HIVE Cyprus

Get You Home (Overseas) flight rates

2010-08-03T08:38:02Z

CHANGES IN JSP 752 REGULATIONS RATES OF ENTITLEMENT FOR ALLOWANCES FOR SERVICE PERSONNEL

Reference:

A: D/SP Pol PM/Allces 05.03.01.09 09 dates 28 Jul 10

Reference A provides details of the rates that are updated annually in August.

For Service Personnel in Cyprus it covers

a Get You Home (Overseas) flight rates.

b. Concessionary Travel for Families flight rates.

With effect from 1 Aug 10 the flight rates for the aforementioned allowances changed from £367 to £285. All applications submitted for flights that take place after 1 Aug 10 will attract the new allowance rate.

Any questions relating to the above should be directed to your Unit Admin Staff.

Accommodation at Brize Norton for Duty Personnel

2010-07-21T07:33:01Z

AIR TROOPING SERVICE (AT) - PROCEDURE FOR DUTY PERSONNEL TRAVELLING TO CYPRUS (CYP) WHO REQUIRE ACCOMMODATION PRIOR TO CHECK IN

References:

A: JSP 800 Vol 2 Pt 2 Ch 6 Third Edition dated Jan 10

B: JSP 752 Chapter 3 Ver 12 dated 1 Jul 10

C: PRG Civillian Detached Duty Expenses Version 1.0 - 2010 dated 6 April 10

1. It has been brought to the attention of HQ BFC that personnel have recently begun to be charged for the use of Gateway House (GWH) Transit Accommodation at RAF Brize Norton (BZN).

ELIGIBILITY

2. This instruction applies to entitled personnel, military and UKBC/UKBT, travelling on duty and using the AT from BZN to RAF Akrotiri (AKT).

INELIGIBILITY

3. It does not apply for personnel travelling on Concession Fare Paying (CFP) or Concessionary Non Fare Paying (CNFP) tickets. Personnel travelling in these terms are responsible for making their own arrangements for accommodation and meals at their own expense. All CFP/CNFP personnel are advised that they will be charged for the use of GWH and are ineligible to reclaim any costs incurred.

4. It does not apply to personnel who have under gone check-in procedures at BZN and subsequent flight delay.

BACKGROUND

5. In accordance with Reference A, and with immediate effect, Gateway House (GWH) will no longer be able to provide accommodation prior to check in for outbound passengers (PAX) travelling on Cyp bound AT (BZN - AKT).

6. Various reasons have led to the enforcement of extant regulations on entitlement to accommodation within GWH Transit Accommodation. Two of these reasons are listed below:

a. Due to budgetary constraints, 2 Gp are no longer able to support the current provision of surplus accommodation and food for PAX who do not necessarily require accommodation at BZN prior to their report date.

b. Due to a lack of accommodation within BZN, GWH is currently being used to accommodate entitled personnel on a permanent basis. This has lead to a decrease in the amount of transit accommodation within GWH for personnel utilising the Air Head. A priority system has been implemented on extant regulations governing PAX Handeling Regulations prior to flights.

7. Extant Regulations. This change is based on the need to prioritise usage based on necessity under extant regulations and entitlement, it is not the result of a change in policy or entitlement.

8. Request for Policy Change. The Passenger Policy Branch (PAXPOL) and GWH have already submitted a request for policy change in order to develop a more workable solution for all personnel concerned. J1 have formally requested that Dep Comd Sec approach PJHQ for a similar request to be submitted.

ACTION REQUIRED

9. Immediate. Upon receipt of this instruction all stations and units Admincon BFC are to inform all PAX (military and entitled civillian personnel) who have duty travel booked on Cyp bound AT (BZN - AKT) after Tuesday 20 Jul 10 that they are to arrange accommodation and travel according to the following instructions:

a. Passenger Report Time (PRT). This is the date and time stated on the flight call forward notice; PAX are not to report to BZN for Cyp bound AT prior to their date of travel.

b. Journey Time. This is the estimated journey time required from the duty location direct to BZN, it must be calculated to include statutory periods of rest for drivers, if applicable, and ensure that delays on route are accounted for. It is suggested that a recognised route planning service be used to help estimated journey time e.g. AA Route Planner.

c. Travel. Travel arrangements are to be booked according to the PRT and journey from duty location to BZN. Stations and units are to ensure that the duty journeys are planned via the most direct route and aim to get the PAX to BZN for their PRT. This instruction does not change any extant regulations or requirements for duty travel, all normal procedures for duty travel are to be followed.

d. Accommodation. PAX travelling on duty are to remain at their temporary duty location until they are required to move forward to BZN to arrive for their PRT. Accommodation is to be pre-planned and arranged as follows:

(1) Service Personnel (SP) In accordance with Ref B, SP are to be accommodated at their temporary duty location in military provided accommodation, if available, until the day of travel. If no military accommodation is available at their temporary duty location, SP are to inform their station/unit and follow the procedures for non availability of military accommodation. SP are advised to speak with their unit mil HR staff to confirm all entitlements to allowances prior to travelling.

(2) Entitled Civilians In accordance with Ref C, Entitled Civilians are to follow the extant guidance on arranging temporary accommodation for a duty journey. Personnel are advised to check their entitlement to any allowance with PPPA prior to travelling.

10. Future Requests for Authority for Duty Travel. With immediate effect, all applications for duty travel are to include calculations for accommodation, subsistence, and travel as detailed above.

11. Authority to claim. PAX who have recently (upto and including 20 Jul 10) travelled on duty, who have incurred costs as a result of travelling through GWH, are authorised to claim back their actual expenses for subsistence through JPA/HRMS. For further guidance on how to submit claims please contact your unit HR staff. No other personnel are authorised to claim expenses using this instruction.

SUMMARY

12. BFC, GWH and BZN have been given no option but to implement the policy and restrictions in line with current direction. This instruction has been written to try and minimise the effect of the current policy on travelling duty PAX.

It is recommended that personnel try and utilise Service Accommodation such as the various contact houses available. Please contact your local HIVE for a copy of the latest Contact/Welfare Housing Directory.

HOME Delivery Network

2010-05-18T13:49:09Z

As part of the work of the Army Families Federation (aff) in Cyprus they have been asking for your comments on what companies you would like to deliver to BFPO but don’t. This campaign is still running so you should get in contact with them. HIVE has been made aware of a company that offers HOME collection. HIVE have spoken with BFPO to confirm HOME Delivery Network has a carrier contact and will accepted parcels delivered to BFPO.

Customer’s friends and family’s who send parcels have had to take them to the Post Office and some of these parcel are heavy (up to 30Kg), some people do struggle carrying heavy items and the HOME Delivery Network may be suitable for them. HOME Delivery Network will collect a parcel from a residential address i.e. your mum/dads and deliver it to BFPO for onward transportation. Limitations of size and weight should be taken from the BFPO website. Parcels are still likely to come by ship rather than air.

Comparison:

Parcel Force (HM FORCES special rate) upto 30kg £13.90 (take to post office)
HOME Delivery Network upto 30Kg £8.16 (Collect from home)

HOME DELIVERY NETWORK INFO:

Home Delivery Network Limited (HDNL) is one of the UK's largest dedicated home delivery and collection services and delivers 300,000 parcels and large consignments....every day.

Home Delivery Network was formed in May 2005 and expanded its fully owned network in Northern Ireland in September 2006. It now delivers for over 120 major retailers, with over 90 years combined experience. HDNL provide a premium courier service to retailers, manufacturers and the general public.

Following an extensive review of the parcel delivery market. Sainsbury's has appointed Home Delivery Network as its primary courier of parcels to home, in line with the launch of its non-food online business.

Home shopping specialists Ideal Shopping Direct have awarded a major delivery contract to Home Delivery Network.

Home Delivery network believe that a parcel delivery service should reflect a clients' brand values. Parcel delivery companies have become brand ambassadors for their clients as the point of delivery and is often the only time a customer will come face-to-face with a brand representative.

HOME DELIVERY NETWORK SERVICES CAN BE ACCESSED:

http://www.parcel2ship.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww.parcel2ship.co.uk%2facatalog%2findex.html&WD=bfpo&PN=BFPO-parcel-delivery.html%23a505#a505

HIVE DOES NOT ENDORSE THIS COMPANY BUT WISHES THE SERVICE COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE OF THE SERVICE IT OFFERS.

TEMPORARY SWIMMING POOLS

2010-04-13T18:22:08Z

This is an extract from the HQ BFC Background and Policy on the use of Temporary Swimming pools in SFA/SLA:

Over the past 12 months there have been 4 incidents involving children aged under 4 within temporary swimming pools located in the gardens of SFA within the SBA. One has very tragically resulted in a fatality, 1 child remains hospitalised and the remaining 2 cases were near misses which so easily could have been much more serious. In all of the cases post incident de-briefing indicates that the parents were fully aware of the dangers of swimming pools and their own parenting responsibilities however for whatever reasons the parents or guardians were distracted, specifically they were not in sight of their child and it is within those few minutes that a tragedy can occur.