Monitoring compliance
Officials must manage compliance with the Australian Government Travel Policy in accordance with their entity’s internal processes. The Travel Management Company (TMC) will provide reports to assist entities with monitoring compliance. This includes booking activity and adherence to policy requirements.
Flight route and time windows
The following table provides details of how the TMC considers flight route and time windows:
Flight route | Search time window | Max number of stops | Max connection Time | Cheapest fare identification window | Cheapest fare margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Between East Coast capital cities | -2 and +2 hours | 1 | 2 hours | -1 and + 0.5 hours | 3% |
All other domestic | -6 and +6 hours | 2 | 4 hours | -1 and + 0.5 hours | |
Trans-Tasman | -4 and + 4 hours | 3 | 4 hours | -1 and + 0.5 hours | |
International | -12 and +12 hours | Not applicable | Not applicable | -12 and +12 hours |
Definitions
Flight route
Category of route and type of travel.
Search time window
The set time on either side of the planned departure time that the booking system uses to identify all reasonably comparable flights for fare evaluation. For example, if a regional domestic flight is scheduled to depart at 3:00 pm, the system will display eligible flights departing up to six hours before and up to six hours after that time.
Cheapest fare identification window
The defined period within which the cheapest fare is assessed. For example, if the planned departure time is 3:00pm, the system will determine the cheapest fare by reviewing all eligible flights departing one hour before and half an hour after the planned departure time. The Online Booking Tool will indicate the identified cheapest fare with a green tick. This applies for online bookings only.
Cheapest fare margin
The allowable percentage variance between the cheapest fare and an alternative fare. Where an alternative fare falls within 3 per cent of the cheapest fare, it will be deemed equivalent and recorded as the cheapest fare for policy and reporting purposes. This applies for online bookings only.
