6.6 Air Transportation

Updated 3/4/08

General Guidelines
Employees traveling on official business should obtain airfares that result in the lowest cost to the Institute consistent with their scheduling requirements.


Restrictions on Class

Reimbursement is at all times limited to coach fare unless:
There is no other space available, on the needed flight .

A licensed medical practitioner certifies that because of a person's mental or physical condition, specific air travel arrangements are required. It is the responsibility of institution officials to obtain necessary medical certifications for any employee that requires special air travel arrangements due to a medical condition. Information should also be obtained specifying the expected length of time such condition would have an impact on travel needs. Supporting documentation must be included with each TES.

The Commissioner of Public Safety certifies that specific air travel arrangements are necessary for security reasons.

Overseas foreign travel - may obtain business class for overseas travel with approval; see foreign travel below.

These exceptions should be approved in advance and noted on the Travel Expense Statement .

If free upgrades are used, this should be noted on the Travel Expense Statement .


Foreign Travel
In requiring certain employees to travel in the performance of their duties, the Institute expects to reimburse them for reasonable and necessary expenses as may be incurred when in travel status. State regulations do not allow reimbursement of first class or business class airfare using State funds . In limited special circumstances, Georgia Tech Foundation funds, Georgia Tech Research Corporation funds or sponsored funds may permit reimbursement or direct payment of business class airfare for International travel.


GT Foundation
Business class airfare for international flights that are pre-approved by the appropriate unit officer in accordance with Georgia Tech travel authorization policy may be processed through the Institute from Foundation funds available to the school or department. The TES Form is the vehicle for reimbursement with appropriate receipts and signed approvals. Direct billing is available through Travel Inc. The Travel Authority Form must note source of funds that specifically allow business class airfare.

Direct reimbursement from GTF funds through the GT Foundation will only be allowed and approved in exceptional circumstances, and must be approved by the President, Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance, or Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.


GTRC
Business class airfare for international flights that are pre-approved by the appropriate unit officer in accordance with Georgia Tech travel authorization policy may be processed directly through the Institute using GTRC sponsored projects that specially permit the use of business class airfare for international travel. Awards sponsored by federal or state entities or pass through funds from these entities rarely permit travel expenses that are not in accordance with institutional policy and therefore cannot be used to support this type of expense. The TES Form is the vehicle for reimbursement with appropriate receipts and signed approvals. Direct billing is available through Travel Inc. The Travel Authority Form must note source of funds that specifically allow business class airfare.

Direct reimbursement from GTRC funds through GTRC will only be allowed and approved in exceptional circumstances, and must be approved by the President, Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance, or Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.


Payment of Common Carrier / Airfare
Payment for common carrier may be in one of two forms: reimbursement to the traveler or charged to the Institute directly through Travel Inc. In either case, an itinerary showing the form of payment, including purchase price must be presented with the Travel Expense Statement .


Direct Billing of Airfare for Employees
The Institute has entered into an agreement with Travel Inc. to arrange for the prepayment of air travel for faculty and staff. Contact Travel Inc. by phone at (770)291-5190. Travelers may also utilize the web booking tool, Cliqbook, to direct bill airfare

Approval to direct bill must be obtained prior to ordering any airline ticket, either through Travel Inc or Cliqbook.

A copy of the Approval For Direct Billing Form should be faxed to Accounts Payable at 404-894-8195. The Approval For Direct Billing Form may be found on the Business Services forms bank. http://www.procurement.gatech.edu/mm_forms.html


The following information must be provided at the time the ticket is ordered:


Direct Billing of Airfare for Students / Visitors
The Institute has entered into an agreement with Travel Inc. to arrange for the prepayment of air travel for official guests, visitors, students, and independent contractors. Contact Travel Inc. by phone at (770)291-5190 or by fax at (770)291-5175 .

Approval to travel must be obtained prior to ordering any airline ticket.

A copy of the approved Travel Authority Request for Students / Visitors is to be faxed to Accounts Payable before the tickets will be issued. Fax the TA to (404)894-8195.

The Accounts Payable Travel Team will review and approve the Travel Authority prior to faxing it to Travel Inc for ticket booking.

Campus administrators are responsible for ensuring that all tickets are booked, and the e-ticket is delivered to the visitor.


Canceled Trips
If a trip is canceled for which a refundable airline ticket has been purchased, contact the vendor from whom the ticket was purchased for instructions on return of ticket and receipt of credit or refund check.

If a trip is canceled for which a nonrefundable airline ticket has been purchased, do the following:

If the traveler is no longer employed with the Institute and the ticket is not transferable, forward the unused ticket to Accounts Payable along with a written note explaining that the trip has been canceled.

If a future trip is planned and the ticket can be used for credit, maintain the ticket in the department until the exchange is made.


Refunds
Refunds for airline tickets must not be accepted by employees unless they have personally paid for the tickets and have not been reimbursed by the Institute. Refunds for tickets issued by Travel Inc. and charged to the Institute must be refunded directly to Georgia Tech by Travel Inc.


Private Aircraft
The use of aircraft owned, rented, or operated by a traveler on Institute business is discouraged. If it is determined that the use of this type of aircraft is advantageous to the Institute, an explanation must be noted on the TES. The use of private aircraft is subject to prior approval by the Dean, Director, or Department Head and must be specifically noted on the Travel Authorization Form.

Transportation expenses for the use of private aircraft will be at the mileage reimbursement rate determined by the U. S General Services Administration (GSA). Mileage rates are only changed upon notification from the State Accounting Office/Office of Planning and Budgets. New rates are not applied based solely on GSA updates.

Lodging and meal expenses en-route will not be reimbursed if the expenses are a direct result of the decision to take a personal aircraft, rather than commercial aircraft.

If a traveler opts to use a personal aircraft when use of commercial aircraft would be the most economical and advantageous for the Institute, the traveler will be reimbursed up to the value of the commercial airfare (state contract fare or lowest coach fare, if a state contract fare is not available for the destination).


Airline Frequent Flyer Programs
Traveling employees may retain frequent flyer program benefits. However, participation in these programs must not influence flight selection which would result in incremental cost to the Institute beyond the lowest available airfare, as defined in this policy.


Ticketless Travel (E-Tickets)
Most airlines and travel agents are issuing electronic tickets to minimize the ticket delivery costs and expedite the refund process. In such cases, payment documentation will be needed to support reimbursement. This documentation can be a copy of the credit card statement along with a copy of the itinerary / booking confirmation, passenger receipt, or the itinerary invoice which shows payment.


Transaction Fees/Service Fees
The transaction or service fees associated with booking airfare are authorized items for travel reimbursement. Service fees vary widely within the industry and are in a period of dramatic increase due to the latest airline commission cuts. Fees are fully reimbursable to the traveler, regardless of which travel agency they choose.


Fly America Act
All federally funded travel must comply with the U.S. “Fly America Act”. The Fly America Act mandates the use of U.S. flag carriers for federally funded international travel to / from the United States . See section 6.17 Foreign Travel for additional information regarding the Fly America Act.