Transportation by Common Carrier
REG 07.65.09
Travel
Authority: Vice Chancellor for Finance and Business
History: First Issued: May 25, 2000.
Contact Info: Small Purchase and Travel Audit Coordinator (919-515-7489)
1. Commercial Airlines
Tickets purchased for authorized air travel (coach fare) are a reimbursable
expense, supported by proof of payment. Travelers may be reimbursed for coach
class fare on domestic flights and business class on overseas international
flights. Acceptable proof of payments are, the unused portion of the airline
ticket with cost imprinted, claimant's itinerary with a zero balance, or credit
card receipt with itinerary.
When more than one round-trip ticket is purchased for a trip , all unused
portions of the tickets and passenger's coupon/receipt with the cost imprinted
are to be submitted with reimbursement request.
University employee traveling internationally on overseas flights may be
reimbursed actual business class fare (substantiated by a receipt), with prior
approval of the approver or his/her designee.
Travelers requesting reimbursement for air fare prior to a trip can submit
the request as a Small Purchase in Peoplesoft when practical. The small purchase
must be initiated in Peoplesoft prior to the beginning date of travel. To
reimburse the traveler prior to the beginning date of travel, PROOF OF PAYMENT
must be provided. The acceptable proofs of payment are: copy of airline ticket
with amount imprinted, itinerary with zero balance, or credit card receipt
with travel agency's invoice/itinerary included. The department must ensure
that payment is clearly shown and the invoice or other payment request includes
the traveler's name, destination, dates of travel, and cost of ticket before
the request is submitted for processing.
Air fare can be paid direct to the provider through the small purchase process
by submitting the invoice/itinerary with the small purchase number affixed
to Accounts Payable to minimize out of pocket expense to the traveler.
Travel reimbursements (AP005, AP006 or Travel Web) submitted with a request
for air fare will be disallowed if the "AIR FARE NOT PREPAID" is
not checked off on the request.
Flight insurance is not a reimbursable expense. Frequent flyer tickets are
NOT reimbursable. Flight(s) purchased from another individual without traveler's
name and amount imprinted are not reimbursable.
Reimbursement for air fare is limited to actual coach fare, substantiated
by a receipt.
2. Transportation by Chartered Aircraft:
The use of charter aircraft must be approved by the department head or his/her
designee, provided the following is substantiated and put in writing:
A state aircraft is not available or not appropriate for the size of the
party traveling or the destination airport.
The use of a charter flight is more economical than a commercial flight.
The use of a charter flight is necessary because of unusual travel circumstances.
3. Aircraft Owned by a State Employee/Privately Owned Aircraft
Reimbursement for costs incurred in the use of aircraft, owned by a State
employee/privately , on official state business may be approved by the department
head or his/her designee, provided the following is substantiated and put
in writing:
The use of the aircraft owned by a state employee/private is necessary
because of unusual travel circumstances and is not for the sole convenience
of the employee who owns the plane.
The use of the aircraft, owned by a state employee, at the rates published
below is cheaper than any other method of air travel.
The allowable reimbursement rate for aircraft owned by a state employee/private
is $.68 per mile per passenger.
4. Penalties and Charges due to Cancellation
Penalties and charges resulting from the cancellation of airline reservations
(or other travel reservations) shall be the department's obligation if the
employee's travel has been authorized and the cancellation or change is made
at the direction of the department. When the cancellation or change is made
for the personal benefit of the employee, it shall be the employee's obligation
to pay the penalties and charges. However, in the event of accidents, serious
illness or death within the employee's immediate family, or other critical
circumstances beyond the control of the employee, the department shall pay
the penalties and charges.
Changes or cancellations resulting in a refund or a lessor charge are to
be returned/deposited into the department account from which the expense was
originally charged.
5. Super Saver Rates
When traveling by common carrier to conduct official state business, employees
traveling to their destination earlier than necessary and/or delaying their
return to avail the state of reduced transportation rates may be reimbursed
subsistence for additional travel days if, in the opinion of the supervisor/approver,
the amount saved in transportation costs due to the early and/or delayed travel
is greater than the amount expended for additional subsistence.
Reimbursement for air fare payable to the traveler can be processed on a
Small Purchase in PeopleSoft. The request must be initiated in PeopleSoft
prior to the beginning date of travel and requires proof of payment. Direct
pay to the vendor processed in PeopleSoft requires an invoice/itinerary.
When the reduced air fare rates require staying over a Saturday night, the
state employee may only be reimbursed for the Saturday night closest to the
first or last day of official state business to which the employee is attending.
6. Frequent Flyer Miles
Frequent flyer miles earned by a state employee while traveling on state
business at state expense are the property of the state. Frequent flyer miles
accumulated by an individual state employee during previous state business
trips should, to the extent possible, be used by the state employee accumulating
the frequent flyer miles while traveling on future state business trips. No
form of compensation will be made to anyone using a ticket received from the
use of frequent flyer points. A ticket without an amount imprinted is not
reimbursable without proof of payment to a vendor/agency for such tickets.
7. Coupons or Certificates for Reduced Air Fare
Coupons or certificates for reduced air fare if acquired by a state employee
while traveling on state business at State expense are the property of the
State and should be used, to the extent, possible, by the State employee on
future State business trips.
8. Reimbursement for Transportation
Transportation expenses of NC State employees are to be paid by the traveler.
These expenses should not be billed directly to the University. NC State employees
traveling on official business are encouraged to use the American Express
Corporate Card. Employees receiving a payroll check from NC State may apply
for the card. Corporate card information and applications can be obtained
at Central Stores, at 515-8097 or 2197.
