Travel Services Office

Attention: New Process for Car Rental Direct Billing

Travel Services is pleased to announce that effective Monday, October 26th a new on-line reservation system will be available to make reservations for car rentals and to direct bill the charges to the HSC utilizing our State contract with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.  The on-line system will replace the paper direct bill process we are currently utilizing.

This will be located inside the University Portal under the Services tab. Please select the enterprise labeled link and then follow the instructions to make your online reservation. For full step by step instructions click here.

After the online reservation is made please email the

Director of Purchasing Vikki Ross, with your Travel Requisition.

  Travel Contract Updates

Rental car contracts have been extended with Avis and Enterprise for a five-month term to expire on February 28, 2010.  Terms and conditions remain unchanged for both vendors, while rate increases will apply on the following car types with Enterprise’s Texas locations effective October 1, 2009:

Enterprise

Enterprise has stopped offering one-way rentals for the general public; they will continue to offer the one-way rental program for state contract rentals only. 

When calling to reserve a one-way rental,

please make sure to:

     - contact the rental location directly, not the 800 reservation number

     - make it clear this is a state contract rental and provide your entity’s rate identifier number

Avis

Avis has implemented a smoke-free policy effective October 1, 2009.  Avis has created a new inspection process and cleaning fee (up to $250 if the vehicle is returned and it smells of smoke) just to guarantee that your vehicle really is clean and smoke-free.  This fee is non-reimbursable and is the responsibility of the renter.  Upon securing your rental, should you notice an odor, please inform Avis immediately to obtain another vehicle and to ensure you are not charged the cleaning fee.

Summary of Continental’s New OnePass Policies

Effective on Oct. 27, 2009

• With Continental’s entry into Star Alliance, mileage requirements for reward travel will

change, effective for travel booked on or after Oct. 27, 2009. View Travel and Upgrade Reward Charts.
·         Saturday-night stay no longer required for OnePass reward travel.
·         100 percent Elite Qualification Miles and Elite Qualification Points can be earned on
discounted fares regardless of where the ticket is purchased or issued.
·         BusinessFirst $100 upgrade co-pay no longer required of members using miles to upgrade
from B fare class.
·         Elite bonuses will be based on the minimum mileage earned instead of the actual flight
miles flown.

Effective on Dec. 15, 2009
·         New reward travel fees will apply for redeposits, reservation changes and flight bookings
within 21 days of departure for rewards redeemed on or after Dec. 15, 2009. There will be
no fee for Platinum Elite members. The Gold Elite fee will be $25, the Silver Elite fee will
be $50 and for all other members the fee will be $75. These fees will apply per customer
instead of per reservation. OnePass travel reward changes outside of 21 days of travel will
remain free if there is no change to the origin and destination.

Effective on Jan. 1, 2010
·         All members worldwide will earn 125 percent base miles on F, C, J and D fare classes. 
·         All members worldwide will earn 1.5 Elite Qualification Points when they purchase and fly

*** Travel Alert***

Germany, September 23, 2009

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens that Al Qaeda has threatened it will conduct terrorist attacks in Germany immediately prior to and following the federal elections on September 27.

This Travel Alert expires on November 11, 2009. Al Qaeda recently released a video specifically warning Germany of attacks. German authorities are taking the threat seriously and have taken measures to enhance the level of security throughout the country.

The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to maintain good security practices at all times, and to maintain a heightened situational awareness and a low profile. Americans are advised to monitor news reports and consider the level of security present when visiting public places or choosing hotels, restaurants, and entertainment and recreation venues.

We encourage U.S. citizens to read the Department of States current Worldwide Caution. It provides additional information on potential threats to U.S. citizens overseas, along with advice on how to reduce your vulnerability to such threats. Additional general information on residing and traveling abroad, including the latest Country Specific Information for Germany, may be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

Contact information for the U.S. Embassy in Berlin and U.S. Consulates in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Munich, and Leipzig may be found on the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to Germany s website.

All U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Germany are urged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department' s travel registration website.

Travelers may also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States or outside the United States and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

  *** Dear Valued Travelers ***

Continental reservations and co.com will activate the collection of Secure Flight information around 4:00PM (CST) today through sometime tomorrow.  After that time, all new reservations made through Corporate Travel Planners (CTP)/Continental will require the collection of Secure Flight information.   

Secure Flight is a program being implemented by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).  This program request customers to provide their full name, date of birth, gender and redress number (if applicable) at the time of booking.  Below are some highlights and additional information regarding the process used to gather the information:

• Secure Flight information is required to be requested on all new bookings.
• For Secure Flight purposes, travelers should provide the name as it appears on the applicable ID they are using for this trip.

**New Documentation Requirements For Entering
the United States**

From Mexico or Canada

Just a reminder that as of June 1, 2009, U.S. Citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry will be required to have a U.S. passport, passport card, trusted traveler card or other Department of Homeland Security approved documentation. Proof of citizenship (voter registration or birth certificate) will no longer suffice. Please refer to the Department of Homeland Security Web site for more information.

  ** Secure Flight Overview **

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the final rule for a program called Secure Flight. The purpose of Secure Flight is to enhance the current security of domestic and international air travel through the use of improved government watch list matching. Please visit link for more info.

The Secure Flight program will become effective in two phases.

• Phase 1- tentative date to start is May 18, 2009. Phase 1- includes flights between two domestic points within the U.S.
• Phase 2- includes flights overlying the continental U.S., covered flights to / from the U.S. and all other flights (such as international point to point flight) operated by U.S. aircraft operators not included in first phase.

Upon full implementation of the Secure Flight program, each passenger will be required to provide the following information:

Mandatory information

1. Passenger Full Name (as shown on state or government issued identification documents such as a State ID Card, Drivers License or Passport).
2. Date of Birth
3. Gender

Optional Information

1. Redress Number (if available)
2. Known Traveler Number ( program has not yet been defined)

In order to issue a boarding pass, Airlines must transmit the aforementioned data to the (TSA) 72 hours prior to flight departure for vetting. In the event a reservation is created within 72 hours of departure, traveler information must be provided immediately.

** Important Notice **

Effective immediately, U. T. System and U. T. System institutions are no longer prohibited from contacting with Omni Hotel Properties or Gaylord Entertainment properties. Accordingly, U. T. System and U. t. system institutions are free to enter into contracts or transactions with Omni Hotel properties or Gaylord Entertainment properties as deemed in the best interest of the U. t. System.

**Important Update On Contracted Travel Agency Services **

Now there are Two!

1. Corporate Travel Planners

2. The Alamo Travel Group

University departments may utilize either of the above contracted travel agencies. Effective March 2, 2009, the PeopleSoft travel requisition will allow for the selection of sending the requisition to either Corporate Travel Planners Inc. or The Alamo Travel Group.

Both travel agencies are authorized to use the University central bill accounts and will require a PeopleSoft travel requisition on file to charge employee business travel to the University Paid Travel (UPT) central bill account. The use of the University Business Travel Account (BTA) central bill account per Handbook of Operating Procedures Policy 6.2.13 is also available through both contracted travel agencies for non-employee business travel.

Corporate Travel Planners, Inc. shall charge a service fee of $22.00 for each full service domestic airline or rail ticket issued and $30.00 for each international issued airline or rail ticket. The service fee for utilizing the GetThere Booking Tool located on the HSC portal is $10.00.

**For complete CTPI fees click here

The Alamo Travel Group, LP shall charge a service fee of $12.00 for each full service domestic airline or rail ticket issued and $20.00 for each international issued airline or rail ticket.

** For complete ALAMO fees click here

Currently, there is no on-line booking tool available with the Alamo Travel Group. A “browse only” tool will be available in the HSC portal to show all available flights. To check out the new looks in Portal, please visit this Link.