ziploc bags with him and filled up one with the plain and the other with the peanut, while in uniform. On one occasion the front desk clerk saw this and asked what he was doing. He replied that his kids love these things so he brings them home to them. He was informed he can have one small cup. Last time I was at this hotel, the dispensers were gone.
RedDogC130
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Whine Lover
Well-known member
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- Posts
- 1,497
No..my "meal plan" does not involve stealing food on a daily basis.
At breakfast I might grab a banana and yogurt here and there. Or a bagel and some cream cheese to eat later. I don't fill a sack with stuff...although I know people that do.
All the hotels we stay in provide breakfast of some sort, the international hotels provide veritable banquets while at the domestic hotels it's basically just continental breakfast and maybe some eggs.
Cheap?
I guess if you call a guy that spends $22.00 dollars for a hamburger and $8.00 a beer with a $55-60 tab for one meal "cheap" well...okay, that's an interesting definition.
Wait...I have to confess. I bought the hamburger because the Hot Dog was $23.00 and I couldn't justify the extra dollar. So, ya' I guess there is an element of thriftiness there. ( Yes, you read that right AV8R Bar and Grill , Sydney Australia...$23.00 for a frickin' Hot Dog! Or, try the $22.00 Burger at The Fly Inn Sheraton Hotel , Baku , Azerbaijan. Tasty! )
NOW....let's all re-read and try to comprehend the information in my above posts:
- Many days on the road I don't need to buy food due to work hours and copious amountsof chow being provided by company. Many of those days I couldn't buy food if I wanted too...I don't do domestic pax flying with terminals full of bad fast food choices. Doing turns to Afghanistan doesn't provide a lot of food options.
- IF I am on an extended layover and in the hotel for a day or so...I prefer getting some fresh foods at the local markets and preparing something in my room...I like to cook and I know what I'm eating.
- Other days It's fun to get out of the hotel and hit some great restaurants with the crew for some local fare.
- NONE of my food choices are based strictly on cost or being stingy...I simply eat what is healthiest, available, sounds good, is a decent value and fits in with the days activities.
$10.00 beers on the roof top bar in Dubai? Bring 'em on!
$100 steaks at Ruth's Chris in Hong Kong? Tasty.
$ 15 Chinese Delivery in CVG ? Nah. I'm headed across the street to the grocery store for a rotisserie chicken, some fresh veggies, and a salad that I can have for dinner and lunch the next day.
So to each his own...personally, I hate eating in restaurants and moving as a herd to find a lunch or dinner spot which is decided on by committee.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whatever, the original point of this thread ( I think ) was:
Per Diem can be considered a form of compensation. Just look at your W-2 ...it's listed right there under "Wages, tips, and other compensation".
Does it cover your expenses in a given city? Maybe, maybe not. That depends on where you are, what your schedule is, and what your choices and options are.
Many of you don't have crew meals and apparently stay in hotels that don't provide breakfast. I'm guessing then, on a 3 day pairing (unless you really skimp and starve) you are S.O.L as far as a domestic PD providing the means necessary to eat well. You are still being provided some compensation for the meals you do buy. If you choose to try and get by on less that's your choice. If you can't ...well, that's your choice also.
But it really is nobody's place to judge those choices either way.
Ya'll have a Good Day.
W.L. - OUT
At breakfast I might grab a banana and yogurt here and there. Or a bagel and some cream cheese to eat later. I don't fill a sack with stuff...although I know people that do.
All the hotels we stay in provide breakfast of some sort, the international hotels provide veritable banquets while at the domestic hotels it's basically just continental breakfast and maybe some eggs.
Cheap?
I guess if you call a guy that spends $22.00 dollars for a hamburger and $8.00 a beer with a $55-60 tab for one meal "cheap" well...okay, that's an interesting definition.
Wait...I have to confess. I bought the hamburger because the Hot Dog was $23.00 and I couldn't justify the extra dollar. So, ya' I guess there is an element of thriftiness there. ( Yes, you read that right AV8R Bar and Grill , Sydney Australia...$23.00 for a frickin' Hot Dog! Or, try the $22.00 Burger at The Fly Inn Sheraton Hotel , Baku , Azerbaijan. Tasty! )
NOW....let's all re-read and try to comprehend the information in my above posts:
- Many days on the road I don't need to buy food due to work hours and copious amountsof chow being provided by company. Many of those days I couldn't buy food if I wanted too...I don't do domestic pax flying with terminals full of bad fast food choices. Doing turns to Afghanistan doesn't provide a lot of food options.
- IF I am on an extended layover and in the hotel for a day or so...I prefer getting some fresh foods at the local markets and preparing something in my room...I like to cook and I know what I'm eating.
- Other days It's fun to get out of the hotel and hit some great restaurants with the crew for some local fare.
- NONE of my food choices are based strictly on cost or being stingy...I simply eat what is healthiest, available, sounds good, is a decent value and fits in with the days activities.
$10.00 beers on the roof top bar in Dubai? Bring 'em on!
$100 steaks at Ruth's Chris in Hong Kong? Tasty.
$ 15 Chinese Delivery in CVG ? Nah. I'm headed across the street to the grocery store for a rotisserie chicken, some fresh veggies, and a salad that I can have for dinner and lunch the next day.
So to each his own...personally, I hate eating in restaurants and moving as a herd to find a lunch or dinner spot which is decided on by committee.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whatever, the original point of this thread ( I think ) was:
Per Diem can be considered a form of compensation. Just look at your W-2 ...it's listed right there under "Wages, tips, and other compensation".
Does it cover your expenses in a given city? Maybe, maybe not. That depends on where you are, what your schedule is, and what your choices and options are.
Many of you don't have crew meals and apparently stay in hotels that don't provide breakfast. I'm guessing then, on a 3 day pairing (unless you really skimp and starve) you are S.O.L as far as a domestic PD providing the means necessary to eat well. You are still being provided some compensation for the meals you do buy. If you choose to try and get by on less that's your choice. If you can't ...well, that's your choice also.
But it really is nobody's place to judge those choices either way.
Ya'll have a Good Day.
W.L. - OUT
Last edited:
SpauldingSmails
Aboard the sloop.
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- Aug 26, 2005
- Posts
- 1,278
One welcome change from the regionals are the lack of "bag eaters" at the majors. Always trying to track down a fridge for their room, eating 3 day old broccoli on the flight deck and locking themselves away each night because, "I've got to eat this food in my bag."
Granted, when they guy making 25k a year, I get it. But, I'd even offer to pick up the tab for a lot of guys - but they love their bag food.
Granted, when they guy making 25k a year, I get it. But, I'd even offer to pick up the tab for a lot of guys - but they love their bag food.
Last edited:
canyonblue
Everyone loves Southwest
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- 2,314
I heard from one of your former coworkers that you were one of them. So it's not true?
RedDogC130
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Yet you are still here. Let it go Maverick. Go to the real estate forum. You have more in common there.
Whine Lover
Well-known member
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I can't resist...
What's wrong with a "Bag Eater" ?
Have we not all had that GF that enjoyed a nice "Sack Lunch" ?
God BLESS 'EM Say I ..... !!!
-------------------------------------------------------------
- "OH, HE'S GOING TO HELL FOR DAT ! "
- "MM-HMM ! "
- " DAMN RIGHT MY SISTER. DAMN RIGHT! "
W.L.
What's wrong with a "Bag Eater" ?
Have we not all had that GF that enjoyed a nice "Sack Lunch" ?
God BLESS 'EM Say I ..... !!!
-------------------------------------------------------------
- "OH, HE'S GOING TO HELL FOR DAT ! "
- "MM-HMM ! "
- " DAMN RIGHT MY SISTER. DAMN RIGHT! "
W.L.
Last edited:
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