Corporate Travel Planner Handbook

Our Travel Planner Handbook has been designed to introduce you to the world of corporate travel planning. It covers a number of vital areas that you will find helpful in planning both business and leisure trips. If you would like to learn more about travel, please call one of our offices and we will arrange a training seminar for you and your colleagues. You are also welcome to visit our office and meet the people who manage your company's travel account.

GlobalPoint Travel Solutions is committed to being a quality leader in travel management services. Our goal is to be recognized as a service driven company. We accomplish this by providing a comprehensive corporate travel management package that combines experience, highly qualified travel agents and the most sophisticated travel industry automation available.

Airlines

Denied Boarding Compensation

If airline shows no reservation for you and you have a confirmed reservation, you are entitled to denied boarding compensation. You have a confirmed reservation if the status box of your ticket shows OK. Each carrier has its own policy with regard to overbooking, but it is standard policy to honor confirmed seats until ten minutes before departure. Passengers not checked in by that time are not entitled to a seat and are not entitled to denied boarding compensation.

Fare Types

Lowest Fare Guaranteed

We guarantee the lowest available fares to our clients at the time of booking. We use QCX (a robotic automated quality control system) to check for more favorable fares, routings, seat preferences, waitlists and American Airlines frequent flyer upgrades, 7 days a weeks, 24 hours a day. We also use Bargain Finder Plus (another robotic system) to check industry wide pricing options prior to ticketing.

Excursions/Supersavers

These are fares that are governed by stringent regulations such as advance booking, limited number of seats, minimum and maximum stay requirements, specific markets, and cancellation fees.

Joint Fares

These are fares offered by an agreement between two carriers for travel between two points that utilizes both carriers. Connection points and carriers are specified. A joint fare is usually (but not always) lower than the total of two end-on-end fares over the same route. This type of fare is most common for international travel.

Sabre Reservation System

Through our Sabre reservation system, we have the ability to directly access the databases of participating airlines, hotels, and car rental companies to obtain accurate reservation data. These types of reservations are automatically confirmed through our reservation system. If our system shows that a special or discounted fare is sold out, we will place the traveler on a priority waitlist or call the airline directly. The ticket and detailed itinerary are then generated from the finished record quickly and accurately. All itineraries will provide you with the airline seat numbers and hotel/car confirmation numbers.

Flight Types

Non-Stop: No stops between origin and destination.

Direct: One or more stops may be made en route but there is no change of plane between origin and destination.

Connection: Two or more planes are required to travel from the originating city to the destination.

Frequent Flyer Programs

We assist frequent travelers by making applications available for the various mileage programs as well as keeping frequent flyer numbers on file. In most cases, these numbers will be automatically tracked through the reservation system but we recommend that the traveler check with the carrier to ensure that they are receiving credit. Individual airlines send statements directly to the traveler.

Lost or Delayed Luggage

In the unlikely event that your luggage is delayed or lost, the airline will take full responsibility for finding and returning your belongings. Check with the ticket counter agent or in some airports, the dedicated lost luggage center. The airline will arrange to have your baggage delivered directly to your home or hotel as soon as it is available. There is no cost to you if the airline mishandles your luggage. In the event that the luggage cannot be recovered, the airline provides a claim procedure by which they will compensate the traveler for the loss. You must file a lost luggage application immediately at the airport where the bags were discovered missing.

We provide all our clients with GlobalPoint Travel Solutions luggage identification tags on request.

Segment Status Codes

Client Relations

GlobalPoint Travel Solutions can schedule periodic visits to your office to ensure that our service standards meet your expectations. If you feel there are areas where we can improve, please call us immediately. We are very receptive to constructive feedback and want to provide your company the best experience possible.

Our client relations department can assist you with any service related issues. They can also organize on-site meetings, familiarization trips and industry seminars.

Ground Transportation

Car Rental

Car reservations are booked directly through our reservation system which is linked to all major car rental companies. We automatically confirm express check in for all travelers who supply us with their express membership numbers and we can administer existing company policy and corporate car programs. Complete ground transportation information including confirmation number appears on each traveler's itinerary.

Airport Transportation

GlobalPoint Travel Solutions can assist you in making reservations for taxis, vans, or private limousines to pick up passengers at their home, office or other address.

Group and Incentive Planning

Employee incentive trips and other types of group travel can be handled by our staff. Incentive travel is an excellent way to stimulate sales and reward staff members with exciting trips.

Hotels

Corporate Discounts

We are able to support your existing contracts and provide you with significant corporate discounts through our own internal sources. We also work directly with hotels used frequently by your travelers to negotiate more favorable rates whenever possible. The level of discount will ultimately be based on your company's volume of travel at a particular property.

Hotel Affiliates

GlobalPoint Travel Solutions takes pride in finding the right property to best suit the individual's interest and budget. Our affiliate, Hickory Travel Services, provides corporate hotel rate programs which enables us to offer negotiated corporate rates at thousands of hotel properties worldwide. A reference handbook from Hickory listing the participating properties and applicable rates is available upon request.

Early Check-out

Some hotels are now charging guests for nights booked but not used. Travelers should always check their itineraries and the hotel front desk to understand the property's early check-out policy.

Late Arrival

Since many hotels will not guarantee late arrivals, we suggest that you provide the traveler's credit card number at the time of booking to guarantee the room. Without the guarantee, the hotel could resell your room in the event of a late check in.

GlobalPoint Travel Solutions guarantees all hotel reservations unless instructed otherwise. If a traveler has a change in plans and does not stay at the hotel, it is important to cancel the room reservation or the traveler will be charged for the room. We include hotel numbers on the flight itinerary in the event that you need to cancel your reservation. Please advise us of the change if you call the hotel directly.

Overbooked

Hotels overbook as a matter of policy. If the traveler is told that their confirmed reservation can not be honored, ask for the hotel manager and refer to your itinerary which states that you are holding a guaranteed reservation with a confirmation number. The confirmation number indicates that the reservation was booked by our company and received by the hotel reservations department either directly at the hotel property or with their central reservation center.

Should the hotel overbook the available rooms, they are obligated to locate comparable lodging, and provide transportation. Always ask the overbooking hotel to pay for one night at the alternate hotel. It is very common practice and in certain states, it is the law.

Management Reporting

GlobalPoint Travel Solutions has developed our own proprietary sophisticated interface between accounting, quality control, SABRE and reporting systems in order to provide the highest quality corporate reports available in the industry. We gather data during every phase of the booking, ticketing and reconciliation processes. The data is available for high level analysis that can be custom tailored to fit your management needs.

Meeting and Convention Planning

We are appropriately staffed and fully capable of handling all aspects of your company's meeting planning including conventions, conferences and seminars. We can coordinate any or all of these activities in San Diego and other cities worldwide.

Orientation Sessions

We find these to be of greatest value to new employees who have limited experience in travel planning. We can conduct the training at our corporate office for smaller groups. This gives the new employees a broad perspective of the reservations and booking process. It is also a good opportunity to meet the agents assigned to your travel account. After an initial orientation session, regular travel planner seminars can be conducted on a request basis.

Refunds

How and When Are Refunds Processed?

We process refunds upon receipt. If the ticket was charged to a credit card, then that same card will be credited the refund amount.

Changes En Route

Should you change a ticket to a lower fare or less expensive routing while traveling; the airline will provide you with a refund application form. Send the form along with your passenger coupon to your agent for processing.

Lost Ticket

Notify your agent immediately if a ticket is lost so that a Lost Ticket Application can be filed with the airline. Please allow a minimum of 90 to 120 days for processing and be aware that all airlines assess a charge for a lost ticket search and some (Southwest Airlines) do not refund lost tickets.

Unused Ticket

If a ticket or a portion of a ticket is not used, return it to GlobalPoint Travel Solutions as soon as possible. Please remember that tickets are negotiable documents. They may be invalidated by writing refund across the face of the ticket. Please do not throw tickets away as they have a cash value.

Hotels and Tours

If a deposit has been sent for a hotel reservation or tour package and you must cancel, advise your agent as soon as possible. We will notify the hotel and/or tour operator and request refunds. Some hotels/tour operators impose cancellation fees. You must also cancel in advance if your hotel reservations have been guaranteed.

Regional/Satellite Office Support

We can manage reservations and ticketing requirements for individuals outside of San Diego while providing total accountability through a full range of management reports to the corporate office. For high volume accounts, there are a variety of automation options available including satellite ticket printers.

Reservations

Corporate Travel Agents

GlobalPoint Travel Solutions has assigned a primary corporate travel agent to serve your travel account. We have also assigned a secondary agent who will serve as a back up, should your primary travel consultant be unavailable. Our corporate offices operate in teams of four. Your principle agent will have the additional support of these agents who are also aware of your company policies and the preferences of your frequent travelers. When calling, please ask for your primary agent.

New Requests

When requesting reservations, please have the following information available (if applicable):

Determine the traveler's schedule requirements:

Determine the traveler's ground transportation requirements:

Determine the traveler's hotel requirements:

If calling, faxing or e-mailing a reservation

Please provide reservation requirements in the following order:

Change Itinerary

Please make sure that any changes to your itinerary are made directly with your assigned agent or through our toll-free 800 numbers. Itinerary changes can invalidate special fares which usually have restrictions.

Cancel a Reservation

It is important that reservations for flights, hotels and cars be canceled immediately if they are not needed. If a passenger does not show for a flight, this may cancel his down-line space. Canceling reservations also frees up spaces for other travelers and avoids unnecessary charges for your company. If you cancel the reservation directly, be sure you retain the cancellation number and the name of the individual who canceled the reservation.

Guaranteed Airfare

A reservation does not guarantee airfare. Airfare is not guaranteed until it is ticketed. If the traveler is taking advantage of a special fare, it may be wise to request the ticket as early as possible. This will ensure that the fare will not increase in the event of an airline fare increase. If the airline fare decreases after the ticket is issued, the ticket can be returned to us and reissued at the lower fare depending on individual airline policy, fare availability, and exchange fees.

Prepaid Tickets

Tickets that GlobalPoint Travel Solutions has pre-arranged the payment of are written at the airport and are subject to a nonrefundable service charge whether the ticket is used or not. Travelers must present a valid form of photo identification to the airline when the ticket is picked up.

Ticket Delivery

Our full time couriers deliver tickets and transportation vouchers throughout San Diego daily. Constant communication with our delivery vehicles allows us to provide quick response times to customer requests.

Emergency out of town tickets are handled through our exclusive contract with Federal Express.

Please verify all travel documents as soon as they arrive. If there are any discrepancies, notify your travel consultant immediately.

Traveler Profiles

These profiles help us serve you better by understanding your special service requirements and applying them consistently to all reservations. The company's travel policy is combined with the traveler’s individual preferences and consists of the following information:

We recommend that all travelers complete a profile and advise us of any changes so that we have the most current information. This information is held in complete confidence and is only available to authorized personnel.

Please notify GlobalPoint Travel Solutions immediately when a traveler leaves your employment and we will immediately delete the traveler's profile. Removing these profiles will help prevent unauthorized travel.

Vacation Travel

We offer assistance for all facets of vacation travel planning to all of our commercial clients and their families. Personal travel will be billed to the employee unless otherwise specified.

We are affiliated with Leisure Travel Group (a national leisure travel consortium) which gives us preferential pricing on vacations, tours, cruises and a broad range of other travel services. The agents in our leisure department are experienced travelers with in-depth knowledge about domestic and international airlines, hotels, cruises and tours and they are able to suggest destinations that best suit the individual's interests and budget. Our leisure personnel are available for leisure presentations at your office.

We also supply Weissman reports for our vacation travelers.