Accounts Payable

Procedures for Booking Airline Tickets

Utilizing the CTA (Central Travel Account) and the State Contract Travel Agency

Effective July 29, 2009

Process:

1. Contact one of the State-authorized travel agencies.
2. Identify yourself as a SUNY Oneonta employee and request a flight itinerary and reservation for your destination. Request that a copy of the itinerary be e-mailed to you and to the College Airfare Coordinator. This call is only to set up an itinerary and to obtain a reservation. DO NOT make a commitment (buy a ticket) during this call.
3. The traveler then submits a "Request to be Absent and Travel Reimbursement Application" (TRA) to one's supervisor for approval. Please attach a copy of the flight itinerary to the TRA.
4. The approved TRA is forwarded by the department or dean to the College Airfare Coordinator. Since airfare reservations expire after 24 hours, timely approval and submittal to the Airfare Coordinator is advised.
5. The Airfare Coordinator then contacts the travel agency to authorize ticketing of the reservation and to verify that the fare can be charged to the College’s Central Travel Account.
6. The Airfare Coordinator forwards confirmation and/or electronic ticket receipts to the traveler. The travel agency will issue an electronic ticket whenever possible. If electronic tickets are not available, the travel agent will mail paper tickets directly to the traveler.

Purchasing airfare with personal funds for reimbursement after the trip:

Process:

1. A “Request to be Absent and Travel Reimbursement Application” (TRA) is completely filled out by the traveler, including estimated expenses.
2. The traveler then submits the completed (TRA) to one's supervisor and/or Account Manager, Dean and Provost, if necessary.
3. Once approved, the TRA is routed back to the traveler.
4. Traveler purchases airfare using personal funds such as a credit and/or debit card.
5. Traveler submits the TRA with a copy of the itinerary to the Airfare Coordinator.
6. TRA funding is encumbered and the copies are routed to the appropriate individuals and offices.
7. Reimbursement for the airfare with the funds encumbered on the TRA will occur after return from trip and submission of travel documents.

In approving travel requests, the following decision rules should apply:

• If the CTA is to be used, the College will be billed for the full cost of airfare, reimbursements to travelers for partial airfare should not be authorized.
• When approved travel support is sufficient to cover anticipated airfare, the College will first apply any travel allowance to airfare. Any remaining travel support will be applied to non-air travel.
• In those cases where the College’s support is less than the cost of airfare, reimbursement should be directed to travel expenses other than airfare.
• If necessary a paper ticket can be mailed to the traveler by the travel agent for an additional $20.00 charge.
• If the airline ticket needs to be changed or canceled for any reason, the traveler must notify the travel agent and the Airfare Coordinator. Any unused hard copy airline ticket must be turned in to the Airfare Coordinator for resolution with the state contract travel agency.
• In the event a trip is cancelled, any costs of airfare billed to the central CTA (Central Travel Account) will still be charged to the appropriate departmental account.

For more information contact Terri Thomas @ 2555

Authorized State Contract Travel Agencies: