hyperone

Originally Posted by Dadof6
Couple of suggestions:

1. If you've cleared security, and have access to the business/first class lounge, most of them have Wi-Fi & will give you the password.

2. Next, in many terminals if outside security, you can buy a card at a store/kiosk for airport's Wi-Fi access (think I did this in DUB once). It taught me to bring a foldable USB headset so I could Skype from my laptop in a public place (pre-iPhone). These stores will also sell you a straight phone card (use company card) and direct you to a phone. Cheaper than # 3 below.

3. Last resort--find a "pay" phone that takes credit cards, use your company card, and call Crew Control. Did this in CDG on a Christmas Day snowstorm when Air France cancelled their whole schedule, AND Skype was overloaded & couldn't connect. Total of 3 calls, about 15 minutes, about $150 expensed on the next expense report. Crew Control absolute champs. Rebuilt pairing, hotel for the night, and new DH the next day.

Any other ideas out there?

Yeah, as USMCFDX said above, why bother with all that if it is a business-related call? You don't need to jump through any of those hoops to call the company for official business when international. Just pull out your cell and call crew scheds using the 1-901-238-75XX number, have them transfer you or make a phone call to the ramp, and then file an expense report when your cell phone bill shows up for the associated charges.
I've done it several times from France, China, and Japan. A LOT cheaper to the company than option 3.
BTW, I turn my AT&T Iphone 5 on whenever I land international and just ensure data roaming and cellular data under Settings/General/Cellular are turned off. On my voice mail I say that the easiest way to reach me is to send a text. AT&T international rates are 50 cents to send and 25 cents to receive a text, and usually $2-4 per minute to call WITHOUT an international plan.

FlybyKnite

Concur, I called AT&T and said "Turn on my International Service, no I do not want an international plan." It just means I pay a higher price per minute when I do make a call. Don't need the plan since I make most calls via Skype or FaceTime.

Have to be careful though. With AT&T, if it goes to voicemail it will be charged for as an international call; because, the call was "completed" [by going to voicemail] while you were overseas. It would also behoove you to learn how to retrieve your voicemail by using Skype to avoid additional charges.

As long as the call is to FedEx, when a call needs to be made, I make it and expense it. I've called GOC several times domestically and handed him my phone, because it's the quickest way to resolve some problems. Internationally, I'll ask the ramp agent for his phone first, then ACARS, then make the call. Now tipping, that's a personal problem .

When I've made calls from other countries, I've just dialed the number and the iPhone was smart enough to put in the right exit prefix (011 or 1). The ramp numbers in the Pocket Calendar include the country code, but not the exit code (remember there is a ePocket Cal file to put on your phone). If you are using local country phones you can get good gouge here: How to call the USA: country code, area codes, phone books

The only place I had a problem calling GOC was from Chile. Kept getting strange results when trying to use the 800 numbers. Finally got through on a 901 number. So now I always dial the 901 numbers from overseas.

MX727

And if you save the numbers in your phone's contact list with the +1, you'll never even have to think about it.

MD11Fr8Dog

Well, way back in the day before everyone had a cellphone there was this thing called a pay phone and a service called making a "collect" call.

From...

https://pilot.fedex.com/general/pdf_...ne_numbers.pdf



I've used it many times and it works!

USMCFDX

I have never noticed this on my bill. If you turn off data you will be unable to retrieve voicemail the normal way on your iPhone. You need to call your number and enter your pin.

FlybyKnite

I leave Cellular Data turned on all the time. Don't get many voicemails, but did notice the charge once or twice. It wasn't much $$. Hangups are free .

It seems that with the Cellular Data on, the system pings your phone and knows it's international and then when you aren't charge for the incoming call, but charged for the switching from your phone back to voicemail in the states. At least that was how it was explained to me by AT&T.