This doesn’t relate to the sort of flying we’re discussing here regularly, but I thought it’s so laughable I’ll share it anyway.
Apparently as of next year in Germany, if you’re flying somewhere for work and you get offered a “snack” (for domestic flights, it doesn’t deserve even that name) on board, for tax purposes this counts as a meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner depending on the time). You will have to deduct this from your daily allowance as if you were invited for dinner by your company. Worst case, if you fly a round trip on the same day, your entire allowance will be eaten up by this and you won’t actually have eaten anything (apart from two lousy, small bags of potato crisps).
This is pretty absurd.
I fly on airlines quite a lot and if I calculate this through, this is going to cost me at least 4 hours of hiring the club Cessna per year.
Maybe airlines will just stop handing out snacks altogether, making it a loose-loose situation for the government and the tax payer/passenger.
You don’t have to pay taxes for the snack/meal you get on board of the airliner but the tax free allowance granted by your employer is reduced in this case.
The reason behind this allowance is that eating (which is a private thing) is usually more costly on the road so the government subsidizes your extra costs. I am not sure that is actually required. Take yourself a sandwhich or whatever from home, government doesn’t have to subsidize/compensate every little hardship that life might bring you.
basically there are two systems- either your employer pays back you meal in the way (up to certain amount) based on reciept or you are given fixed amount without receipt, just based on your schedule – “per diem”. I think Germany is on the per diem system while France or US is on actual cost.
I am not sure that is actually required. Take yourself a sandwhich or whatever from home, government doesn’t have to subsidize/compensate every little hardship that life might bring you.
It’s fair to ask that the government stop subsidizing food for people who travel for work. Politically, I share that point of view.
What is absurd is subsidizing food for people and then creating yet another exception to the rule that says: If you’re offered a lousy snack (say, a muesli bar) on public tranport (say an airline flight), you cannot claim that subsidy because you’ve already had “dinner” on board.
For me personally (and I know that’s not what the allowance is for), I got used to it and regard it as a sort of compensation for not having a private life worth mentioning Monday-Friday. This exception, if enforced, is going to “cost” me 14,40 EUR/week.
I think Germany is on the per diem system while France or US is on actual cost.
Yes, and the per diem will be reduced (up to zero if it’s a same day round trip) because you’ve already eaten enough, on those flights, apparently.
AirBerlin gives away small chocolate hearts. I wonder if they qualify for this, too?
Rhino: it’s food….. so yes, it’s a meal……
It’s with petty rule changes like this that I hate living in Germany sometimes…….
Even the Swiss Chocolate will count as food.
Time to fly with Ryanair. lol
Even the Swiss Chocolate will count as food.
Time to fly with Ryanair. lol
I wonder how long it’ll take Ryanair to work out that they can charge you extra for NOT serving a meal 
Is it 1 April?
Question from an Austrian point of view: Who really deducts lunch or dinner invitations from the per diems? Who the hell is ever going to control that?
I have never seen these rules being enforced “to the letter” in my county. We leave this petty issues to our big, professional and serious neighbours in te Northwest …
