Does your travel dept pinch pennies?
Oct 30, 2010, 3:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: AS MVPG, HH something, Bonvoy can't remember
Posts: 32
Does your travel dept pinch pennies?
This year the travel booking tool that my employer uses has been fine tuned to push us towards lower fares. DL fares have not always been competitive. I'm finding that in more and more cases I have to either fly on undesirable airlines or get management approval.
How much leeway do others have?
How much leeway do others have?
Oct 30, 2010, 3:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
This year the travel booking tool that my employer uses has been fine tuned to push us towards lower fares. DL fares have not always been competitive. I'm finding that in more and more cases I have to either fly on undesirable airlines or get management approval.
How much leeway do others have?
How much leeway do others have?
Oct 30, 2010, 3:48 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: delta diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 361
I am lucky as I can find the flights I want and book them myself and then get reimbursed from my company. So, I can always pick delta and get the added bonus of getting the am ex miles myself! Hope it doesn't change.
Oct 30, 2010, 3:59 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SLC/DCA
Programs: DL DM (and NRSA), UA NA, HH Dia, National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,764
Government employee but same basic concept. Thankfully being based in SLC my contract fares are normally DL; although about three years ago it was UA to all three WAS airports which sucked as I spent more than one night in ORD as a result of missed connections.
Oct 30, 2010, 4:36 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: DL PM/MM, Hilton Silver, SPG+, Hertz PC
Posts: 7,899
Used to buy tickets for myself and get reimbursed later.
Recently, my refunds were delayed and I got $3.21 and $1.64 less than I paid Somehow somebody spent their paid time and determined I wasn't choosing the lowest fares. Since by rule we are free to chose flight times which best fit business, I don't know how that determination was made.
I submitted and started using our contracted travel agency. What a PITA: software platform is worse and seat selection doesn't work well.
Anyway, although I don't advance the plane ticket cost anymore the rest of my reimbursements are still delayed because the agency gives me a cost at booking and then charges maybe a couple bucks less or more. Another paid employee has to spend time for reconciling bills.
Recently, my refunds were delayed and I got $3.21 and $1.64 less than I paid Somehow somebody spent their paid time and determined I wasn't choosing the lowest fares. Since by rule we are free to chose flight times which best fit business, I don't know how that determination was made.
I submitted and started using our contracted travel agency. What a PITA: software platform is worse and seat selection doesn't work well.
Anyway, although I don't advance the plane ticket cost anymore the rest of my reimbursements are still delayed because the agency gives me a cost at booking and then charges maybe a couple bucks less or more. Another paid employee has to spend time for reconciling bills.
Oct 30, 2010, 4:40 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: California
Programs: AS,WN,UA,B6,hotels
Posts: 4,239
i have not found DL to be any better from the point of view of a non-elite. Of course, if you have elite status benefits on DL, perhaps that other "undesirable airline" will become a desirable airline once you have flown it enough to gain elite status and associated benefits.
Travel policies requiring choosing the lowest fare for a reasonable flight are pretty much the standard when employers are paying for the fare.
Oct 30, 2010, 5:49 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
We have some leeway. If we choose a fare within $100 of the lowest fare available that day, we are within policy. If we choose a fare in excess of that, we have to provide an explanation with the booking. Acceptable explanations include a more convenient time, a direct flight or having to make flight arrangements match a coworker's arrangements. Unacceptable reasons include choosing a desired airline.
If I violate policy in purchasing a ticket, it triggers a warning and my boss has to approve the flight. My boss just kind of auto-approves these. If we purchase a ticket with a fare over $750, we also trigger the same warning and need the same type of approval.
I work for a large company and we make travel arrangements through a corporate booking tool. (Which looks and acts the same as Kayak.) We have an internal travel department and there are outside auditors looking behind us for compliance.
If I violate policy in purchasing a ticket, it triggers a warning and my boss has to approve the flight. My boss just kind of auto-approves these. If we purchase a ticket with a fare over $750, we also trigger the same warning and need the same type of approval.
I work for a large company and we make travel arrangements through a corporate booking tool. (Which looks and acts the same as Kayak.) We have an internal travel department and there are outside auditors looking behind us for compliance.
Oct 30, 2010, 6:12 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MTL
Programs: AA GLD
Posts: 100
same here.
internal NA flights, we have out internal toool. we can go above 100 from minimum fare. rest all need approvals.
for overseas, we have outsourced to another company, which does the booking. u can be a bit pushy about dates and times, but not about specific airlines
internal NA flights, we have out internal toool. we can go above 100 from minimum fare. rest all need approvals.
for overseas, we have outsourced to another company, which does the booking. u can be a bit pushy about dates and times, but not about specific airlines
Oct 30, 2010, 7:04 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: California
Programs: AS,WN,UA,B6,hotels
Posts: 4,239
For those who have bureaucratic approval layers to deal with, are they reasonable about trying to avoid high risk itineraries (e.g. 1 hour regional jet to international connection at ORD on a day with snow predicted)?
Oct 30, 2010, 7:54 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, NYC, somewhere on planet Earth
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 8,289
I get to decide my own travel, but it has to be in Economy. Having said that, I do try to economize, while still staying within my preferred carriers. I do notice colleagues who will take the most convenient flights, regardless of cost.