Travel Management Program – Changes to Airfare Payment Processes

**Sent on behalf of François Pouliot, Director of Procurement**

As part of the continuous efforts to improve the Travel Management Program, Procurement and Financial Services are pleased to announce that a new streamlined payment solution where the University pays directly for the authorized airfare at the time of booking has been implemented. This, however only applies to airfares booked through McGill’s contracted Travel Management Company, Vision Travel including VisionLink (hereinafter referred to as Vision Travel) combined with the use of the Airfare FOAPAL Authorization Form.

This method of payment will no longer require Financial Services to issue cheques to the supplier on a daily basis thereby eliminating a costly and highly administrative process.

What does this mean for University Travelers?

Traveling for purpose of administrative related activities:

• All airfares purchased for travel related to administrative activities (including air travel for the purpose of inviting job candidates to the University) must continue to be booked using Vision Travel, as per the Travel Regulation.
• The Airfare FOAPAL Authorization Form must be used for all airfare purchases; the use of personal credit cards is no longer an option for travel related to administrative activities.
• There are no changes with regards to how you will use the Airfare FOAPAL Authorization form, but the payment to the supplier process will be streamlined.
• For each airfare purchased, Travel Desk will set up an advance in Minerva Advances and Expense Report Menu which will need to be accounted for by submitting an expense report upon return from the trip.
• This applies to academics, researchers, administrative staff, students and visitors as long as the purpose of the travel is for administrative related activities.

Traveling for purpose of academic and research activities:

• All travel for academic and research activities can continue to be booked with the Traveler’s preferred travel company, as per Travel Regulation (TR3.1 Exemption].
• If airfares are purchased via Vision Travel, travelers will have the choice of paying for the airfare using the Airfare FOAPAL Authorization Form or a personal credit card.
• If airfares are purchased from channels other than Vision Travel, the airfare can continue to be paid for with personal credit cards and an out-of-pocket advance can be submitted prior to the trip.
• In order to minimize the impact of out of pocket expenses, advances for individual trips can easily be requested through Minerva Advances and Expense Report Menu. For more detailed information please refer to Financial Services’ Travel web page.
• Please note that due to this new process that eliminates the need to produce individual cheques for every airfare purchase, as of February 1st 2019 the Airfare FOAPAL Authorization Form will no longer be available through House of Travel and Uniglobe.

Reminder:

When using the Airfare FOAPAL Authorization Form, Fund Financial Managers/Principal Investigators who are charging their own fund/grant, are no longer required to obtain their superior’s approval.

All Advances must be cleared by submitting an Expense Report within 30 days from return of the trip.

Please contact travel.procurement [at] mcgill.ca for any questions.