Self-funded WPs
Page 3.
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Everyone else bumps into my cab. The owner is probably getting sick of repairing it.
That doesn't inspire me to take a ride in your cab!
Quote:
TX58 is my beautiful Silver Service limousine. I drive the night shift, from 1500 on. I usually work out of the airport after dark. Readily identifiable by iPhone mounted on the dash playing my favorite songs and showing my happy holiday snaps.
Ahh I see! I haven't caught a taxi in the evening from Canberra Airport - I usually catch a taxi to the airport if I'm riding on a taxi in the evening in Canberra.
You never know I guess, I might call a taxi out and happen to ride in yours one day.
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Member of: Qantas, Asia Miles, Velocity, AAdvantage
Posts: 454
Re: Self-funded WPs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Commuter
Ahh I see! I haven't caught a taxi in the evening from Canberra Airport - I usually catch a taxi to the airport if I'm riding on a taxi in the evening in Canberra.
You never know I guess, I might call a taxi out and happen to ride in yours one day.
Never know. From three-thirty to six, my bread and butter is getting people to the airport. I'm always pretty sensitive to the needs of people with a plane to catch.
__________________
Peter in Canberra
QFF Platinum
"You know you travel too much when you have a favorite airport trolley."
I've been a largely self funded WP for a number of years. Was commuting between SYD and CNS and then had a number of jobs around the country resulting in flying up to 90 odd domestic flights a year. Now switched to maintaining status through international travel, most recently by using instant upgrade fares during visits to the USA connected with my university studies. The blip in the AU $ now has me scratching my head how I will maintain WP after Feb 2010...
I used to come back Friday night and go back on the first flight on Monday and going straight to work.
I haven't tried this approach but based on the few morning flights I have had in the past I could not survive a morning flight and then a full day at work. So Sunday night commute will have to suffice for now. Not sure how much longer I can last anyway....
Quote:
Originally Posted by oz_mark
One week sometimes, but would push out to two (doesn't take too many weekends in CBR to get all the relevant sightseeing done!)
There is not a lot do in Brisbane either. Unless I play golf....
Another one here. I have gotten WP with DONE4's much like many people here. In my industry we have a very small Australian presence so I need to go to the international conference in North America or Europe. Very easy to build a pretty optimised DONE4 and WP here we come.
This year's ticket was purchased at 87 cents, that was, at the time a super deal. If the AUD stays this low then I will not be requalifying next year but given my trip in Nov I will hold WP till April 2010. Who knows what will happen by then.
I am also a bit of plane nerd so I really enjoy flying and the whole FLounge thing etc. It is a hobby and a pretty expensive one but as Skyring noted people spends $*000000's on cars, boats etc. so $0000's a year on travel is something I can live with.
I have been lucky enough to not have to work. Instead I choose to sit on a couple of not for profit boards as a volunteer director in the community health sector at both a state and national level and self fund my travel. My pay off is I've been able to maintain my WP status for the last 4 years travelling j largely between TSV, BNE and SYD with an annual trip over to PER to see the folks. It's aslo proved to be quite useful flying j as I'm often sat next to a relevant gov't employee or even the odd minister or two which can at times represent unique networking or lobbying opportunities (has paid dividends more than once).
I love flying and (sadly I know) really like the buzz of an airport. I put it down to I took my first interstate flight PER - MEL in the early '60s at aged 5 weeks.
In my work I always travelled, in the early days i 'rode the dawg' (greyhound bus) all over the country. Reckon I've earn't my stripes to enjoy guilt free WP status.
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I am pretty much self-funded. Work sends me places, but they are cheap (because they have to be). EDIT: I should clarify: I am not a WP, only SG....hmmm maybe I should retract my posting until such time that I am a WP (since perhaps technically I'm O/T)?
Like most here, flying is something I enjoy. Sometimes that's a difficult frame of mind to maintain, especially when you've had a 10 hour go-go-go day at work followed by catching QF767 BNE-PER dep 1945h arr 2315h in WHY (followed by the need to wake up at 0500h the next morning), or when the NZ weather makes your 7 leg MR go completely awry, but it's all part of "the game" (so to speak).
My biggest difficulty now is with QF status and AA in the pocket and my QF year starts in March, I'm wondering where I should start strategising for status. They say QF is the easiest to maintain status, but AA is better for points burning, and the elite status qualification for AA seems just about as reachable as QF elite status would be......
Quote:
Originally Posted by QF009
Got HH Gold through a *cough* promo (let's leave it at that). Not enough HH stays to renew it though, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for tips and tricks on both here and FT. I only really need the status for when I visit Tokyo where all the SPGs are far away from shopping and nightlife and the Hilton is right where I want to be.
Same here - just qual'ed HHG on the so-*cough*ed promo (or perhaps we may be talking about different ones - anyway!) but also same boat - not enough stays planned out (or even comfortable to self-fund for) to requal for HHG. So also looking for other ways to possibly maintain status. I don't have SPG membership yet and I'm not too sure (esp. enrolled in AA) if I'm the biggest sucker in the world for not being enrolled in it.
Skyring, next time I'm in CBR during my SC run layover I hope I land in your cab! I could use a good conversation - the two cabbies I tried to yarn with when I was on my layover from the last SC run would be deadpans compared with you!
Member of: LH SEN, BD*G, AA EXP, SPG PLT, HH GLD, ISIC
Posts: 2,732
Re: Self-funded WPs
Quote:
Originally Posted by anat0l
I don't have SPG membership yet and I'm not too sure (esp. enrolled in AA) if I'm the biggest sucker in the world for not being enrolled in it.
A lot of people here are members of Priority Club i think, more so than SPG. I agree that PC seems to be a good hotel scheme with the earn/burn but of course there are other reasons why I choose to go with certain hotel chains and avoid others.
"I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and I drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it, unless I'm thirsty." Lily Bollinger on champagne
Member of: QF (WP); Hyatt Gold Passport (Patinum); SPG
Posts: 199
Re: Self-funded WPs
I have found this discussion really interesting. I have been WP for the past 4 years, averaging about 3,000 SCs per year (domestic J MEL - PER and Intl J/F).
However, I have not paid for any of those trips. Unlike some of the posters on this thread, I work full time and am fortunate to have an income that could easily accomodate plenty of self funded F/J travel, but do not consider it to be a smart use of money (that said, when flying internationally on my own account, I either use points for J or upgrade from Y to J - 5 from 5 track record).
Don't get me wrong - I love travel and J/F stds. I just find it interesting that, particularly in the current climate of financial uncertainty, people (and without intending to offend anyone - predominantly people around/post retirement - excluding QF009) are still prepared to spend the money on J/F.
From my experience, most of my colleagues/friends who could most easily afford F/J travel, will not pay for it, preferring to save it or spend it at the destination. The ones who travel J are often the ones who can least afford it.
Don't get me wrong - I love travel and J/F stds. I just find it interesting that, particularly in the current climate of financial uncertainty, people (and without intending to offend anyone - predominantly people around/post retirement - excluding QF009) are still prepared to spend the money on J/F.
Nice angle DTM1. Its interesting to see it from that perspective.
Personally, I'm self funded - but not at any specific elite level yet. However as much as I like the idea of J/F travel, the wonderful lounges on offer, the service, the better food, the space and convenience. I would not go out of my own way to spend $12K on J travel just for the sake of it or to chase some elite status.
I think I'm more considerate about my $$$ and seek good value travel, and if it means I can jump into a J cabin for 30% more than the cost of Y, I might spend that extra money.
I don't chase elite levels. My goal is to fly on as many different airlines as possible.
That doesn't inspire me to take a ride in your cab!
I only really need the status for when I visit Tokyo where all the SPGs are far away from shopping and nightlife and the Hilton is right where I want to be.
anat0l 
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