Travel and Accommodation Policy Review

This paper details the current policy, the current practices and the impact of changes in the Travel Industry on those policies.

Current Policy and Practice

Current policy on paying for Councillors/Officers/staff travelling out of their home town but within New Zealand on InternetNZ business is:

• Travel should be booked as soon as practicable to obtain best prices.

• Travel should be booked by the InternetNZ Office to obtain contract prices.

• Where travel can be completed on the same day (within the bounds of reasonableness) it should be done so.

• When travel cannot be completed in one day, InternetNZ will arrange and pay for accommodation in the Wellington Central Business District. The InternetNZ Office will make bookings and pay accounts.

• If the total of a discounted airfare and accommodation will make a saving to InternetNZ, then that option can be pursued.

Pricing information

TQ3 (our travel agent) advises as follows:

• Priceless 10 and 14 day advance purchases, subject to availability, must have a Saturday night stay to qualify for discounted fares

• SuperThrifty fares, subject to availability, must be booked at least 7 days in advance

• NB all discounted fares are subject to availability.

• In general terms, since the reduction in the number of Qantas domestic flights in 2001, there are significantly fewer discounted fares available on Air New Zealand flights.

• Once discounted fares are booked changes are generally upgrades to the next fare level. Cancellations are not refundable.

Recommendations

• In general the policy should stay the same.

• Councillors should be reminded that they are not entitled to accommodation overnight unless they cannot reasonably complete their return journey in 1 day, or the combined cost of a discounted airfare + accommodation results in a saving to InternetNZ.

• Councillors should be reminded that if they change their bookings of discounted fares there is a charge.

Last updated 8 April 2002