Procedure 20335e: Air Transportation

Quick Navigation: Introduction | Rates | Purchase Procedure | Travel Agencies | State, Charter, & Private Aircraft

Introduction

Rules and procedures for the purchase of air travel services, both on public carriers and charter aircraft are based on the requirement that all expenditures of the University must be necessary and reasonable and that the mechanism of payment must be in accordance with state and university procedures.

Rates

Public transportation rates must not exceed those for tourist/coach class accommodations. Business class air travel may be granted under the following circumstances:

• When the cost does not exceed the lowest available tourist/coach fare.
• For travel to Western Europe if the business meeting is conducted within three hours of landing.
• For transoceanic, intercontinental trips of more than eight hours.
• If the traveler pays the difference.

Business class for rail travel may be granted under the following circumstances:

• When it does not cost more than the lowest available tourist/coach fare (comparison must be attached to the travel voucher).
• When reserved coach seats are not offered on the route.
• If the traveler pays the difference.

Reimbursement for first class travel is prohibited. Travelers purchasing first class airline tickets will not be reimbursed for the expense from public funds.
Internet Purchases - Internet travel users must be careful when procuring airline tickets. The Internet sites often list only a class code and the user should know the following code designations:

• Tourist/Coach – B H K L Q T U V W Y
• Business Class – C J

• First Class – A D E F J P

Fly America Act
If international travel is being charged to a Federal grant or contract, then the “Fly America Act” applies.  This act states that all federal contractors who receive funding assistance for travel shall comply with the Fly America Act and will only use US flag air carriers when traveling.  For more information about the Fly America Act, visit http://www.tvlon.com/resources/FlyAct.html.
If you have questions regarding the Fly America Act, please contact the program administrator for the federal grant/contract.   

Purchase Procedures

Individual Business Travel
The university departments may purchase airline tickets for individual business travel by any one of the following payment methods. (Details of each purchase are found later in this procedure.)

• Process Travel Agency Authorizations through HokieMart.
• Department’s GE Master Card Corporate Purchasing Card (P-Card)
• Traveler’s Corporate GE Master Card Travel Card
• Personal Funds

The Commonwealth of Virginia requires the university to use one of these methods for making payments for air travel services. The university does not have the option of making cash payments directly to the airlines or travel agencies unless the payment is the result of a purchase made through a Requisition for Purchase or meets the conditions of the direct payment provisions for group travel.
Use of the university contracts and the GE Master Card charge cards are completely restricted to university business. No personal travel reservations may be arranged by use of these university procurement means.
Airline tickets may be purchased up to 90 days before the travel occurs. If it can be documented that there are substantial savings made by purchasing the ticket earlier or if there is reason to believe the seats could become unavailable, the Manager of Accounting Services may make an exception to the 90-day limit.
All unused transportation tickets or refunds received while in a travel status should be returned to the University Bursar's Office to be deposited to the Banner fund to which the original ticket was charged.
Charges for changes to tickets/reservations to accommodate personal comfort, convenience and taste are not reimbursable.  Change fees must be explained on the Travel Reimbursement Voucher. 
Boarding passes are required for all air and rail reimbursements made directly to employees.
Group Travel
Any of the five travel agencies on university contract may provide services for group travel. University departments who are responsible for group travel, such as study abroad groups, may not make commitments for this purchase without first attempting to purchase the services from one of the contract agencies.  If the travel agencies on contract are unable to provide the services, you should document your efforts and you may then purchase services from another source. 
Departments may purchase group travel up to $50,000 under the direct payment provisions. Group travel expected to exceed $50,000 must be purchased using a Requisition for Purchase form.

Process Travel Agency Authorizations Through HokieMart

All travel agency authorizations should be processed through the HokieMart with a purchase order. The Travel Services Authorization form (TA) can only be used when purchasing airline tickets from our contract travel agencies and charging the Virginia Tech Foundation (this form is located on the Foundation’s website). The Foundation charges cannot be entered in the HokieMart.

In cases where a department wants to split the cost of a ticket between a Foundation and University fund, the purchase must be made through HokieMart charging the complete cost of the ticket to a University fund. The department purchasing the ticket will then need to process a Foundation Request for Payment (RFP) form for the amount to refund the University fund that was originally charged. A copy of the initial HokieMart purchase order must be attached to the RFP along with a deposit ticket and sent to the Foundation for reimbursement.

Corporate Purchasing Card (P-Card)

The GE Master Card Corporate Purchasing Card (P-Card) (blue card) may be used for charging airline ticket expense for individual business travel purchased through the Internet, directly from airlines, or from travel agencies. This card carries no baggage insurance or travelers insurance because it was not designed as a travel card.  This card cannot be used for any other travel expense, i.e. the first night of lodging cannot be charged to this card. The cardholder does not need to attach a price quote from another source when recording the payment using this option; however, efforts should be made to obtain the lowest cost airfare for the services required. The cardholder should check several different options, including the contract travel agencies, before securing the airline ticket. Prudent judgment should be used when choosing an Internet travel service site. 
Procedure for Purchase of Airline Tickets using GE Master Card P-Card:

• Traveler requests department head’s approval to travel using normal travel approval procedures. The traveler’s department reviews the travel itinerary to determine if there are any legs of the trip that may be personal in nature. If there is a personal piece to the trip, the department is required to keep documentation showing the total expense of the trip and the expense of the trip if there had been no personal travel involved. The traveler is required to reimburse the departmental fund for any amount exceeding the cost of the business travel expenses.
• Traveler or the departmental representative contacts the travel agency, airline, or the Internet to make travel arrangements.
• When the final flights are agreed upon, the cardholder provides the card number to purchase the airline ticket. If the individual making the arrangements is not the cardholder, the travel agency or other vendor places a “hold” on the flight itinerary when the final flights are agreed upon. Please note that a “hold” on the reservation does not guarantee the price--only issuing the actual ticket guarantees the price. The individual making the arrangements notifies the department GE Master Card P-Cardholder that they have reserved a flight. The cardholder calls the travel agency and provides the GE Master Card number to charge. Tickets must be purchased within 24 hours of booking.
• If a charge exceeds the cardholder’s P-Card limit, the cardholder must e-mail the card administrator (currently Debra Reed, dbales@vt.edu) in the Purchasing Department to ask that the limit be raised. All airline charges exceeding $5,000 must be approved by the Controller’s Office before requesting Debra to raise the limits on the card.
• The department must secure a paper copy, facsimile, or e-mail notice of the itinerary from the travel agency, the airline, or the Internet to file in their GE Master Card records.
• The cardholder keeps the traveler’s travel approval form and the trip itinerary in their GE Master Card Purchase records. (Note the traveler must still attach a copy of the travel approval form to the travel voucher when the total cost of the trip exceeds $500 or lodging exceeds the allowable guideline rate.)
• At the end of the GE Master Card billing period, the cardholder receives the GE Master Card bill and codes each trip to the appropriate Banner fund and account using normal GE Master Card reconciliation processing.
• The Department Head or designee reviews the GE Master Card Payment Certification Form and approves it. It is this signature that certifies to the Controller’s Office that all travel on the attached GE Master Card monthly statement is for university business and that all personal and Virginia Tech Foundation expenses have been reimbursed to the departmental funds. No other travel approval forms have to be attached to the monthly certification form except as follows.
• If the Department Head or the designee approving the monthly certification form has travel expenses in the monthly statement, the cardholder must attach a copy of the Department Head’s travel approval form (approved by the Dean or Vice President) to meet the university’s requirement that anyone receiving anything of value using public funds must have that approved by the “next higher level of supervision.” Additionally, if the Department Head’s designee approves the certification form AND has travel expenses in the monthly statement, the cardholder must attach a copy of the travel approval form (signed by the Department Head) to the certification.

Travel Card

Travelers may use their Corporate GE Master Card travel card (green card) for charging travel when they purchase through the Internet, directly from the airlines or from university contract travel agencies. The travelers receive $500,000 in business travel accident insurance and $5,000 in baggage insurance when they use their GE Master Card Corporate travel card to purchase airline tickets. The traveler CANNOT be reimbursed for the cost of the ticket until after the trip occurs. Prudent judgment must be used when purchasing tickets from an Internet travel service site. When procuring services via the Internet, the traveler must provide (a) the hardcopy final page from the Internet site showing total cost and confirmed service and (b) the airline confirmation (boarding pass) of the type of ticket purchased, i.e., coach, business when this information is not shown on the final page from the Internet. 

Personal Funds

Travelers may use their personal credit cards for charging travel when they purchase through the Internet or directly from the airlines. The traveler CANNOT be reimbursed for the cost of the ticket until after the trip occurs. If the traveler considers that a problem, he/she should request the department to use the GE Master Card P-Card process described earlier. When the Internet is used to purchase tickets, the traveler must use prudent judgment. The hardcopy final page from the Internet site showing total cost and confirmed service and the airline confirmation (boarding pass) of the type of ticket purchased, (i.e., coach, business) must be attached to the travel reimbursement voucher request form. 

University Contract Travel Agencies

The following travel agencies are on contract with the university to provide travel management services.  Please note the specifics about each agency. Call the agency contact person for more information about the specific services offered by the agency.

Martin Travel, Inc.
1346 South Main Street
Blacksburg VA 24060
Phone: 951-7854 FAX: 540/951-5043
Statewide/National Access: 1-800/817-1227
Web Page: http://www.martintravel.com
Email:  Josie@martintravel.com or Trisha@martintravel.com

Omni Travel and Tours, Inc.
508 South Main Street Suite A
Blacksburg VA 24060
Phone: 552-4120   FAX: 540/552-9642
Statewide/National Access: 1-800/809-6496
Web page: http://www.go-omni.com
E-mail: slagel@usit.net

Short’s Travel

1203 West Ridgeway Ave.

Waterloo, Iowa 50701

Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM CST

Phone: 785-272-7511 FAX: 785-272-6244 Toll Free: 800-255-3507

After hours emergency assistance – 877-233-2427 (access code A1N51)

Web Page: http://www.shortstravel.com

E-mail: topeka1@shortstravel.com

University Travel

22 University City Boulevard
Blacksburg VA 24060
Phone: 961-2700    FAX: 540/951-2921
Statewide/National Access: 1-800/638-2701
Statewide/National Access after hours: 1-800/823-8761 (24 hour service)
Web Page: http://www.universitytravel.com
E-mail: bill@universitytravel.com

World Travel Service

3615 Franklin Road
Roanoke, VA 24014
Phone: 540-982-2200   FAX: 540-344-6042
Statewide/National Access: 1-800-572-4466
Web Page: http://www.worldtravelva.com
E-mail: bethm@worldtravelva.com or hollyw@worldtravelva.com

State, Chartered and Private Aircraft

State aircraft may be used on official university business. The University has available for air transportation a Citation II and Citation Ultra aircraft that each seats seven passengers. In accordance with university policy, there is a three-passenger minimum for all flights. Two passengers can schedule the aircraft when it can be documented that commercial air travel is more expensive per passenger than the Citation rates. Exceptions to the three-passenger minimum requirement must be submitted in writing through the Director of Transportation to the VP for Finance and Chief Executive Officer for approval. For availability and rates, contact the Air Transportation Services scheduler/dispatcher at 231-2636. Use of chartered aircraft for air transportation must be approved and scheduled by the department of Air Transportation Services.
The use of personal aircraft is permitted for official state travel with prior approval from the Dean of the appropriate college. Personal aircraft usage by an agency head requires the prior approval of the appropriate cabinet secretary.
Documentation of comparable costs for other travel means must be included in the voucher package. The reimbursement shall be limited to the most economical means of travel available at that time. For example, if it were less costly to travel by commercial carrier, the reimbursement shall be limited to the lowest cost commercial carrier ticket available. The traveler must include a signed statement with the travel reimbursement request certifying that the amount requested represents the most economical use of public funds. The reimbursement rate per mile shall be the amount listed by the federal government at the GSA website, http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentld=9646&contentType=GSA at the time of the travel. A dated printout of this site indicating the appropriate mileage rate for the travel time period must be included with the travel reimbursement voucher package.
Questions regarding insurance should be directed to the University’s Office of Risk Management

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Controller's Office
Southgate Center (0312)
Blacksburg, VA 24061