Making Travel Arrangements

Making travel arrangements for your boss can sometimes be stressful. It is important to ask the right questions to get them where they want to go.

I remember making travel arrangements for a boss who was travelling to New York City for a meeting. I was not aware there were three main airports in New York City: JFK, LaGuardia and Newark International Airport, and I had him flying into LaGuardia but his hotel room and meeting were right across town (closer to JFK Airport)!

Here are some questions you can ask:

• what kind of travel: Air, Train, Car?
• the day and time preferred for departure and return;
• if travelling by air do they have a preference as to where they are seated, window or aisle?
• if there is more than one airport in the city they are travelling to is there an airport they would prefer flying into?
• if by car do they require a map for directions and will they be claiming mileage (I use MapQuest1 for directions and mileage)?
• is the business travel being charged to the company or a client?
• are they travelling with a business contact and need to sit next to them?
• do they require a hotel room, restaurant reservations, rental car, meeting room booked etc.?
• if they require a hotel room, what are their room requirements? (Smoking/Non-Smoking, King or Queen bed etc.)
• if they are going to a conference do you need to register them? Oftentimes you are able to book them a room in the hotel the conference is being held at.

If your company policy allows it, I have found it more convenient and time saving to use a travel agency to make travel arrangements.

The advantages I have found in using a travel agency are:

• the cost for the service is minimal;
• it is time saving: all you need to do is send them an email with details and they do all the work;
• cost effective: the travel agent will do the work to get you the best deals possible;
• they ask the right questions to get you where you want to go.

Depending on how busy you are and your office policy, you can decide whether you prefer to book it yourself or use a travel agency.

Here is a list of some useful websites if you need to make your own travel arrangements:
Expedia.ca (for hotel and air)1
Air Canada1
Westjet1
American Airlines1

1 (accessed October 13, 2007).