travelnews: TRAVEL TIPS - Benefits to using our UO Contract Travel Agencies

[BAO news for travel administrators]

Why use our Contract Travel Agencies for purchasing UO business travel?


·         Fare Savings - travel agencies know how to break fares when ticketing and which routes might offer a greater savings.  Depending on your destination wholesaler or contract pricing might be available.


·         Proper ticketing - Travel agents know which airlines have ticketing agreements and baggage agreements.  This can come in handy while traveling internationally to be sure your bag arrives with you or to offer ease when making changes to your itinerary.



·         Cancelled ticket tracking - special programming allows them to know when a cancelled ticket is available for an exchange on a new itinerary.



·         United Airline discount - many fares offer a 2% State of Oregon discount.  This is only available through our travel agency partners



·         Time Savings - What is your time worth?  Let the agency search out the lowest fare.  The ticket fee may be $27 but if a traveler (or travel coordinator) spends several hours searching for their own itinerary you have just added several hundred dollars to the cost of the reservations.  Your time is valuable!


·         Cancel and void a ticket within 24 hours of the purchase, avoiding the airline changes fees which start at $200


·         Payment - Air is purchased using the Travel Office credit card. That means the traveler does not tie up their own funds nor do they need to carry the balance on their own card.  Remember if you purchase an airline ticket on your own credit card you cannot be reimbursed until after travel has taken place.


·         Insurance -  Tickets purchased through our travel agency partners are covered by travel insurance including death/dismemberment and lost luggage.


·         Traveler Profiles - travel agencies keep your frequent flyer numbers, hotel and rental car membership numbers and seat preferences on file and enter them into each of your reservations.



·         Emergency assistance - if you have weather or mechanical issues on your flight, everyone on that plane must either call the airline 800 number or go stand in a customer service line.  Our travel agencies offer 24 hour - 7 day a week toll free numbers and can rebook your flight before you get off the plane.  This is also available for international travelers.



·         Fly America Act knowledgeable -  Our travel agents can help you find US code share carries when traveling on Federally Funded Grants and can assist with your exception documentation.



·         Special  requests - Travel agencies have "pull" with the airlines and can sometimes:

§  Get seat assignments when there may be none available

§  Get change fees waived or get name changes on tickets



·         Rental Cars - our travel agencies have the State of Oregon contract discount numbers available or can help you with other discounts.



·         Hotels - Always ask your travel agent for hotel accommodations.  They belong to consortiums which offer some of the lowest pricing available.  They can book your cars and hotels for no additional fees!



·          Travel follow up - Travel agents will assist you with mileage credit, receipt copies, duplicate car/hotel receipts, airline refunds and more.





Travel Agency partners:  http://ba.uoregon.edu/content/air-travel#External_Links



Peak Travel - 541-686-1234

Premier Travel - 541-747-0909

Tzell Travel - 866-907-7754

Azumano Travel - 866-291-0460




Laurie Jacoby, CTC
Travel Manager
Business Affairs Office
University of Oregon
lajacoby at uoregon.edu<mailto:lajacoby at uoregon.edu>
541-346-3158 - Voice
541-346-8078 - Travel Fax

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