Making changes to corporate booking online

[Sdtravel]

Not sure if this is answered somewhere else in here.

So im planning a business trip.
Our company uses egencia for corporate booking travel. Anyone used it?

I want to try and get a qf flight if the bean counters allow it.
But they will insist on lowest fare. I want to upgrade my ticket to get premium economy or business paid for by yours truely.
Is this possible on tickets purchased through corporate agents or agents in general?

I know that sometimes bookings made by agents can only be changed by those agents so wanted to see if anyone has experience?

There is no option to purchase the cabin i want and pay firm back. So using the system to get the ticket is out.

If I can't get the upgrade i want to avoid energy pushing for qf.
The preferred airline is united which i dred travelling on.

 

[Hvr]

Generally any booking made through a corporate agent may only be amended by the agent. This includes changes to fare type and/or class of travel.

You also need to be aware that if you are successful in making changes these will be reported to your organisation and depending upon their travel policy you may be asked to please explain why you haven't adhered to their travel policy.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Not sure if this is answered somewhere else in here.

So im planning a business trip. Our company uses egencia for corporate booking travel. Anyone used it?

I want to try and get a qf flight if the bean counters allow it. But they will insist on lowest fare. I want to upgrade my ticket to get premium economy or business paid for by yours truely. Is this possible on tickets purchased through corporate agents or agents in general?

I know that sometimes bookings made by agents can only be changed by those agents so wanted to see if anyone has experience?

There is no option to purchase the cabin i want and pay firm back. So using the system to get the ticket is out.

If I can't get the upgrade i want to avoid energy pushing for qf. The preferred airline is united which i dred travelling on.

What city pair are the flights between and what dates? SYD/SFO/SYD, MEL/LAXMEL?

It's possible that you may be able to find a date where QF is cheaper than UA which would legitimately allow you to fly QF yet still adhere to the company's corporate travel policy.

Have a look at dates on ITA/Matrix as you can scroll from month to month so it will zoom in on the cheapest day.

https://matrix.itasoftware.com/

It may mean booking ex BNE & maybe you can pay you own way ex MEL or SYD to BNE then do an open jaw itinerary eg BNE/LAX/MEL.

Is there anything in the company's corporate travel policy that addresses using your own points to upgrade to a higher cabin on the fare that they have booked and paid for ie you're not trying to pay the adcoll out of your own pocket to upgrade from a cheaper fare to a more expensive upgradeable one.

Even if you are able to find a date where QF is cheaper than UA, I still think it's unlikely that the airfare will be one that permits you to use points to upgrade though. The end result may just mean you get to travel on your preferred carrier of QF rather than UA.

If you do have to travel UA make sure you sign up to a Star Alliance freq flyer program that will earn points for the fare bucket you're booked in on UA.

 

[Sdtravel]

Ozbeachbabe
Ill check out that link. Thanks
Its a syd to sfo trip around mid August.
With qf was planning on doing syd lax sfo.
UA have direct flights syd sfo so that's the biggest hurdle to start with.
I have a virgin America card somewhere

Hvr
Its fine if the change gets reported back i think. I checked with my boss and had asked if i could fly Y+ a d reimburse the company. The answer i got was that most people were doing it after the flight was booked in Y.
I mean im paying for the upgrade so if the bean counters have problems with me personally paying for it well too bad.
I know someone who used points for the upgrade on UA to business so im sure personally funded is fine

Perhaps i will have to call qf or the corporate agent to get it changed and pay with my card

 

[mannej]

Perhaps i will have to call qf or the corporate agent to get it changed and pay with my card

99.9% chance that QF will refer you back to the TA who booked if you want to make any changes.

 

[Sdtravel]

Here is hoping the TA allows phone booking changes with a personal card.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Hvr
Its fine if the change gets reported back i think. I checked with my boss and had asked if i could fly Y+ a d reimburse the company. The answer i got was that most people were doing it after the flight was booked in Y.

I mean im paying for the upgrade so if the bean counters have problems with me personally paying for it well too bad.

I know someone who used points for the upgrade on UA to business so im sure personally funded is fine

Perhaps i will have to call qf or the corporate agent to get it changed and pay with my card

It sounds like people are doing changes after the event in which case there's probably additional change fees payable if the change is made after the original ticket is issued.

Can you call the agent and ask the cost of the PE fare, the economy upgradeable fare & the economy non-upgradeable (aka bean counter special). Also ask them when they issue thr ticket if they can bill the cost the company is paying direct to them & the difference to your cc

I would ask your boss for permission to do this via email so you have proof it's all above board should you need to explain anything down the track.

 

[Sdtravel]

Thats a good point
I guess a call to the company cant hurt. But the issue is the approval. Any flight would have to be approved by the bean counters. So it would show up as Y+ i would assume.
Unless you mean ask the TA to put the approval through as Y and then after its approved change it manually to Y+ and charge the parties accordingly.
Although my friends advise with this kindof stuff was not to make waves. Dont know if this kindof special arrangement could cause a few.

Also i have heard reports that even though people request certain flights bookings are being changed.
So even though you book QF or whoever bean counters can still go in and change the flights and you might end up on UA when the ticket is issued.
Hurdle 1. get the flights i want.
Hurdle 2. change the ticket to Y+. Any special arrangement with the TA is void if we cant get past hurdle 1.
Although perhaps a very special arrangement where i ask the TA to once approved book the flights i want anyway and just charge me the difference between whatever the bean counters want and what i want even if they change it to UA. Although these waves would start to get tidal and the chances are slim.

Also looks like egencia might use expedia which doesnt even show the best fares. Looked at skyscanner and i can get the same flights better on byojet then expedia.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

But the issue is the approval. Any flight would have to be approved by the bean counters. So it would show up as Y+ i would assume.

Bean counters would be concerned with the dollar amount payable & the TA should be charging your company for the cheapest fare. Your boss would need to inform them how the transaction will appear on the statement.

Unless you mean ask the TA to put the approval through as Y and then after its approved change it manually to Y+ and charge the parties accordingly.

No I didn't mean that.

Also looks like egencia might use expedia which doesnt even show the best fares. Looked at skyscanner and i can get the same flights better on byojet then expedia.

Can you find a QF fare on Skyscanner that's cheaper than the UA fare on Egencia/Expedia?

If you find a cheaper fare elsewhere regardless of the airline I'd be showing that to the bean counters & asking again why you need to book with the company TA.