How to Make Travel Arrangements for Executives

How to Make Travel Arrangements for Executives

January 27, 2015 Corporate Travel Services

If you work as an administrative assistant, an executive assistant or in some other administrative support role, at some point you’ll likely make travel arrangements for one or more executives. Most corporations have contracts with travel agencies that work with airlines and hotels on the corporations’ behalf or the companies themselves will have in-house travel services. Either way, you’ll set up executive travel through the entity serving the company’s travel needs.

Step 1:Get the traveler’s destination, departure and return dates and airline and seating preferences. Ask what hotel and rental car company he prefers. Corporations usually have negotiated rates with certain hotels and car rental agencies. He can choose among those. Ask whether he needs transportation to and from the airport. The company likely uses a contract limousine service or has company-owned fleet cars the travel service can reserve.

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Step 2:Make certain the executive’s travel documents are up-to-date. He must have a passport with at least six months validity before the expiration date. Some international destinations also require visas for entry into the country.

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Step 3:Ask the traveler what airline mileage account his travel miles should be deposited into. Airlines have alliances with each other, and the miles earned can go into other partnership accounts. Get a credit card number to hold the hotel and rental car reservations.

Step 4:Call the travel agency and make the arrangements. Confirm that the travel is for business. Corporate executives are permitted to book business class (seating between first class and coach) on flights lasting three hours or longer.

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Step 5:Ask the travel agent to email you and the traveler a copy of the itinerary before issuing tickets. Read the itinerary carefully. Make sure flights, hotels and car rentals show confirmation numbers. Give special attention to the spelling of the traveler’s name. Any misspellings will show up on the airline ticket. If the name on the ticket and the name on the passport do not match, the executive won’t be allowed aboard the flight.

When you are satisfied the itinerary is correct, call the travel agency again telling them when to issue the ticket. Most ticketing is done through e-ticket. Both you and the traveler will receive an email containing the e-ticket. Print the executive a copy for use at the airport to secure boarding passes.