FDX-NO CAT (Catering Question)
 

I've heard from other guys I've been flying with that anytime you have a NOCAT on your schedule (A.M. BFM turns an example), you can put in for $25 on your expense report.

Several crews have told me that even if you get catering out of MEM, do an out-n-back to a NO CAT city (if its on your schedule) you can put it for the $25 credit. I've never done this, but, I want to make sure its legit before I submit 10-15 of these on my expense report.

It would be pretty embarrassing to get fired over a catering expense!

Thanks, 30 from the bottom

I think the deal here is you can submit a food receipt for up to $25 in a NOCAT city. You just can't request a $25 credit if you have no receipt to justify that expense.

MG2

I've had numerous BQN NOCAT meals without submitting a receipt. They were usually in the $6-9 range, if that means anything!

5. If the Company is required to provide catering, and the location
has no FDA-approved inflight kitchen (i.e., it is a “NOCAT” city),
the pilot shall, upon submission of an online expense report
identifying the NOCAT city, be entitled to $25 for each occurrence,
in lieu of catering. NOCAT cities shall be designated in the bid
period package.

The Company will provide any required catering at a downline stop (if you have one) and you are still authorized a NOCAT expense. The Catering is required to be loaded at the point of origin and that is where this comes in.

I do not understand your out and back question though, all out and backs are catered in MEM. If you are due additional catering in an outstation for some reason then the NOCAT provision would apply. The best way to know if NOCAT applies is to look at the pairing with services and it will list NOCAT where some level of catering is due but not available.

Receipts are not required for any expense under $25.00 so file what ever you spend, if it was more than $25.00 all you can claim is $25.00 so you will never really need a receipt.

Hope this helps.

I don't think that is true. In addition to what 2cyl posted, this is also in the contract:

Catering for duty periods within a trip shall be provided as follows: Domestic Duty Periods

1. Duty periods between 5:30 and 7:29 hours shall receive a snack.
2. Duty periods between 7:30 and 11:29 hours shall receive 1 meal service.
3. Duty periods in excess of 11:29 hours shall receive 1 meal and 1 snack.
4. Domestic flights shall be catered at the point of origin.
5. No hot meal service is required on domestic flights.
6. Domestic flights shall not be delayed for catering.
7. If catering is not delivered by departure time, CRS will attempt to arrange catering down line. If catering required under Section 5.E.1.a.i., ii., or iii. is not delivered down line, the pilot entitled to such catering shall be eligible to expense a meal for up to $25 upon arrival at the layover city. The pilot shall submit an online Pilot Ops Report (POR) regarding the catering failure and attach a copy of such POR to his expense report in order to secure reimbursement.

The correct answer is you can put anything on your expense report (once).

$25 per occurrence; file them on your monthly exp rpt.

It would only be legit if you actually spent $25 on food. ;)

If there's no receipt required, who's to say you didn't spend $25 on food.

You are certainly correct, additionally, it would only be legit if the company gave us the higher of the accepted fare or the scheduled ticket. Of course that wouldn't matter if the accepted fare was legitimate. That is why every time I have a no cat I make sure I spend at least $25 and claim same. It helps to protect catering.:rolleyes: