Top Tips For Bookers
Travel is a more complex world today than it has ever been before. Here are some useful tips to help navigate the new landscape.
Use the resources available to help you understand travel requirements – Use websites such as Key Travel’s COVID-19 site to find many useful resources all in one place. From visa and passport information, international travel rules, airline policies or checklists for your travellers.
Don’t forget about transiting – Use resources and official government sites to check the rules around transiting through a country (there are many useful links within this site).
To speed up the booking process, book online where possible – For less complex trips, KT Online is the way to go. It provides an efficient way of booking those simple point-to-point journeys, which do not require the expertise of a consultant.
Some of the key benefits of using Key Travel Online include:
- Quick and simple to use
- Lower booking fees than calling an agent
- Full range of our humanitarian, academic and faith fares
- Search by cheapest or quickest routes, but also for the ‘greenest’ fares.
- Air and rail CO2 comparisons
- ‘Hold’ facility
- ‘Send quote’ facility
- Agent Assistance
- Accessible by PC, Tablet and Mobile
If you’re not yet set up to book online, reach out to your procurement lead.
Build-in time – Allow more time for travel. With fewer flights available and more safety procedures in place, bookings and airport queues will take longer than before. Planning ahead will avoid travellers missing out.
Book flexibly, online – During the first wave of coronavirus, organisations with flexible online travel bookings benefited from being able to easily rebook or cancel. Our unique non-profit fares include free changes and cancellations, extras such as additional bags, and are nearly always cheaper than published airline fares.
Ways to mitigate risk when booking your travellers journey
- To avoid crowds at the airport book lounge access.
- Recommend online check-in, as well as online baggage check-in (where available)
- To help reduce possible queueing at the airport, book fast-track and concierge services.
- Rather than using public transport, consider using a taxi.
Share itineraries – Ensure that copies of traveller itineraries are circulated to all relevant colleagues so everyone is aware of where the traveller should be and when, in case they need to be contacted while away. The Key Travel Mobile App, available to download from iTunes, Google play and Windows Store, allows you to share your itineraries with friends, family and colleagues via Facebook, email and SMS.
Have a plan – Predetermine a plan to follow should anything go wrong and ensure everyone in your organization is familiar with it. If an incident does occur, by already having a plan in place your emergency response process will be far more efficient, less stressful and more effective for all concerned.
Find the best fares for your trip – Travel requirements usually differ from trip to trip. Sometimes a traveller is best served by the very cheapest, most restricted ticket, but on occasions (especially in the current climate), a more flexible ticket might be required. If the most restrictive ticket is booked and plans do change, then the cost of your ticket will likely increase in the long term. Special flexible tickets exist for the Humanitarian, Faith and Education sectors, which often provide the best of both worlds – low price and flexibility.
Use technology to support your travellers – With fewer flights, less flexibility, new risks and restrictions, travellers’ stress levels can easily rise. Are you and your travellers aware of the Key Travel App and other useful travel apps?
- The Key Travel App is a simple and convenient way for travellers to stay on top of their trips while on the move. The app will also alert them in real-time to any alterations or delays that may impact their journey, enabling them to avoid last-minute surprises.
- Be aware of any apps your traveller may need at their destination to display their vaccination status for entry into leisure facilities such as restaurants.
Double-check traveller details – Always double-check the details entered for a booking (as per passport) Many airlines still have exceedingly long call wait times and are very hard for our agents to reach if they need to request a change of name due to a booking error. Reduce the risk and double-check! Contact information to be regularly updated to ensure Travellers receive Travel Alerts