Advice 2018/09 - Canberra Fog Season 2018
Dear Entity Travel Manager
As a result of Canberra’s fog season, travellers may experience delays in arrivals and departures from Canberra Airport due to visibility issues. Qantas and Virgin have issued information on fog issues, which is available on their respective websites.
In most cases, aircraft that are parked at the airport overnight for flights before 8.00am are able to depart in the morning. Qantas and Virgin have advised that this applies to the following flights:
QANTAS
- Canberra to Sydney: QF1424 / QF1510 / QF1464
- Canberra to Adelaide: QF713
- Canberra to Melbourne: QF795
- Canberra to Brisbane: QF1562
Virgin Australia
- Canberra to Sydney: VA625
- Canberra to Melbourne: VA252
- Canberra to Brisbane: VA1207 (Monday only)
- Canberra to Brisbane: VA1209 (Tuesday – Friday)
- Canberra to Adelaide: VA625 (via Sydney)
- Canberra to Adelaide: VA252 (via Melbourne)
During the season, please advise your travellers to check the status of their flights with the relevant airline before heading to the airport. If business travel is critical, it may be worthwhile for travellers to fly out the night prior to avoid potential delays.
Travellers should also be aware that fog can affect Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne airports.
The information contained in this Advice was correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change.
Please contact the WoAG Travel team if you have any questions or require further information.
Advice 2018/08a - Reminder Advice to Travel Managers
Dear Entity Travel Managers
This advice is to correct some of the information advised in WoAG Advice 2018/08 issued on 12 April 2018.
The previous advice listed examples of the types of information that may be updated within individual traveller profiles through QBT’s traveller profile management system, Open Profile Suite (OPS). The Advice incorrectly stated that OPS contained a field which permitted an Australian Government traveller to record Emergency Contact details. OPS does not provide this option. This was on oversight by WoAG Travel.
All other information provided is correct at the time of publication of the Advice.
WoAG Travel urge travellers to regularly review this information and ensure it is current.
Please contact the WoAG Travel team if you have any questions or require further information.
Advice 2018/08 - Reminder Advice to Travel Managers
Dear Entity Travel Managers
This advice is a reminder to ensure QBT travel profiles for officials within your entity are current.
Travel profiles contain important information for QBT and airlines on traveller contact details, requirements, and preferences. Each traveller has a unique travel profile, which at a minimum should contain:
- Traveller’s full name (as per passport or photographic identification);
- Traveller’s date of birth;
- Contact details including mobile phone number (if an official mobile phone is not used, please include a personal mobile number as this is used to provide information on travel changes, disruptions or cancellations);
- Travel preferences and/or special needs (e.g. aisle or window seat, and dietary requirements);
- Loyalty program membership number/s (for the purposes of notifying seating and/or meal preferences and requirements, not the accumulation of frequent flyer points);
- Passport number/s (if there is regular travel overseas); and
- Emergency contact details.
We recommend that travellers be asked to periodically review their travel profiles to check that the information is current.
QBT and airlines have obligations to comply with the Privacy Act 1988 in respect of a traveller’s personal information, including mobile phone numbers, and to only use this information for the primary purpose of its collection.
Please contact the WoAG Travel team if you have any questions or require further information.
Advice 2018/07 - Car Rental - Government Fuel Prices
Due to the content of this Advice being of a sensitive nature, it is not possible to post the Advice to the website.
Should you require a copy of the Advice, entities can make a request via e-mail to woagtravel@finance.gov.au.
If you have any questions please contact WoAG Travel by e-mail woagtravel@finance.gov.au.
Advice 2018/06 - Extension of the WoAG Car Rental Arrangement
Dear Entity Travel Manager,
This advice provides guidance to entities on the extension of the Whole of Australian Government Car Rental Services Arrangement.
The Department of Finance has executed an additional three one-month extension options and the Deeds with Europcar Australia and Thrifty Car Rental will now expire on 30 September 2018.
AusTender reporting
Individual entities are not required to publish their own Contract Notices on AusTender for car rental expenditure against the two service providers. Finance has, on behalf of the Commonwealth, previously published a Contract Notice (CN700821) estimating the total expenditure of the Commonwealth for the initial Deed period and extension periods against the Car Rental Services Standing Offer SON590091. Finance will amend this Contract Notice on behalf of the Commonwealth based on the data provided by the car rental providers.
Any related car rental purchase orders and payments must be blocked from reporting to AusTender from entity input systems (e.g. for SAP systems, the blocking code is ‘Previously Gazetted’).
What do entities need to do?
Entities do not need to do anything. The Notices of Accession for Car Rental services are linked to the respective Deeds.
Please contact the WoAG Travel team if you have any questions or require further information.
Advice 2018/05 - QBT and In Travel Group Joint Venture
Dear Entity Travel Manager
This WoAG Travel Advice (Advice) is for information purposes only.
On 30 January 2018, QBT entered into a joint venture with In Travel Group (ITG) – a wholly owned Indigenous travel agency. The new business entity, Inspire Travel Management (ITM), is the first majority Indigenous owned Travel Management Company in Australia. ITM aims to provide long-term Indigenous employment opportunities and develop Indigenous travel professionals.
ITM will initially be resourced by QBT staff until ITM is in a position to employ staff independently. During this period and beyond, entities will not experience any reduction in the level and quality of travel management services provided by QBT. WoAG Travel and QBT will work together to ensure that service levels are maintained.
Indigenous Procurement Policy reporting
WoAG Travel will manage reporting on results of the QBT/ITG joint venture. Information will be provided to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet consistent with reporting requirements of the Indigenous Procurement Policy.
Where can I get more information or assistance?
A copy of the Media Release is attached. For further information on this Advice, please contact the WoAG Travel team.
Advice 2018/04 - Car Rental - Payment of Tolls
Due to the content of this Advice being of a sensitive nature, it is not possible to post the Advice to the website.
Should you require a copy of the Advice, entities can make a request via e-mail to woagtravel@finance.gov.au.
If you have any questions please contact WoAG Travel by e-mail woagtravel@finance.gov.au.
Advice 2018/03 - Car Rental - Government Fuel Prices
Due to the content of this Advice being of a sensitive nature, it is not possible to post the Advice to the website.
Should you require a copy of the Advice, entities can make a request via e-mail to woagtravel@finance.gov.au.
If you have any questions please contact WoAG Travel by e-mail woagtravel@finance.gov.au.
Advice 2018/02 - Return of Rebate for Procurement Expenditure
Due to the content of this Advice being of a sensitive nature, it is not possible to post the Advice to the website.
Should you require a copy of the Advice, entities can make a request via e-mail to woagtravel@finance.gov.au.
If you have any questions please contact WoAG Travel by e-mail woagtravel@finance.gov.au.
Advice 2018/01 - Qantas Club Membership Invoices
Dear Entity Travel Managers
Qantas has advised that a number of requests are being received from entity Qantas Club Scheme Coordinators for duplicate tax Invoices originally emailed to entity Qantas Club members.
Qantas is unable to provide the duplicate tax invoices due to privacy and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) considerations. Accordingly, Travel Managers should ask entity Qantas Club members to retain copies of their tax invoices and provide these to the entity Qantas Club Scheme Coordinators.
Entity Travel Managers should also inform the Qantas Club members of this information to avoid any misunderstanding.
Please contact WoAG travel at woagtravel@finance.gov.au if you require any further information on this advice.
