COVID-19 FAQ - Booking Travel
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Answer: Flights and lodging must be booked through an IU Designated Travel Agency. It is reccommended, though not required, to use IU DTAs or contracted suppliers for ground transportation.
Answer: The approved list is available at travel.iu.edu: IU's Designated Travel Agencies.
Answer: Egencia is IU’s full service online Travel Agency. Employees can assess Egencia through One.IU.
Answer: This link provides instructions for requesting an Egencia Traveler Account.
Answer: We are working with our designated travel agencies to develop a process for applying a conference hotel discount rate code to an IU prepay credit card. In the meantime, you may use a personal credit card to reserve hotel accommodations through a conference organizer. However, you will need to note this when adding lodging to the specific travel report in order to substantiate the claim and ensure timely reimbursement.
Answer: It is recommended, though not required, that you use approved ground transportation providers. Note: Presence in any confined space with others for lengthy periods of time increases risk.
Answer: When feasible, an IU travel arranger should book the non-employee through an IU Designated Travel Agency, or IU direct bill hotel partner. When working with non-employees, departments may determine it isn’t feasible for IU to arrange their travel. In these instances, the non-employee may pay for travel using their own funds and request reimbursement from IU by submitting receipts to your department. The instance should be substantiated in Chrome River reporting with an explanatory note, stating the department approves the non-employee direct booking/s. Regardless of how the travel is purchased, these expenses must meet the IRS Accountable Plan guidelines.
Answer: Organized conference is canceling the conference: Contact the conference organizer. They should give you direction on how to obtain a refund of your conference fees and instructions for canceling hotel reservations if purchased through the conference organizer’s hotel agreement.
Canceling travel bookings made through an IU Designated Travel Agency (i.e., Egencia): Before you cancel, review your airline and/or hotel booking contract(s) so you understand the terms and conditions that apply to your booking(s). Contact the Designated Travel Agency to help you with canceling your flight and/or hotel reservations. The agency will advise if the airline has issued a cancelation waiver for your destination. Most waivers only cover the change fee and for a specific date range. If there is not a cancelation waiver, you may receive a credit voucher for the unused ticket. If you booked through Egencia, your credit voucher will go into your travel profile. All airline change fees will be assessed once you use the ticket. Credit vouchers are generally valid for one year from date of issue(most major airlines have extended credit vouchers for COVID cancelations for two years from date of issue). If you booked through a local agency, your agent can assist you with cancelation and will provide instructions for using the credit voucher for your unused airline ticket.
Voluntarily canceling your individual travel plans: If you incur any out-of-pocket costs associated with voluntarily canceling your travel plans, please contact your Department for reimbursement instructions. If approved, you will process the reimbursement through Chrome River.
Answer: That’s correct. Per the Domestic Travel during COVID-19 guidance, travel must be booked using IU’s DTAs such as Egencia, or one of the local contracted travel agencies available on the DTA page.
Answer: Executive approvers are able to review and approve exceptions to using a DTA. A Cost Benefit Analysis should be included in the pre-approval form for their review.
Answer: Use them whenever possible. If your credit comes from a flight or hotel that was not booked through Egencia, you will be allowed to use that credit. If there is a difference in cost between credit and final cost of trip, you will be granted an exception to the DTA requirement. Documentation on using flight credits in Egencia will be posted soon in the COVID-19 Resource Center and on the Travel Training page.
Answer: Booking through IU's Enterprise Billing Process and IU Motor Pool ensures you are getting negotiated rates and can charge your rental car expense to an IU account rather than personally incurring this expense.
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