What is your daily recommended meal allowance?

[31aSK]

Ok, what is yor daily recommended meal allowance for:

1. A day trip (less than 16 hours duty).

2. An overnight trip.


The company I fly for, a small southeast Pt. 91 flight department is reccommending that we spend "around" 15 per day for a day trip, 20 for duty day 14 to 16 hours and 35 for an overnight trip. They are not real hard on these numbers, but rather it is a recommended amount to stick by. I know charter pilots are usually allowed more because the customer is paying for it, so i am really interested in PT.91 pilots.

 

[Rick James]

About as much as I can shovel down my throat. I've gained 10 pounds since moving from the airlines. No set number as management feels a well fed pilot is a safe one.

 

[gear_guy]

Quality pt91 depts don't have a maximum meal allowance. This is typically b/c they hire responsible pilots who spend money like it's their own. If you have to get one, I would say 10/10/30 or 50/day. The reason this stinks is b/c you travel to many areas with differing costs-of-living. 50/day is great in podunkville, but you won't eat great in NY or CA. But I don't agree with per diem either b/c people will usually forsake health for money and that's not safe.

 

[HMR]

We eat whatever and as much as we want. No questions asked.

 

[31aSK]

yes, we used to eat whatever we wanted, but our new chief pilot felt that we had to have a recommended amount. go figure.

 

[h25b]

yes, we used to eat whatever we wanted, but our new chief pilot felt that we had to have a recommended amount. go figure.

Nice... So he's trying to gain credibility with management by screwing you. Why don't you tell him to be the one to field test his policy for a few weeks and report back to the rest of you how it has worked out.

 

[AA717driver]

Ours should average $75/day for the trip domestically. On international, we use our best judgement. A couple of people in the past ruined it for everyone. TC

 

[Best Seat]

When we are hungry we eat. Some times it is a five course meal to literally die for other times it is a quick meal. Depends on the crews, some of us enjoy wearing a jacket to dinner, others don't. And, if it is a long trip, we are allowed to take our "loved" ones or significant other to dinner on the company when we get home which is usually the last thing we want to do when on the road all over the world for a week or two. We are never questioned about expenses of any sort. But, as previously posted, we spend with regard like it is our own $$$$. We don't behave any differently on the road as we do at home. We do live in a large city and know what a good meal is in the best seat in the industry.

 

[400A]

Quality pt91 depts don't have a maximum meal allowance. This is typically b/c they hire responsible pilots who spend money like it's their own. If you have to get one, I would say 10/10/30 or 50/day. The reason this stinks is b/c you travel to many areas with differing costs-of-living. 50/day is great in podunkville, but you won't eat great in NY or CA. But I don't agree with per diem either b/c people will usually forsake health for money and that's not safe.

This is the same as our policy. We treat the money like it is our own. We only do fast food if it is our choosing. The boss wants us to eat well, and even wants us to tip well. (Unlike Raytheon where once cent over 15% was not paid back to you) We have company credit cards with no expense reporting. It is very nice. We are very careful not to abuse this.

 

[rice]

A major (three letter) management company has a $75 domestic and $100 Int'l rate per day in their FOM. Sometimes more is spent and often much less is spent. All depends on where you are in the world and what your appetite is like.
On another note, I HATE anyone who questions my MEAL expenses but doesn't have a clue that I just saved .20 or .25 cents a gallon off of the fuel purchase. When that happens I stop going the "extra mile".