Official Air Travel procedures

Guidance

Guidance

Travel approval

Refer to Appendix A Travel Approval Schedule, for the appropriate approval authority.

Timeframe for approvals

Air Travel Application Forms (Appendix B or C) should be submitted to the approval authority for approval within the folllowing timeframes:

• For domestic travel - a minimum of three weeks before proposed date of departure
• For international travel – a minimum of six weeks before proposed date of departure.

In instances where the timeline cannot be met, reasons should be provided to justify a shorter timeline for approval.

School Excursions

Staff participating in school excursions are still subject to the Official Travel Policy and accompanying procedures. Staff are required to complete the relevant travel application form. This is consistent with the Duty of Care for Public School Students Policy and Excursions in Public Schools Procedures, ensuring that all staff travel related to school excurions is properly approved and documented.

Privately funded travel

Where a trip is privately funded but authorised by the Department or school, such as a research excursion, the trip is classed as ‘official travel’ and the employee is still required to complete the relevant travel application form (Appendix B or Appendix C) and Appendix D Travel Reporting Declaration (for interstate and international travel).

Association work-related travel

For Department of Education staff travelling for association-related purposes (e.g. professional Principal and MCS Associations) funded by an external organisation, a travel application form is not required. However, staff must seek approval from their line manager to be away from their usual place of work through standard processes. It is the responsibility of staff to determine if there are any association-specific travel policies they need to abide by.

Leave before, during or after official travel

If any recreational leave is taken before, during or after the travel and exceeds four working days in total, then only a one-way fare will be funded by the Department:

• in the case of domestic travel, the Department books only a one-way fare (via travel provider or Regional Travel Agent)
• in the case of international travel, the Department books a return fare but requests separate billing from the travel agent.

The travel path must be the most direct route available to meet the traveller’s needs. Any deviation from this route for personal purposes is not considered a business expense, irrespective the cost of the return ticket. The fare for such deviations will be at the cost of the employee.

Travel to and from Australian Territories

For approval and reporting purposes, travel to and from Indian Ocean Territories such as Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is considered intrastate travel.

Group travel

When travelling domestically in a group, the lead traveller for the group can submit a single air travel application form on behalf of the group as long as all the travel itineraries are the same. If travel itineraries differ, then separate Travel Application Forms (Appendix B or C) are required. This is only applicable to intrastate and interstate (domestic) travel and excludes international travel.

The number travelling together in a group need to be considered reasonable and justified based on the requirements and nature of the event.

Emergency response

For Level 2 incidents, the Incident Support Coordinator is authorised to submit a group travel application for approval on behalf of the Incident Support Team. Similarly, for Level 3 incidents, the Incident Commander is authorised to submit a group travel application form for approval on behalf of the Incident Management Team.

For more information on incident management, please refer to the Incident Management on Department of Education Sites Policy.

Travel Reporting Declaration form (Appendix D)

The Travel Reporting Declaration Form is to be completed by the travelling officer or a nominee within two weeks of the return from the trip. However, for school based employees, if a trip is taken during a term break, the Declaration Form should be submitted on return to school.

If actual travel differed from the planned approved travel, the travelling officer must provide a brief explanation in the Delcaration Form. The reasons for the change in travel may be for unforseen reasons, for e.g. weather-related delays, accidents or transport disruptions, illness/personal circumstances preventing travel or other unexpected events impacting travel plans.

The information contained in the Travel Reporting Declaration is used to prepare a quarterly summary report of interstate and international travel for the Director General. The quarterly summary report of international travel is then submitted to the Minister’s Office for publishing and tabling in Parliament.

Refer to the Premier’s Circular on official air travel for more information.

Completion of forms

The forms contained within the appendices include relevant contact details and email addresses for their submission (where applicable).

To assist in completing forms and claims, you may consider keeping a travel diary recording times, dates and places of travel.

Guidance

Non-employee travel includes individuals such as advisors, consultants and contractors (including those with a valid EZ-number) who are travelling on official business funded by the Department.

Although non-employees are not covered under Department industrial awards (i.e. not eligible for staff travel/meal allowances), they must agree to abide by the Department’s Official Travel Policy and Procedures via the Appendix J.4. – Terms and Conditions for Non Employees form.

Where it is more efficient and effective (e.g. the non-employee is travelling with a Department employee on the same itinerary), travel may be booked and paid for by the Department. Otherwise, travel costs should be factored into the non-employee’s contract or fee arrangement. The DoE responsible Officer must provide justification for the non-employee travel within Appendix J – Non-Employee Travel Form.

Non-employees, for e.g. parent volunteers travelling on overnight school excursions are outside the scope of this policy. For more information, please refer to the Excursion in Public Schools Procedures

Guidance

Sponsored travel is classified as a gift if it is offered personally to an employee, their spouse or dependents for personal or recreation purposes. In this case, employees must follow the procedures outlined in the Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality Policy.

Guidance

Booking travel arrangements

To avoid incurring unrecoverable costs, full approval is required before booking airfares. Refer to Appendix A Travel Approval Schedule, for the appropriate approval authority.

The most cost-effective and efficient way to book and manage travel arrangements is through the Government’s contracted travel provider or Regional Travel Agent. Using the online tool, rather than speaking directly to the booking service’s staff, can significantly reduce transaction costs. For details of the Government’s contracted travel provider, please refer to Access the Government Contract Directory – Education Edition (staff only).

Flexible airfares

If travel arrangements are subject to change, it is advisable to book flexible airfares, which allow for amendments or refunds, instead of non-flexible fares.

Payment for travel bookings

It is preferred and most efficient to pay for all Department bookings through the travel provider using an approved purchase card.

However, if a purchase card is not available or if the total booking cost (e.g. for significant group travel) exceeds the purchase card’s threshold/limit, the travel provider can issue a tax invoice for payment.

International travel bookings

A Common Use Agreement is available for international travel bookings, for details please refer to Access the Government Contract Directory – Education Edition (staff only). However, it is not mandatory to use this contract for international travel bookings. Bookings may be made with other travel agents or directly with the carrier in accordance with the Western Australian Procurement Rules.

Travel booking officer

Business unit managers and principals may appoint a travel booking officer or travellers may handle their own bookings.

• travel booking officers are encouraged to attend training sessions on the travel provider portal and online booking tool. These sessions offer guidance on viewing live Ticket Credits and filtering by Cost Centre levels to locate available credits.
• for access and post-training queries, please refer to the contact details under ‘Travel Management Services’ in the Access the Government Contract Directory (staff only).

Unused flight credits

Unused flight credits are public funds and must be used for official travel where possible.

• If an airfare is non-refundable, but the ticket allows for a credit, this can be held with the travel provider and applied to a new booking.
• Flight credits are valid for 12 months from the date of the original booking and all travel is to be completed within this period.
• If the officer is unlikely to travel within the 12-month period, a name change can be requested for a fee.

Buying website - Contracting arrangements

It is advisable to check contract information relating to Travel Providers and Vehicle Rental Providers via the following link Access the Government Contract Directory (staff only).

Travel insurance

Insurance cover is automatically provided for all employees (with an active E-number) travelling on approved official Department business, regardless of the funding source. Non employees (active EZ-number) or no Department employee number are not covered under the RiskCover travel insurance arrangements.

For employees cover commences from the place of departure and continues on a 24 hours a day basis until the employee returns from the approved official travel trip.

Cover for employees on approved travel includes periods when they are not solely engaged in Department business, provided that recreational leave taken does not exceed two days across the duration of the trip. If recreational leave exceeds two days, the employee must arrange personal travel insurance to cover the leave period (including the two days of permitted leave).

For more information on travel cover for employees, refer to RiskCover’s Travel Certificate of Currency.

Non-employees are responsible for organising their own travel insurance cover.

Guidance

Policy: Work Health and Safety policy

Procedures: Manage work health and safety risks and hazards

Guidance

Regular public transport air services should be used when travelling intrastate to regional and remote communities. However, exemptions to this policy may be granted under the following conditions:

• the cost per passenger for a charter flight is less than the cost per passenger to use apublic service
• there is an emergency situation
• normal commercial air services are unavailable or travel plans cannot be adjusted to suitcommercial schedules
• other means of transport are impractical, uneconomical or unsafe.

Except in emergencies or for humanitarian reasons, only employees approved for travel are permitted to use pre-arranged charter services. Where appropriate, arrangements may be made with other government agencies or private organisations to share a charter service.

Family members of an employee based in a remote area may be allowed to travel on charter service, provided approval is obtained from the appropriate authority for air charters.

The charter service company is to provide a passenger manifest along with their invoice when it is submitted for payment.

Guidance

For guidance on managing driving and vehicle safety, whether using your own vehicle, a leased vehicle or a Department-provided vehicle, refer to the Manage driver and vehicle safety.

The approval authority for the vehicle hire is outlined in Appendix A Travel Approval Schedule.

For further information, refer to link Access the Government Contract Directory.