Using an corporate travel checklist will make the logistical challenge of international travel planning and management less overwhelming for Personal Assistants. This travel planning checklist incorporates tasklists for organising flights, hotels, car rental, etc. It also includes useful links to sites showing travel advisories, world public holidays, and inoculation and visa requirements for overseas destinations. See below for further details.
Download Corporate Travel Planning Checklist
Discount Air Travel
Looking for ways to make more savings on discount air travel?
As a Personal Assistant you may be responsible for the travel budget, and charged with finding ways to save money. Do you know that you can make savings by contacting the airlines directly, as opposed to searching discount travel websites or contacting travel agents. This article on discount travel tips gives a number of suggestions on how you can save money with the airlines. More on discount travel>>
Travel Consolidators - What do They do?
Using a travel consolidator is another way to control the corporate travel budget. Travel consolidators negotiate high
volumes of discounted tickets from airlines and sell them on at a discounted price. Some travel consolidators are owned by
airlines. Expedia.com is one of the larger travel consolidators. More on travel consolidators
Private Business Jet Charter
Chartering a private business jet to ferry some of your executives to an overseas event may seem like a wild extravagence, but it may not be as expensive as you think. You may actually find that the facilities offered in the environment of a private jet offers your executives an opportunity to conduct business as usual, and therefore make good use of the time they spend together. More on private jet charter
Serviced Apartments - A Great Alternative to Hotels
If you are booking accommodation for secondments or extended stays, why not consider a serviced apartment. You could make a saving of up to 30% off the cost of an extended hotel stay. Serviced apartments provide more space and privacy. And
creature comforts like satellite TV, DVD player, stereo, and broadband to create a home from home. So the next time you need to accommodate a VIP or find accommodation for a temporary assignment or secondment, consider a serviced apartment.
More on serviced apartments
TripChill provides real-time automated Travel updates, as they affect your travel itinerary. It monitors flights, hotels, car hire, etc. and notifies the traveller of any changes or cancellations via text messages or email. More >>
A Second Passport for Frequent Flyers
If your boss is a frequent flyer, it makes sense to get him a second passport. This makes it easier for you to apply for visas for different countries without having to run too and fro to fit everything in before he travels. More on getting a 2nd passport
Inoculations
Make sure inoculations are completed as soon as possible because inoculations can take several weeks to become effective.
Passport
Check validity of traveller’s passport – passports should be valid for at least 6 months after date of arrival in destination country. Consider obtaining a second passport for convenience if the traveller is a frequent flyer. Both passports will be simultaneously valid.
Worldwide Visas
Check the embassy/consulate’s website for visa requirements, instructions and forms, or use the link below to find visa requirements by country. Remember that an inoculation certificate may be required when applying for a visa.
Export license(s)
Find out if a trade license/permit is needed.
Worldwide Flights
- Compare prices using a flight comparison website
- Check travel policy for traveller’s approved class of travel
- Before booking, compare prices using a flight comparison website like Expedia.co.uk
- Be aware of time zone impact on date/time of arrival
- Check traveller’s seating preference, dietary requirements, air miles details.
- Obtain tickets/boarding pass in advance if preferred.
Hotels
- Check hotel reviews
- Make sure the hotel has service amenities (ie. WiFi, incoming/outgoing fax/voicemail)
- Specify the type of room required (ie. standard, single occupancy double, etc)
- Specify smoking/non-smoking preference
- Check if customer parking is available
- Note booking reservation number
- Send traveller’s flight details to hotel upon confirmation
- Request that the room is held for late arrival (arrival after 1800 hrs), if applicable.
Hotel price comparisonsHotel reviews
Translator/Travel Escort
-Check with the applicable tourist board for translators/travel escorts.
Car Hire
- Find out what type of hire car the traveller prefers (subject to travel policy), and any extras such as satellite navigation, air conditioning, luggage capacity, manual/automatic.
- Insurance requirements
- Find out if chauffeur drive is required because of country regulations
- Verify location of collection/drop off point
- Find out if corporate vouchers are available
- Find out if maps are provided
Taxis/Courtesy Car
- Note pickup time and exact location of collection point
- If driver will be carrying a sign, find out what the sign will say.
- Note the driver’s mobile number.
Train Schedules
- Note train times
- Obtain train tickets
- Find out if seat reservation is required
- Find out if connecting train(s) leave from the same station
- Get directions from station to venue
Driving/Car parking
- If possible, keep a record of traveller’s registration no., make and model of car, mechanic, garage, breakdown cover.
- Check if international breakdown cover required?
- Find out if you need to reserve a parking space
- If parking is arranged at client’s premises, provide traveller’s registration no., make, model and colour of car.
Health insurance cover
- Make enquiries about health insurance
Spending Money
- Check the Lonely Planet website under ‘Destination’ for daily budget suggestions.
Choosing the right type of airline seat can make all the difference to comfort, particularly on long haul flights. Choose a seat that offers the maximum seat pitch available - an inch or two will make a lot of difference to productivity if your boss intends to use his laptop on the flight. Seat pitch varies from carrier to carrier, so if your boss needs to finish that presentation and arrive at his destination feeling refreshed, it's worth paying attention to this seemingly small detail. You should also consider the seat width - follow the link below for a sortable comparison chart.
Seat Width Comparison Chart
Include the following details in your corporate travel itinerary.
1) Name and location of airport
2) Date of travel, check-in times, flight times, flight nos.
3) Airline terminal no. for all arrivals and departures
4) Hotel arrival time, room reservation no., hotel name, address, tel no., fax no.
5) Taxi pickup times, location, contact/account details (name written on sign)
6) Train times, station, platform, ticket ref no., rail enquiry desk no.
7) Timing/location of meetings and entertainment
8) Name and telephone nos. of overseas contacts
9) Hire car collection/drop off time, company name, address, contact details, reservation no.
TRAVEL PACK LIST FOR EXECUTIVE TRAVEL
The following list makes a useful checklist for assembling a travel pack for your executive.
- Passport
- Inoculation certificate
- Flight Tickets/boarding pass
- Hotel booking reservation number
- Travellers cheques
- Car rental voucher
As a 
