travel request

Travel Request Forms • Download or Print

Traveling is common in businesses and companies and if you want to organize and streamline the employee travel request form in a better way, we have a solution for you. Many online travel request form generation tools are used to generate pre-travel authorization forms but still, people find it easy to have some samples of these travel request applications and use them as per their needs.

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In corporate businesses, it’s common for employees to make trips around the globe or country for meetings and other business-related purposes. And for this, they formally have to make a travel approval request to the company.

Here in this post, we have some online travel request form template samples for you to make this whole process easy and fast.

Download Free Travel Request Forms Templates

Travel request form templates are used to submit requests for traveling to the higher authorities. These templates are useful for students, employees, airline customers, and others who need to submit a request before traveling. You can get traveling request authorization in PDF, DOCX, and other formats that you prefer. It enables the user to include information about the services that travelers want. We share various sample travel request form templates that give you an idea to create your form perfectly.

The employees use the business or corporate travel request forms to send requests for business travel to the employer that include data about services and equipment that employees need on this business tour. Travel agencies need to receive a travel booking request form from the clients, containing data about the client’s needs. In this article, you’ll learn all about the travel request forms templates and get free templates from our site in different formats that you find nowhere else.

Travel Request Forms

The travel request form is submitted by someone to the management for traveling approval and to get the things needed for the trip. It is widely used in the corporate sector where an employee sends a request letter to the manager or employer to get permission for a business trip and request to fulfill the traveler’s needs. The travel request form example helps you to understand it to create your request templates. You can see the employee vacation request form to get an idea to make a perfect request form for travel.

The student travel authorization form is submitted by the student to the management to get approval for education traveling. You need to state the reason for this trip, the place where you are going, the trip duration, and other essential information that management needs to know. It is also useful when a traveler makes a request to airlines for traveling. The travel agencies issue a travel request form to get all the essential information about traveling. You can see air travel requests form templates for your business to effectively gather important flight information. All the free travel request forms are designed professionally and contain all the elements that help you gather and manage your data effectively. 

What to include in the travel request form 

A travel request form is useful if it contains all the essential elements that help you to gather the traveler’s needs. A person going somewhere for education and business purposes needs to get permission from the management and ask to release the funds to fulfill the trip expenses. The employer sends an approval letter to the employee to let the employee know that the requests are accepted. When employees return from the business trip or tour, they need to submit a travel expense report to provide all the details about the tour’s expenses. The essential elements that should be included in the travel request form or letter are as follows: 

• The name of the person who is sending a travel request.
• The date when the requestor sends a request letter or form. 
• It should include the date of travel. 
• Include travel destination
• State the purpose of this trip
• Description of the expenses like charges of hotel, traveling, meals, and others.
• Total expenses for this trip
• Other special requests to make the tour successful.
• The signature of the requestor
• Space for the signature of authorities to approve it

The above information is essential and must be included in the travel request form for business and education traveling. The requester sends this request to the high authorities, and they make decisions based on the information placed on it. A simple and effective request form helps you to get decisions from authorities in your favor. For that purpose, ready-made templates help you get approval for all your requests. The editable travel request form templates allow the user to make changes as needed.

Importance of travel request form

When a student/employee needs to travel from one place to another, a travel permission letter is sent to the authorities, who can accept or reject your request. Your trip/travel is dependent on the authority’s decision, and they made decisions based on data placed in the request letter. Below we share some points that show the importance of request forms for traveling are as follows: 

• A request letter helps you to get traveling permission from the management of the school or company. 
• It is widely used in the corporate sector to keep a record of business traveling. 
• With its help, you can state what services, equipment, and other things you require during this trip. 
• You can ask for funds for travel, meals, and other expenses from school/college or company by attaching relevant documents. 
• The information about traveling like destination place, travel duration, the purpose of this traveling, and other details are delivered easily to the authorities. 
• It helps to know the authorities whether this trip and the expenses are valid and reasonable or not. 
• The employer or school management can easily figure out whether the allocation of funds is beneficial or not. 
• It is helpful to track the employee’s travel record for business purposes. 
• When a company’s presence is essential at a conference or somewhere else, an employee sends a request to present himself for this business travel. 

Tips to write a perfect travel request letter

A well-written travel request letter helps you get approval from the management of a company, school, or college. You can also fill out the well-designed travel request form by downloading it free from our collection. To make you work, we share some easy tips that help you to write a perfect request letter for traveling. These tips are as follows: 

• Include essential details: When you decide to request travel to the higher authorities of your department, then you should include all the essentials about this tour clearly and concisely. A piece of missing information in the request letter or form may cause the rejection of your requests. 
• Follow the standard format: If you are an employee and sending a request to your employer or manager, then you should follow the business letter format and write the letter in a professional tone. When you submit a request for education travel, follow the letter’s standard format to write it perfectly. 
• Attach relevant documents: You should attach related documents with this letter to make the words of the letter valid. When you ask to release funds for your expenses, you should attach some documents supporting your words. 
• State benefits of the travel: You should state all the details clearly and include some words that describe how this travel is beneficial for business or education. 
• Avoid ambiguous words: Always use words that have only one meaning. Ambiguous language creates misunderstandings between the parties. State the purpose of your travel and other information clearly and precisely.
• Free from errors: Make sure the letter is free from mistakes, and use words that don’t contain any spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Easy steps to write a travel request letter

The letter’s format may vary according to the situation under which you write and send the letter. In business, the travel request letter is submitted by the employee to the employer to get approval for corporate travel, then the format of the letter should be formal. You can also get the travel request form from the HR department and send it to the employer or manager, but when your company doesn’t issue any travel request form template, then you should write a letter for it. Below we share some easy steps to write a travel authorization letter to the school or business management. 

• Contact information: According to the standard format of the business letter, write your name, email address, and title at the top left side of the letter. After writing your contact details, write the date when you write this letter to the authorities, then write the recipient’s name and contact information. 
• Salutation: If you know the name of the receipt, then write the name followed by “Dear,” “Mr” or “Mrs.” 
• First paragraph: In the first paragraph of the letter body, state the purpose of writing this letter clearly and concisely.
• Second paragraph: In the second paragraph, give some details about the travel like destination place, travel duration, and expenses, and ask the recipient to allocate some funds to cover the travel expenses. 
• Third paragraph: Make requests for services, equipment, and other things that you require during this tour. State the reason why you need these services and how this tour is beneficial for the company. 
• Closing paragraph: Always use some positive and professional words for the recipient in the last paragraph.
• Signature: At the end of the letter, include your signature to sign off the letter.

Frequently Asked Questions

To whom should the travel request letter be sent.

The letter should be sent to the high authorities who have the right to give permission for the travel like an employer in the office or principal of the school or college.

What is corporate travel?

When an employee travels for business purposes on behalf of the company is called corporate traveling.

Why do we need to submit the travel request form?

We need to submit the travel request form to get approval from the authorities to travel.

What are the travel allowance expenses?

The payment made to cover the expenses of the business trip or tour by the company to the employee is travel allowance expenses.

Where do we need to submit the travel request form?

We need to submit the request letter for traveling to the school or college management for education purposes, employers for corporate traveling, and travel agents to get what you need.

What should include in the corporate travel expenses?

The expenses that are commonly calculated during corporate traveling are meals, transportation, and lodging.

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Creating the perfect travel request approval process.

Sajit Chacko

Unfortunately, a persistent problem facing many with such aspirations is that they often find themselves in situations where the trips become a tiresome burden with exponentially higher costs than expected. 

Why is this, you wonder? Simply put, the chaotic, frustrating, and challenging task of working with outdated spreadsheet-based systems makes business travel nightmarish every step of the way. 

This problem is especially true for the archaic travel approval process, which makes trips unmanageable and unfeasible. We are here to tell the readers they don’t need to be.

This article will explore the travel request approval process, the challenges organizations face using older processes, and how creating a clear, automated workflow can help overcome these challenges. By the end of this article, you will understand why creating an ideal travel request approval workflow is essential to succeed in today’s competitive business environment.

What is a travel request approval process?

A travel request approval process is a series of actions that an employee or traveler follows to acquire management consent to implement a trip. 

This process typically begins with the employee filling out a travel request form outlining the trip’s details, including the destination, purpose, dates, and estimated expenses. 

The employee then forwards the request to the assigned administrative authorities and stakeholders through outdated methods of communication, such as email, for review. The review process involves managers and admins checking compliance with travel policies, estimating trip feasibility, verifying budget availability, and obtaining approvals from the other relevant organizational stakeholders. 

Based on such considerations, the request is either sanctioned or denied. Once approved, the employee can purchase flight tickets, reserve accommodations, and perform other necessary tasks to carry out the trip.

Why do you need a travel request approval workflow?

A travel request approval workflow is an excellent way to simplify the outdated, inefficient, and problematic process that most businesses continue to follow even today. A streamlined workflow ensures compliance with the corporate travel policy, improves planning efficiency, regulates costs, enhances communication, and increases security. 

Moreover, implementing one further ensures that travel expenses are quickly approved, transparent, and well-planned. 

Here are some of the real-world problems several businesses face which necessitate a systematic travel request approval workflow.

Limited control over expenses

Proper internal controls make it easier for businesses to track trip expenses, maintain compliance, and impose spending constraints. The main problem behind the manual travel request process is that it fails to establish such controls for employee expenses, causing widespread policy non-compliance and overspending. 

The situation worsens when too many stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process. When this happens, it becomes a challenge to manage or keep track of the approved expenses, often resulting in travelers exceeding their allotted budgets. 

On the other hand, a travel request approval workflow provides travelers with a framework that helps them stay compliant and within their budgetary limitations throughout the travel process. 

The ideal workflow should enhance the business’s expense controls while leaving no room for misinformation or miscommunication. Even when the business trip involves multiple travelers, an excellent workflow allows consistent policy compliance and expense transparency between the travelers and their respective departmental heads, managers, and admins.

Key information doesn’t reach the right people

When using manual systems, employees regularly encounter numerous roadblocks between them and acquiring the necessary travel permissions. This situation is especially true when requests are sent to an unnecessarily large number of stakeholders regardless of their role or relevance in the travel request process. 

There are bound to be information gaps, miscommunication, errors, and delays when this occurs. And critical information sometimes does not reach crucial decision-makers on time, considerably slowing down the process. 

Moreover, manual systems make it nearly impossible for travelers to make quick, time-sensitive decisions that could drive down trip costs. 

Instead, an automated travel request workflow system can guarantee that critical travel proposals and information is sent only to those with the utmost relevance to the nature of the proposal. 

This way, essential stakeholders are routinely kept informed and updated on the decision-making process. Such a level of transparency dramatically improves communication and reduces the risk of misunderstandings. 

By assigning priority levels to requests, you also ensure that administrators get instantly notified and attend to critical requests without delays. 

Manual processes are inefficient

Implementing and managing business trips through manual processes is a tedious task with several redundancies that causes delays and human error. 

Here, the time it takes for the itinerary, travel costs, trip expenses, and relevant justifications to be approved generally takes several days or weeks to get accepted. By this time, trip costs may dramatically escalate. 

On the other hand, an automated travel request approval workflow can significantly reduce the time to process such requests from days to mere minutes. Additionally, since the requests only reach the relevant stakeholders, there will be no misinformation and confusion, ensuring enhanced compliance. 

An added advantage to an automated travel request system is mobile functionality that allows requests to be sent directly to the mobile device of the relevant authority, along with automated expense reports. 

How to create the ideal travel request approval workflow

Let us walk through the steps you must take to create the perfect travel request approval workflow.

1. Understand what you want to achieve 

A good practice before you design a travel request approval workflow is first to analyze your current processes and the challenges you face with them. This analysis helps you identify problematic errors, redundancies, inefficiencies, and other significant issues in your workflow. 

Once you identify these issues, you will better understand what components need to be cut, reworked, excluded, and improved. This way, you can eliminate any problems disrupting your travel implementation process and feasibility. 

When you have ample information on what’s wrong, you can envision how your new travel request approval workflow should be and what it must help you achieve. 

A noteworthy recommendation is to automate, rework, and improve your existing systems rather than a complete system rehaul. Enhancing and automating existing systems facilitates familiarity, resulting in lesser adoption resistance from your employees. 

The ultimate goal should be to plan a workflow that dramatically improves time management, efficiency, transparency, and visibility when filling, submitting, and handling travel requests.

2. Consult all relevant business travel stakeholders

Manual processes generally require the proposal to be approved by administrators, managers, C-suites, finance teams, and the HR department before its implementation. Each of these departments has team members, further expanding the proposal’s organizational exposure. 

The first step to creating a workflow perfect for your unique business requirements is identifying the stakeholders relevant to the travel-decision making process. A good practice is to restrict the number of administrators charged with viewing and scrutinizing the requests and their contents to the lowest number possible. 

Modern automated systems provide stakeholders with excellent internal controls on expenses and approvals while increasing their overall visibility. In such a system, there is no need to involve more than a few stakeholders. 

The number of administrators entirely depends on the organization’s size. Smaller organizations may need lesser administrators and decision-makers involved in the travel request approval process. On the other hand, larger organizations generally have more travelers than SMEs and a higher volume of requests and expenses that require administrative attention. 

Factor in these considerations and decide the optimal number of stakeholders to review trip requests. Remember, the number should be manageable for the administrator or manager.

3. Map out the travel request approval workflow

The next stage is automating and mapping the proposals’ flow for your new travel request approval workflow. Ideally, this should involve requests to flow through stakeholders relevant to trip planning and with expertise in improving the trip’s productivity. 

This map should specify each member’s role in the newly automated process.

4. Setup a single management tool for easy access

The first thing you should do for your new workflow is to restructure your processes to eliminate redundancies from the previous systems, including redundant communication channels or any other aspect that may confuse stakeholders. 

Once you have centralized and organized your business travel approval process, you must increase the corporate travel policy’s visibility to reach all stakeholders. Doing so ensures that all employees are completely aware of the policies, procedures, rules, and limitations. 

The goal of this stage is to ensure that there are no more delays or back-and-forth communications between travel and non-travel stakeholders. A centralized travel management tool such as Tripeur can help businesses effectively achieve this quickly. 

5. Choose which line items to include

Carefully planning and detailing the workflow’s line items allows you to specify to your employees what travel details require mentioning and what is irrelevant. Such a practice guarantees uniformity between all travelers filling out and submitting requests. Everyone involved in trip planning provides managers and administrators with all the relevant details. 

Typical line items to consider in your travel request approval workflow include the trip’s purpose, assignment details, location, duration, and list of participating team members. It is also good practice to detail a breakdown of the estimated costs, including airfare, accommodations, ground transport, meals, and the overall total. 

How detailed you want these forms depend entirely on the level of granular supervision you wish to maintain. 

Specifying that your employees upload receipts online after a transaction is also essential to automate expense reconciliation. This practice eliminates needing to maintain, carry, store, and submit physical receipts. 

An automated system enables businesses to achieve this with ease. Such systems also allow companies to finetune the workflow by adding and removing fields to suit a business’s unique requirements.

6. Communicate the travel request approval process with your employees

For your new travel request approval process to work, it must first be communicated transparently to your stakeholders. Maintain a single uniform communication channel and make it the primary mode of inter-office communications. 

By doing so, you guarantee that your new travel request approval process promptly reaches all relevant parties detailing what is expected of them at every stage of the refined process.

7. Implement a travel request approval workflow and continuously tweak it

Your first attempt at creating a travel request approval workflow may not yield the best results. This is normal, as it is an iterative process with plenty of room for improvement. Perfecting your new approval process requires periodic performance reviews to spot redundancies, missing items, and other erroneous processes to improve your workflow routinely. 

Once you do this, place internal controls for stakeholders and clearly define their access levels. The goal here is to allow access to only the relevant stakeholders for every travel step of the travel process. Also, restrict access to information from stakeholders irrelevant to the approval process.

Once the controls are in place, test the approval process to identify and mitigate any lingering issues. Carefully test and monitor the new approval process for a predefined trial period till you iron out all the kinks. A good recommendation is to automate the system, which is an excellent way to increase your new system’s efficiency and speed tremendously. 

In conclusion, you should be ready to create your travel request approval workflow to improve compliance, control costs, increase efficiency & accuracy, streamline communication, and enhance security. If you need clarification on how to do this, don’t worry. 

You can consult a professional service provider that can do it for you at a fraction of what you would have to spend to implement one in-house. 

Simplify and implement the travel request approval workflow with Tripeur

Think of Tripeur’s platform as the swiss army knife of corporate travel, where every tool you need for corporate travel management is available to you within one platform. Sometimes, no amount of workforce or capital can improve an outdated and broken travel approval system. 

Instead, Tripeur and its expense module helps keeps the finance department in the loop by sending stakeholders automated expenditure alerts and reports through all stages of the travel booking experience. Our travel request approval process will ensure it keeps all relevant stakeholders informed and involved in the decision-making process, improving communication and reducing the risk of misunderstandings.

Better yet, our system supports e-receipts and automated reconciliation to help you create a seamless experience for travelers and other stakeholders. We provide you with all the tools necessary to develop a standardized process for examining if travel expenses align with its policies and regulatory requirements. 

With such a granular level of control, you will only authorize travel requests that comply with your organizational policies.

Our user-friendly software can tremendously simplify and improve your travel proposals system, where every approval will be instantaneously sent to the mobile devices of the right stakeholders. We can help you perpetually fix your corporate travel inefficiencies and simplify and implement travel request approval workflow while significantly lowering costs. 

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Your guide to streamline your travel request approval workflow

In this Article

According to The Global Business Travel Association, U.S. employees take an average of 405 million business trips annually. 

That's a lot of travel request forms and financing to coordinate and track. An efficient travel request approval workflow can help streamline this process and simplify your life. The traditional methods of handling this leave room for mistakes, delays and loss of revenue.

Here, you'll learn everything there is to know about creating travel request approval workflows, including the benefits, best practices, and the steps needed to implement one. Let's dive in!

What is a travel request approval workflow?

All employees travelling for work need to fill out a travel request form. This form is then approved and signed-off by supervisors and other members of the finance team.

By completing a travel request form, all of the employee's expenses are covered by the company. After all, the entire purpose of the trip is to conduct company business.

But when discussing company finances, it's essential to have detailed and thorough reporting. Using the workforce to document these details would result in a waste of time and resources. Therefore, modern businesses are proactively shifting towards expense management software to help address this challenge. 

The downside of not having a travel request approval workflow in place

With so many people involved in the travel request approval process, mistakes happen, and information often gets overlooked. Here are a few of the other downsides to using a traditional system.

Key information doesn't reach the right team members

Too many cooks spoil the broth. Likewise, having too many people involved in the travel request approval process can muddy the waters. This leads to lost information and a significant slow down in the approval process.

Also, Excel sheets and emails are difficult to scale. This can delay the approval process, costing you precious time and money. This is especially true if your employee's travel plans are time-sensitive.

With an automated workflow system, all the relevant parties are alerted to the request in real-time. Some systems can even prioritize requests so that urgent travel plans are approved first. 

SUGGESTED READ: When should your business move out of Excel?

Limited control over expenses

To protect your company's finances, you need to have strict control over business and travel expenses. Traditional travel request forms make it difficult to adhere to budgets and effectively implement spending limits.

When several employees are involved in the approval process, and the approved travel costs for a specific trip are unknown, it can create confusion and overspending. A travel request approval workflow simplifies the process by creating a universal standard and guidelines for team members to follow.

Manual processes take longer

The significant difference between a manual travel request approval and an automated workflow system is time. And, in business, time is money. 

Not only does it take countless hours to weed through business expenses and gain approval, but it also allows for human error. It's difficult to track every single expenditure manually, which could cause unauthorised expenses and lost revenue.

SUGGESTED READ: How to detect and prevent expense report fraud

Best practices for creating a travel request approval workflow 

Understanding the challenges of not having a travel request approval workflow is only half the battle. Now, you need to create your own system. Here are some things to consider before creating a travel request approval workflow.

Understand what you want to achieve through your travel request approval workflow?

• Like with any new work policy , before its creation, you need to identify what you want it to achieve through it. 
• What elements of your current travel request approval process needs improvement? 
• What's working, and what needs an overhaul? 

Most goals that businesses strive for include improved efficiency, time management, and creating a more transparent process. It might help to give your new workflow policy a name and a detailed purpose. This benefits all employees to stay on the same page and fully understand the process and its required steps.  

Map out the process of your travel request approval workflow

• To make sure you cover all your bases, map out the travel request approval workflow before putting it into practice. 
• What steps does a traditional travel request approval go through? 
• How can you automate this process?
• Next, include all relevant parties in the planning process. 
• Identify each individual's specific role and what part they play in executing the new plan.

Choose which line items to include in your travel request approval workflow

One of the essential components of any travel request approval workflow is the specific line items you include. These small details often get overlooked during the manual approval process. Hence, all employees filling out a travel request form are required to detail expected expenditures. 

Common line items to consider in your travel request approval workflow:

• The purpose of the business trip
• The location of travel
• The duration of the business trip
• The overall cost of the trip (including airfare, rental car, accommodations, meals, and all other expenses)
• Any additional team members joining them and the corresponding cost

Some travel request forms are more detailed than others. You can ask employees to provide flight and hotel pricing beforehand, as well as a travel itinerary, project details, and receipts . 

Also, an automated workflow system allows you to add and delete different fields. For example, if the employee is travelling a short distance, you can remove the "airfare" line item for that request. The same goes for hotel accommodations .

Implement a travel request approval workflow and continuously tweak it 

The truth is, you may not get things right the first time – and that's okay! Once you feel it's time to implement your new travel request approval workflow, you'll need:

• A set of permissions for specific team members. 
• Determine who n eeds access to which part of the approval process. 
• To ensure confidentiality, you can also hide particular data and information. 
• Allow employees to submit requests and test out the new approval process. 
• After a few runs, ask team members what's working and what needs improving on.
• After some weeks, you'll have a more detailed picture of how the system is running. 
• An automated system will show the average time it takes to approve a request and how long it takes each team member to perform their task. 
• Further, use this data to tweak and optimise the process.

SUGGESTED READ: How businesses are leveraging Fyle’s expense analytics

Implement an effective travel request approval workflow 

If business trips are a big part of your company's success, you need a travel request approval workflow to simplify your life. Not only does an automated expense management software save time and money, but it also reduces the risk of human error and helps employees stay compliant.

Are you ready to welcome the benefits of an automated expense approval workflow? Fyle can help. Schedule a demo today and witness how Fyle can put an end to all your pre-accounting and accounting woes!

Akhono Seleyi

Akhono turns beautiful data into digestable stories. When she’s not at her desk writing, you can be sure she’s busy pinning designs for her dream house in Pinterest.

A Guide to Streamline Your Travel Request Approval Workflow

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Business Trip Approval Request Letter (Free Templates)

Business enterprises and organizations consider business trips as a professional way of building strong relationships with existing customers and a chance to acquire new customers. Business trips are essential for the growth of companies. Therefore, most employers usually approve employee requests to travel for business, provided it is relevant and suitable for the company’s growth. This article will be very informative on business trip approval request letters and provides you with free samples and professional templates for your reference.

What is a Business Trip Approval Request Letter?

A business trip approval request letter is written to an employee to permit them officially, to partake a business trip for which he/she had submitted a written request.

Once an employee has submitted an official business trip request letter, the relevant company managers review the letter to check for details of the trip such as the proposed destination, target market, estimated trip budget, people who will accompany the employee, and how the trip is relevant and mandatory for company growth. If the trip request letter is approved, the higher authorities will write the employee a business trip approval letter.

In the letter, the employer includes further details of the trip, including what is expected of the employee, and specifies the whole trip’s budget. You can also mention the person accompanying the employee for the trip. As a manager, while writing these letters to your employee, it is vital that you focus more on providing specific details to avoid misunderstandings and ensure that you are both on the same page.

Why is a Request for Approval Letter Important?

A request for approval letter is addressed to a supervisor, manager or any other relevant authority to ask for their approval before continuing with a business trip. The letter’s primary purpose is to ensure your manager is fully informed of the trip and that they are willing to allocate you the necessary resources you need to make it a success.

Writing a good request for the approval letter to your boss before embarking on any significant company project is very important due to the following reasons :

First , whenever you address a request for approval to your line managers, you are affording them an opportunity to understand what you want to do (in this case travel for business) and your reasons for wanting to do it. A deeper understanding of the business trip is made when the higher authorities approve your request. This way, it makes all the involved parties play their part smoothly

Secondly , with proper communication comes the smooth accomplishment of tasks. When you collaborate well with your manager you will be able to complete tasks on time.  You will have all the time to concentrate on other important projects while you wait for the review and approval of your request to travel rather than just waiting for the next company meeting to air your requests. Writing request letters for approval ensures no time wastage and leads to reduced wastage of company funds altogether.

The letter also serves as a show of respect.  Embarking on a business trip before the approval of the relevant authority is a sign of disrespect. Sending a request for approval shows respect and professionalism. You are showing the concerned higher authority that you are confident in your decision and are also respectful of the fact that the final decision is ultimately up to them. The business trip approval letter contains further details of the trip, including the budget, scope, and viability of the project. It also outlines what is expected from the employee; thus, it works to dispel any doubt that either party might have concerning the trip’s significance. This boosts the confidence of the employee even as they continue with the business trip.

Lastly , the business trip approval letter once approved, creates a verifiable proof.  Whenever a line manager approves your request, you have clear proof that allows you to continue with your authorized trip confidently. This letter serves as official documentation of any changes or updates to previously agreed-upon terms. It also ensures that each of the concerned parties is well informed.

How to Convince Your Boss to Approve Your Business Trip

Getting approval from your boss to go on a business trip is not as easy as it sounds, especially in this technological era.  Some bosses may feel like it is a needless luxury that needs to be eliminated from the company’s budget. However, in some cases, business trips are essential for career growth and company growth. So, how can you convince your boss to allow you to travel? The answer is simple. You must prove to them why the trip is necessary and how partaking it will enable you to achieve something you cannot achieve while remotely working from the office. Here are some of our well- researched tips to enable you to get approval to travel from your boss.

When writing the letter explain to your manger how the trip will make you establish and build meaningful business relationships with clients: -When you are trying to establish a new relationship with a client, face time is necessary. Thus, you need to go on a trip to meet face-face with a potential client and establish a foundation of business trust. Once you have established this relationship, it is easier to maintain the client from a remote location, virtually.

Show your manager that the trip is an opportunity to network with leaders in your industry, and gather more knowledge, acquire new business leads and market your company. Demonstrate to them how the trip will help you to stay updated on current marketing trends and help you stay on top of the economic trends

To convince them further to approve your request, provide a good explanation in your request letter, how the trip will help you close more deals, thus more money for the company- create a plan to establish how the Return on Investment will be greater than the expenses of your trip. Do your research well and provide your boss with quantitative data to back up your claims that the trip will be a valuable investment for the company.

NOTE: Keep your budget to a minimum to quickly gain approval

Format of a Business Trip Approval Request Letter

Follow these steps to write a professional business trip approval request letter

Choose your contact method

Based on your company culture, choose the right contact method- whether via email or a printed copy with a written signature.Write the date of submission of the approval request letter

Inside Address

Write the address of the recipient of your letter. Mention the full names of the receiver, their position in the office, department and office address. Ensure that the information you provide in this section is correct and accurate to avoid distracting the recipient.

Use a professional greeting and salutation

This a formal letter. Therefore, use a welcoming yet professional greeting and salutation. For example, use “Dear Ms.” followed by their last name.

Start your letter by telling the receiver why you are writing the letter. Be considerate of their time and go to the point directly.

Example : Dear Ms Jane, I am thrilled to inform you that after discussing with the marketing department, management has approved your business trip to Tanzania scheduled from 20 th Jan 2021 to 26 th Jan 2021.

Include details

In a few sentences, provide a detailed explanation of the trip, in terms of what is expected of the employee, the person (s) accompanying the employee, and specify the approved budget for the trip to ensure that he/she does not go overboard with the budget laid down by the company.

For example: The marketing department and everyone at large hopes that you will bring a considerable amount of business to the company from your trip. Mr Brian will also be accompanying you on this trip as he is your immediate supervisor. The laid down company budget for the whole trip is $25000.

Complimentary close

Before signing off the letter, include one more piece of information depending on the situation. You can add more information about what is expected of the employee once they return from the trip.

For example : Upon your return, make sure you submit all the receipts and any relevant documents to the concerned departments.

Write your signature, followed by your name and designation.

What to Include in Trip Approval Request letter?

Writing a tip approval request letter is not hard. Especially if you know what to include and how to format your letter. The process is very simple simply start by including your full name, designation, and contact information to make it easier for the receiver to reach you anytime.

Then add the details about the trip. You should include the reason for the trip and any benefits for the job if it is for career development training. Provide the itinerary location, estimated budget, and the name of the event.

Don’t forget to mention the date you will leave for the trip and when you will be back to resume work.

End the letter by thanking the manager in advance for their corporation and sign off professionally.

Business Trip Approval Writing Tips

Our well-curated business trip approval letter writing tips will help you come up with a great and professional letter.

Be professional

As a manager, it is necessary that you promptly and professionally write an approval letter upon the employee’s request.

Specify the company laid down budget

It is very crucial that you specify the budget for the trip to your employee to ensure that they don’t go on a spending spree and exceed the budget laid down by the company.Use a formal and polite tone throughout the letter

Make your business trip approval letter short and concise

Your letter does not have to be too wordy. Keep it short, simple and straightforward.

Proofread your letter

Before sending off your letter, make sure to reread it to check for common typing mistakes and grammatical errors. You want it to bring out your message well.

Download Free Business Trip Approval Request Letter Templates

Make use of our free, premium, customizable Business Trip Approval Request Letter Templates to help guide you and serve as a reference. Before downloading them, don’t forget to personalize them to meet your unique needs.

For managers, some requests are easier to approve than others. If you are writing a request for approval, you should consider the following best practices to ensure your requests are approved on time: • Be clear and concise. Very often, including too many details and overstating the purpose diminishes the overall impact of the letter. • Write your subject line well. Use 3-4 words that are boded to communicate the intent of the letter for easy understanding • Have your target audience in mind while writing the letter • Break up long requests into smaller and simpler sections using bullets and headers • Explain the importance of your request to the company once approved. • Show your enthusiasm for the request that is pending approval. • Gather quantitative data to back up your claim and put your best argument forward

Yes! If the thought of sending a follow-up email for a request letter after no response scares you, you should probably know that very few people, especially managers, say yes to the first ask. It is always a great idea to follow up with an email message if you don’t hear back from them.

Business trips are an important part of a business. They are also an important part of the growth of the employee and the organization. For this reason it is important that the employees be afforded the chance to go for business trips. As an employee, you need to understand how to write a persuasive business trip request letter to your employer that will convince him/her to allow you to travel. As a manager, you also need to know how to write a professional business trip approval letter and understand its importance.

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Travel Request Form Template

This travel request form can be used by businesses to collect information about their employees’ business travel details. Keep track of all the business travel in your company (and the expenses associated with this) with a simple, easy to use form. Grab this travel request form here, customize it to your needs using our form builder , and share it with employees before they leave on business trips.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i customize this template.

With this flexible business travel request form template, you can begin receiving and approving employee proposals for trips. Drag and drop to adapt the form according to your firm’s travel guidelines: you can make it your own without knowing the code. Then, configure notifications for multiple recipients, create custom autoresponders, and skin it to go with your brand.

How do I publish a template?

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How can I collect & manage data?

Streamline the request for the travel process and facilitate communication. You can set the form up to notify human resources, the finance department, and other managers in real time by SMS or email. Moreover, all submissions are kept in a secure 123FormBuilder database and can be exported to Excel, CSV, and PDF. Or funnel your authority to travel from submissions into collaboration apps such as Dropbox or Google Drive.

How can I optimize processes?

With everyone’s inbox out of control these days, using email to handle a business trip request will no longer fly. Once you implement an online staff travel request form, you’ll be able to manage costs and scheduling right inside a single dashboard. You’ll wonder how you ever got by without it!

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Document Templates in Emails

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Managing the business travel approval process: five things to keep in mind

1. consult all relevant business travel stakeholders.

• Administrators: an office travel manager or executive assistant in charge of booking business travel
• Line managers: the manager of the person going on the business trip
• Executives: additional managers at the director or C-suite level
• Finance: a representative from the finance department who handles business travel (from the perspective of travel costs)
• HR: a representative from the HR department who handles business travel (from the engagement or compliance perspective)

Learn how to write a comprehensive business travel policy with our ebook.

2. create an organized business travel approval process.

• Who’s in charge of booking business travel? Employees, managers, an administrative assistant?
• Do travelers need to fill out a request form?
• What "approvers" need to be consulted for corporate travel approval?
• How does spending work when on a business trip? Who sets and controls the budget?
• How much advance notice is needed to approve a business trip?
• What happens if there’s a last-minute business travel request?
• Are only certain types of hotels, flights, etc. approved for travel booking? For example, can a traveler book a three-star or four-star hotel?
• Is there a certain cabin class allowed for flights (first, business, economy?)

Here's how travel policies are seamlessly integrated in TravelPerk

3. manage things all in one place during the approval process, 4. communicate the business travel approval process to people in your company, 5. automate your business travel approval process where possible, bonus: using travelperk for your business travel approval process, did you find this article useful.

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• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
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FREE 10+ Sample Travel Request Forms in PDF | MS Word | Excel

Travel Request Form Template

Travel form formats, 12+ sample reimbursement request forms.

This is where the use of Request Forms comes in. Travel Request Forms allow employees to seamlessly plan their travel bookings and expense processes with adherence to their company’s policies. With an assurance that their time off work is authorized and set, there’s plenty of time for them not to have schedules or itineraries all crammed up.

Business Travel Request Form

Size: 23 KB

Employee Travel Request Form

Size: 456 KB

Travel Request Form Example

Size: 32 KB

Corporate Travel Advance Request Form

Size: 130 KB

Travel Advance Request Form

Size: 38 KB

The Necessity of Travel Request Forms

• Legal Authorization Usually, in a business or company setting, all transactions and communications within its premises are written with signatures from authorized persons. This is to ensure that all activities that employees undergo are for the benefit of the company.
• Travel Evidence Whether it’s a request or authorization, these forms can be used as proof of travel intent and other uses, such as travel assistance or visa application.
• Expediting a Passport Along with other proof of travel plans,  Travel Authorization Forms  signed by employers or a higher authority are one way to expedite a passport if the employee does not have or needs to renew his or her passport.
• Identifying the Cost Required Business travels are usually funded by the company. With a travel request form, it’s easier for the management to estimate the expenses that the traveler might incur. They will also be able to identify if the benefit of the trip is worth its cost.

Travel Request Form in PDF

Size: 126 KB

Travel Authorization Request Form

Size: 124 KB

Travel Request Approval Form

Size: 98 KB

Travel Request Form in Word Format

Size: 13 KB

General Internal Travel Request Form

General Travel Request Form

Size: 229 KB

Travel Form Essentials

• It should contain necessary information such as employee data, work information, and contact details of the person traveling. The signatory should be indicated clearly.
• It should allocate an area to fill up the purpose of travel, inclusive dates, hotel reservations, and flight bookings. A section to include additional notes is also covered.
• It should be clear, informative, and concise. Everyone would not want to mix up their flights and end up somewhere else, so make sure that the information to be filled in the form is detailed and accurate.
• It should be truthful and fact-driven. There is a thin line of difference between a business trip and a vacation. Make sure that the purpose of the trip is clearly stated and the employee promises to always take care of the company’s image wherever they are.

Business trips are an efficient way to build up strong relationships between businesses and their existing clients as well as other businesses. It is also a chance for them to acquire potential or new customers and expand their market. Therefore, companies should always keep finding new opportunities, and this is where Travel Requests such as  Travel Consent Forms  become useful.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Implement a Smooth Travel Request Workflow

Team Kissflow

Updated on 17 Oct 2023 • 2 min read

Travel requests are forms that need to be signed off in order for an employee to travel on company expenses. Approvers might include department heads, other top brass, and team members from the finance department. The forms may be printed paper sheets, or soft copy versions passed around online.

A travel request workflow is one of the most essential workflows for companies whose employees often need to travel for business.

Challenges of NOT using a travel request system

The lack of a proper travel request workflow poses the following challenges:

• A request & approval process that uses spreadsheets and emails is difficult to manage with scale and is not transparent.
• Also, when you use emails and spreadsheets for   travel management , there’s every chance that key information doesn’t reach the relevant person.
• No control over travel costs,   budget approvals   and limits required
• Poor management of business travel increases your spend and creates a lot of last-minute chaos.
• There are difficulties in enforcing travel policies.
• There’s a lack of spend visibility, and it takes a lot of time to get things done when you use manual processes.

Here’s an example   – the requester specifies the purpose of travel along with the travel plans, estimated cost, and cost center. The travel request is automatically routed for approval to the appropriate signing authority or authorities, based on the estimated total cost and travel advance requested.

How to streamline the travel request workflow

1. define your goals.

Start by defining your workflow with a name and a purpose- “Travel Request Workflow”. Identify the goals of having a travel approval workflow. Find if you want to cut back on time, improve efficiency, or make the process transparent. Also, consider the cost of implementing such a process.

2. Plan and map your process

Come up with strategies needed to achieve the goals and have a broad roadmap for the process. Identify the individual tasks, your teams and systems need to do in order to execute the plan.

3. Design the travel request form

The default travel request form in   Kissflow Finance   has been designed to capture requester details, travel details, project details, travel itinerary, accommodation requirements, and expense/ticket details. You can add or remove fields based on your requirements.

4. Define the travel request workflow

Once the form is ready, you need to design the sequential path of tasks that need to be completed. You can assign data entry and approval tasks to individuals. You can also automate approvals based on pre-defined criteria.

5. Set permissions

Once the workflow is ready, you can assign stakeholders and set permissions. Roles and responsibilities are assigned to individuals based on their tasks in the travel request workflow. You can even hide fields based on the confidentiality of the information and the access granted to employees.

6. Implement the process

After everything is set, you can publish the approval workflow. Employees can initiate travel requests and managers can approve it.

7. Improve the workflow

Once the system has been implemented and running for a while, it collects enough data to give you insights into how the approval process can be made faster and more efficient. You can find the average approval time, the time taken by individual users to complete their tasks, and other such information to know what needs to be done.

Essential features of travel approval requests

The travel request is automatically approved if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) Estimated travel cost is specified by the requester

(2) Estimated travel cost is less than the maximum travel cost allowed

(3) The travel advance requested by the requester is less than a predefined value.

Even if a single condition is not met, the travel request form is sent to the manager for approval, and then to the respective department head. Once the approvals are given, the request is sent to the admin team for making the travel arrangements and the finance team for providing the travel advance.

How Kissflow helps in travel request

With  Kissflow Finance & Ops Cloud , you can streamline all your key finance processes like travel requests, expense approvals, and budget requests. Get improved control over finance approvals and see your efficiency soaring. Sign up for a free trial and see for yourself.

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• Electronic System For Travel Authorization

Electronic System for Travel Authorization

ESTA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) . Authorization via ESTA does not determine whether a traveler is admissible to the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers determine admissibility upon travelers’ arrival. The ESTA application collects biographic information and answers to VWP eligibility questions. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, though it is recommended that travelers apply as soon as they begin preparing travel plans or prior to purchasing airline tickets.

Apply for an ESTA  

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Travel guide:

Travel Approval Email Templates

First time setup completed

Book travel current

Travel not completed

Get reimbursed not completed

Step 2 of 4 Book travel

Jump to Step 2: Booking Travel >

Note about travel to a training, conference, speaking event, large team IRL, or international

Authorizing official approval is secured via the event request process , so you are all set as long as your travel is booked in Concur and is in SUBMIT TO APPROVER status. However, an email of approval is still required if you will be extending your trip at your own expense , flying to or from points that are not either your duty station or location of the event , or combining your event travel with travel for some other reason.

Email Template for Individual Travel:

Subject: Approval for travel between [dates] for , external, TTS-only, Budget name or Tock project name and ID #

I request approval to travel from [ home_location ] to [ work_location ]. I will depart the [ departure_date ], to arrive in time for [ work_to_be_done ] in service of [ TTS budget name ] (options available , external, TTS-only, here ) or [ Tock project + ID number ] scheduled for [ first_day_of_travel_work_date ]. I will return to [ home_location ] on [ return_date ]. The total should not exceed $[x,xxx.yy].

Please reply with your approval, or with any subsequent questions or clarifications you may have.

Many thanks,

[ requestor_name ]

Email Template for Group Travel:

Below is the travel cost break out for [ work to be performed ] for [ Budget name or Tock project name and ID# ]. The estimated total cost is [ total cost ], with the cost for each team member broken out below. Please reply with your approval, or with any subsequent questions or clarifications you may have.

[ Include the , external, TTS-only, completed travel expenses estimator pasted here, or another format of your choice, as long as origins, destinations, dates of travel, and estimated cost are clearly identified for each person traveling ]

• , external, TTS-only, #travel
• , external, [email protected]
• , external, Book office hours

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Home » Business management » Travel Request Form

Download Travel Request Form Template In Excel

Business management.

In a medium to big scale company, there are Business Travel Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that needs to follow. When you are send to other cities or other countries to represent your company business. The SOP will start from the justification of business travel, business travel preparation and business travel request form.

Travel Request

‘Usually, finance or GA department will ask you to fill business travel request form as a condition to issue the cash advance or allowance need for the travel. And in some companies, there are already a rule about cash advance allocation which is usually base on employee position.

Travel Approval Request

There are a plenty of travel request form available in internet from complex one with many information needs to fill until the simple one. And I made a simple travel request form, that can be used as one of your references.

There are two worksheets inside the spreadsheet, as follows :

Request Form Worksheet

This is a form that you can fill with your cash advance request. Moreover, There is a budget column which is link with the company rules budget. This is use as your request reference. I put Group function on that cell, so you can hide or unhide the column by clicking the “-” (negative sign) or “+” (positive sign). As there are cells with blue colors that contain formula that will automatically calculate the total days of your business travel and the total amount of your request for request for reimbursement of travel expenses email.

Company Rules Worksheet

If you have company rules that is used as company business travel reference, you use this worksheet to copy the rules. Thus, If you don’t have company rules, you can start by filling the cells with reasonable budget.

Business Travel Request Form

Before a business journey, an employee has to submit a travel request form. In which he/she provides information required for approval of the travel. The form includes an estimated budget as well. However, expenses are reimbursed based on the travel expenses report, a detailed report submitted after the business trip is over.

Download this Travel Request Form template in Excel Format

Our easy to use editable Excel templates and save your significant amount of time and effort. Here’s how to download and use one of our templates:

Download this free Excel Template : Once you’ve browsed through our collection of templates and find the one that best fits your needs. Once you’ve found the template you want, click on the download button.

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Save and share: Once you’ve finished working on the template, save it to your computer and share it with other members of your team or stakeholders as needed.

Click Download Button To Get Travel Request Form Excel Template

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Travel Request Form Template

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Official Travel Authorization

• Title: Official Travel Authorization
• Form #: GSA87
• Current Revision Date: 01/2020
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PER DIEM LOOK-UP

1 choose a location.

Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.

No results could be found for the location you've entered.

Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense .

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department .

2 Choose a date

Rates are available between 10/1/2021 and 09/30/2024.

The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.

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Protect Your Trip »

How to get airport wheelchair assistance (+ what to tip).

From planning to arrival, get helpful tips to make the journey easier.

How to Get Airport Wheelchair Assistance

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It's important to be prepared when traveling with a wheelchair.

Depending on mobility and specific requirements, getting wheelchair assistance at the airport can suit a variety of needs and desired levels of assistance – but the process can still feel overwhelming. To help you and/or your travel companion navigate the airport with a wheelchair, we've put together a comprehensive guide that includes the types of help you can request, how much to tip and more.

• Preparing for the trip (including tipping etiquette)
• How to request assistance by airline

Arriving at the airport

Security screening, what to expect before boarding, storing mobility devices in cargo, boarding and seating, using the plane bathroom, reaching your connecting or arrival destination, the future of accessible travel, preparing for the trip.

When you or a loved one is traveling in a wheelchair, advance planning is key for a smoother trip. If possible, look for nonstop flights, as changing planes will add additional transfer needs. Once you've selected the airline you'll be flying with, be sure to check its specific guidelines for travelers with wheelchairs. When you book your flight, select the wheelchair assistance option to notify the airline of your needs.

"Plan in advance. I know, that seems so simple, but it is one of the best things wheelchair users can do for air travel," says Alvaro Silberstein, founder and CEO of Wheel the World . He adds that most airlines have a section on the website when booking where you can detail your accessibility needs for your flight.

Contact the airline and airports directly

"Contact your airline in advance to inform them about your needs; they are legally obligated to provide necessary assistance," says James Thai from luxury travel company Exotic Voyages . The U.S. Department of Transportation enforces the Air Carrier Access Act, which makes it illegal for airlines to discriminate against passengers with disabilities and requires airlines to assist travelers who need it.

Debra Kerper, an accessible travel specialist at Debra Kerper Travel who has traveled to more than 30 countries in her wheelchair, also emphasizes the importance of speaking directly with an airline representative to detail your needs. "After reservations are made, call the special services desk at the airline," Kerper says. This is where travelers needing wheelchair assistance should tell the airline about their needs, including if you will be traveling with any type of equipment.

If your device uses batteries: "Tell the airline what kind and voltage, measurements and weight of the device as well as make and model," Kerper adds. She also advises that at this point travelers request seats and share any other specific needs, such as an aisle seat or a seat close to the plane bathroom.

Keep in mind that it is especially important to communicate with the airline you're flying if you go through a third-party site or app to book your flight. "If I buy it through the airline or make whatever arrangements, they'll have someone who will walk me from gate to gate. But if I buy it through an app like Hopper or something, it doesn't always get the message through that I'm ADA," says Darcy Malangowi, 47, who travels from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, on a semi-frequent basis.

For those who purchase through a third-party travel app such as Hopper, you will have to go into your profile while booking to indicate that you'll need assistance and specify the type of help you will need. According to Hopper, you won't be able to add your assistance needs once your booking is already completed, so in that case you will have to contact the app's support team to request assistance. Either way, it's best to contact the airline directly as well to ensure your needs will be met.

After your air arrangements are complete, reach out to the departure and arrival airports to get details on accessible drop-off, pickup and parking locations. In addition to getting airport and airline specifics, familiarize yourself with the Transportation Security Administration's guidelines for travelers with disabilities and medical conditions.

Know how much to tip

While there is no cost associated with wheelchair assistance at the airport, it is recommended that you tip. The suggested tip amount ranges from $5 to $10, but you can always increase the amount if the service is exceptional.

How to request wheelchair assistance by airline

Click on the links below to read more about the assistance policies for the following airlines for travelers with disabilities.

Types of airport wheelchair assistance

Whether you are wheelchair-reliant or you need to request wheelchair assistance due to mobility constraints while at the airport, passengers have rights and options.

• Through the airport: If you need wheelchair assistance and won't have your own wheelchair once you arrive at the airport but can walk onto the plane on your own, let the airline know. When you arrive at the accessible entrance, an attendant with a wheelchair will meet you to take you to check-in, through security and to your gate. Similarly, when you arrive at your destination, you can get wheelchair assistance to the baggage claim and pickup areas.
• Airplane boarding: Notify your airline if you will need assistance boarding the aircraft. The staff will need to arrange an aisle chair that can safely transport you from the gate onto the aircraft and into your seat. You should also clarify if you'll have your own wheelchair or mobility device, and if this will need to be checked prior to boarding the aircraft, as this will need to be arranged with the airline.

You should arrive at the airport as early as possible to check in and have enough time for the security screening. It is recommended that travelers who have a battery-operated wheelchair and need assistance get to the airport at least an hour before the standard airline check-in time.

"Arrive two to three hours early to minimize stress," Kerper recommends. She also adds, based on her personal experience, "I believe in self-identification even though the airlines are not allowed to ask what your disability is. As a bilateral below-knee amputee, I feel that explaining my situation makes my experience easier for me and for the crew."

If you are driving and parking at the airport (or you're traveling with a companion who is), most major airfields provide wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses from the parking area. You'll have to check with the airport for more information.

Contact TSA Cares

To help streamline security screening, TSA recommends that passengers contact the TSA Cares helpline at least 72 hours before departure via phone at 855-787-2227 or through its online form.

Established in 2012, TSA Cares provides information to passengers with disabilities on what to expect during security screenings and will share travelers' information with TSA agents before arriving at security. The service does not provide expedited security screening. Travelers will still need to sign up for TSA Precheck to go through security quicker.

In 2022, the helpline aided about 46,000 travelers with disabilities, medical conditions and special needs. TSA Cares is available for travelers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST; on the weekends and holidays, its hours run from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.

Security vetting options

Once a traveler makes it to security, they will have several vetting options to choose from: advanced imaging technology, a metal detector or a pat-down.

If a passenger can stand with their arms above their head for five to seven seconds, they will be directed to go through the advanced imaging screening. If this technology is not available at a particular security checkpoint, walking through a metal detector is another option. For those who cannot stand or walk through a metal detector, TSA agents will conduct a pat-down. Pat-downs can occur while travelers sit in their mobility devices. You always have the option to request that a pat-down be conducted privately if you prefer.

Keep in mind that wheelchairs and other mobility devices such as scooters will have to be examined as well, either by a TSA officer or through the X-ray machine.

Once you're through security, you'll want to make your way to the gate area. If you're being escorted by airport personnel, they will bring you to your gate.

Here are a few things to consider doing before you board your flight:

• Stop at a bathroom to use the facilities before you arrive at your departure gate.
• If you're traveling with a service animal, find a pet relief area for your dog.
• Get any snacks or food prior to arriving at gate.

Once at your gate, notify the gate attendant you have arrived and provide detailed information on the assistance you may need. Any equipment such as a wheelchair, walker, motorized scooter or mobility device will need to be gate-checked. If you need to be transported onto the aircraft, an agent will pick you up at the gate in a small wheelchair called an aisle chair to bring you onto the plane and get you into your seat.

If you will need medications or any special items during your flight, remember to keep those in your personal item to carry on to the flight.

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Travelers should note that airlines are required to only transport manual wheelchairs into the plane's cabin. Battery-powered wheelchairs are usually stored in the cargo area of the plane, as they're too large to be safely stowed in the cabin. If your chair has to be stored in the cargo area of the plane, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Regulations for battery-powered chairs

Most importantly, the Federal Aviation Administration has strict rules when it comes to battery-operated wheelchairs, so be sure to consult those regulations before flying.

Spillable batteries are allowed in wheelchairs and other mobility devices. If the battery is protected from spilling and meets other FAA standards, it can remain attached to the device in the cargo compartment.

If a device does not have protection for the battery, the battery will have to be removed and stored in a traveler's carry-on bag . Passengers will have to notify the airline where that battery is located as well. Note that non-rechargeable lithium batteries are not allowed onboard.

Tips for gate-checking your chair

Despite having procedures in place to handle wheelchairs and other mobility devices, airlines still continue to have high rates of mishandling travelers' wheelchairs. In 2022, the DOT reported more than 11,300 wheelchairs and scooters were mishandled; that number is up from the roughly 7,200 wheelchairs and scooters that the DOT reported to be mishandled in 2021.

Here are some tips for checking your wheelchair:

• Get a tracker: Kristin Secor, author and owner of the wheelchair-accessible travel blog World on Wheels, suggests travelers attach a tracking device such as an AirTag to their wheelchair before checking it. "This can be a fantastic tool in the event that the airline misplaces your chair," she says.
• Prepare your wheelchair to be checked: "Always gate-check your wheelchair and remove any loose parts or items that stick out and are more prone to damage (i.e., joysticks, cushions, headrests and foot plates)," Secor advises.
• Give the airline instructions: Another rule of thumb is to write instructions down for airline staff on how your chair should be handled.

What to do if your chair is mishandled

Per the ACAA, if an airline loses, damages or destroys a wheelchair or other assistive device, the airline must pay for the damages up to the original price of the chair or apparatus. If you notice damage to your device – whether it's to the armrest, seat cushion or anything else – report it immediately to the airline's baggage claim once you reach your destination.

If the airline refuses to take responsibility for a damaged device, travelers can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

By law, airlines must offer preboarding to disabled travelers. Travelers can also make this request when booking a flight.

When it comes to seating, most airlines have designated seats with certain disability accommodations. To ensure you're seated in a comfortable and accessible seat, travelers should either select a seat at the time of booking or notify the airline as soon as possible if using a third-party booking site to accommodate any needs.

If the airline doesn't allow advance seat assignments, communicating with the airline and requesting early boarding to accommodate your disability should allow you to pick a seat that meets your needs.

"In a plane, I just use the top of my seats as my crutches or whatever just to hop to get there," says Malangowi about using the restroom while flying.

For wheelchair passengers, this is the reality some experience while flying. It's also one of the reasons many are discouraged to travel.

Do your research before traveling. Once you book your flight, learn more about the plane and its layout before you depart. Seatguru , a website where you can view plane configurations by route or flight number, can be a helpful tool to research the plane, seats and bathroom locations on board. To avoid any issues during the flight, some disabled travelers will use the airport restroom before boarding, wear incontinence briefs, or use catheters or other similar devices.

Be sure to ask the airline staff if the plane you'll be flying on has an accessible bathroom. Under the ACAA, most wide-body aircraft with more than one aisle are required to include at least one accessible bathroom. The bathroom must be able to allow disabled passengers to enter, maneuver and leave the facility. Facilities must include door locks, call buttons, grab bars, sinks and dispensers that travelers with disabilities will be able to access.

Keep in mind, though, that currently the rule does not apply to certain older planes or smaller aircraft with only a single aisle. An amendment to the ACAA aims to change the standard for new single-aisle planes beginning in 2033, but as of now they are not required to have an accessible bathroom.

If you do need to use the bathroom during your flight, let the attendant know. The attendant will transfer you to an aisle chair and push you to the bathroom – but you will have to transfer yourself to the toilet and be able to take care of your own needs while in the facility.

By law, airlines are required to help when deplaning. Wheelchair travelers are the last to exit the plane. Notify the airline at booking if you need assistance to debark the aircraft.

If you are connecting to another flight, make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get to your gate.

If you have reached your final destination, the airline staff will help you deplane and take you to baggage claim. Once you have your luggage and chair, check for damage before leaving the airport. If you notice any damage, be sure to report it as soon as possible.

You'll likely also want to prearrange your means of transportation at the arrival destination once you have your itinerary planned, so everything can go as smoothly as possible when you arrive.

Addressing mobility aid mishandling

Legislation is in the works to improve accountability in accessible travel. In May 2023, Congress introduced the bipartisan Mobility Aids on Board Improve Lives and Empower All Act. If passed, the bill would require:

• The DOT to evaluate the frequency and types of damage to wheelchairs and mobility devices during air travel.
• Airline carriers to provide information on procedures to safely transport mobility devices on planes.

"As a frequent flyer whose wheelchair is regularly broken or damaged, I understand firsthand how deeply frustrating it is that our aviation system still fails to make sure every passenger with a disability is treated with dignity and respect," said Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, co-sponsor of the MOBILE Act and chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation.

Rethinking plane seats

Although airlines try to make those wheelchair travelers as comfortable as possible on the plane, the ideal situation for many of these travelers would be to remain in their wheelchair rather than being transferred to a seat that may become uncomfortable for them. The MOBILE Act would also require the DOT to research ways to let wheelchair-bound travelers remain in their chairs rather than be transferred to a regular seat.

Last year, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg vowed to create a new rule that would allow passengers to remain in their personal wheelchairs. "We know that this won't happen overnight, but it is a goal that we have to work to fulfill," said Buttigieg in a video posted by the Paralyzed Veterans of America in July 2022. He reiterated this sentiment in a roundtable discussion hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris for the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in July 2023.

While an official rule has yet to be announced, one airline has taken the step to improve air travel for wheelchair users: In June 2023 at the Aircraft Interiors Expo, Delta shared a new seat design prototype that would cater to wheelchair travelers. The seat would allow passengers who use power wheelchairs to remain in their chairs during their flights. The seat would also come with a headrest, tray table and cocktail table. This new prototype will need to be certified and go through testing before approval and implementation.

"This patented design offers new possibilities for customers with disabilities to enjoy a travel experience they truly deserve," Rick Salanitri, president of Delta Flight Products, said in a statement.

Requiring more accessible bathrooms

In July, the DOT announced an amendment to the ACAA requiring new single-aisle planes to have an accessible bathroom beginning in 2033. Bathrooms must be designed to include grab bars, accessible locks and call buttons, and sinks that are within reach for disabled travelers. (Twin-aisle, wide-body planes for longer-haul flights are already required to have accessible lavatories.)

"We are proud to announce this rule that will make airplane bathrooms larger and more accessible, ensuring travelers in wheelchairs are afforded the same access and dignity as the rest of the traveling public," Buttigieg said in a statement announcing the amendment.

Travelers will have to wait until 2033 to see the rule apply to newly built planes. Existing planes, however, will only have to comply with this new law if the aircraft is going through an interior renovation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you are allowed to board prior to other passengers if you have self-identified as someone who needs more time to board the plane.

Yes. If requested, airline personnel should escort you and your service animal to the designated area.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Suzanne Mason is a travel editor with a love of warm vacation destinations and a passion for learning about whatever port of call she travels to. She has had family members who needed various levels of assistance at the airport, so she understands the importance of planning ahead to ease any travel anxiety her loved ones may experience and make them as comfortable as possible at the same time. Mason used her personal experience along with research expertise to write this piece.

Rachael Hood is a travel enthusiast who believes travel should be accessible for all. Since traveling over the years with multiple family members needing various levels of assistance, she's discovered there's a lot to learn and plan before departure. Hood used her personal experience along with research expertise to write this piece.

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• K-State home

Concur Travel

Concur makes travel easy for K-State staff and employees. Travelers can submit travel requests to their departments and book transportation and lodging in the same management system where they log their travel expenses. The university gains a digitized system for expense reporting and collects enhanced travel data to improve buying power with vendors. View our Concur training schedule and documents! Travel booking and expense reporting with Concur Make a travel request, book your trip or submit a travel expense report all through Concur! Airfare vs. Mileage Comparison Form (pdf) Calculate the cost of airfare vs mileage for your business trip. International Travel and Activities Register your international travel and learn about our international travel insurance program through the Office of Risk and Compliance.

Anthony Travel

To further enhance the university business travel experience, the university has partnered with Anthony Travel to provide travel support for faculty and staff. Anthony Travel is the nation's largest provider of university travel management, specializing in athletic travel, university business travel, high-risk travel and international tours. K-State employees may book their own travel via Concur Travel Booking, or with the assistance of an on-site agent via Anthony Travel.

Location: 057 K-State Student Union 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (Beginning April 1st) Ph: 785-532-2200 Email: [email protected]

After Hours & Weekends This contact information is to only be used during emergencies so they operate only via phone.

Ph: 800-342-9008 (code: IN2F)

Concur Travel Support For problems or issues with Concur (errors, issues logging in, etc.):

7 a.m. – 4 p.m. CT, Monday – Friday. Ph: (800) 924-6619 Email: [email protected]

Airlines must cough up cancellation cash and can no longer hide fees under new federal rule

A federal rule announced Wednesday will require airlines to quickly give cash refunds — without lengthy arguments — to passengers whose flights have been canceled or seriously delayed, the Biden administration said.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

The rule from the Transportation Department says passengers who decline other reimbursement like travel credits are to get cash refunds.

It applies when a flight is canceled or has a “significant change,” the administration said.

A “significant change” includes when departure or arrival times are three or more hours different from the scheduled times for domestic flights or six hours for international flights, and when the airport is changed or connections are added, it said.

Passengers are also to get refunds when their baggage is 12 hours late in delivery for domestic flights.

The new rule comes after promises to hold airlines accountable after major disruptions that made travel hell for passengers, including the 2022 Southwest Airlines meltdown , which resulted in almost 17,000 significantly delayed or canceled flights and a missing baggage nightmare.

The Transportation Department said that the new rule means refunds are automatic and that "airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops."

Also announced Wednesday was a rule requiring airlines to more clearly disclose so-called junk fees upfront, such as surprise baggage or other fees, the department said.

It said that rule is expected to save fliers around $500 million a year.

The surprise fees are used so tickets look cheaper than they really are, and then fliers get the unwelcome surprise of fees on checked bags, carry-on bags or reservation changes — or even discounts that are advertised but apply to only part of the ticket price, officials said.

Airlines will also have to tell fliers clearly that their seats are guaranteed and that they don't have to pay extra to ensure they have seats for flights, according to the Transportation Department.

Airlines for America, an industry trade group, said that its member airlines “offer transparency and vast choice to consumers from first search to touchdown” and that they do offer cash refunds.

The 11 largest U.S. airlines returned $10.9 billion in cash refunds last year, an increase over $7.5 billion in 2019 but slightly down from $11.2 billion in 2022, the group said.

“U.S. airlines are providing more options and better services while ticket prices, including ancillary revenues, are at historic lows,” Airlines for America said.

Left out of the federal changes announced Wednesday are those involving "family seating fees," but the Transportation Department said in a statement that "DOT is planning to propose a separate rule that bans airlines from charging these junk fees."

Travelers have complained to the Transportation D epartment that children weren’t seated next to accompanying adults, including in some cases young children, department officials said last year.

Fees on bags specifically have made up an increasing amount of airline revenues, the Transportation Department said Wednesday in announcing the new rules.

A Transportation Department analysis found that airline revenue from baggage fees increased 30% from 2018 to 2022, while operating revenue — which is from the flights themselves — increased by only half that amount, the department said.

Jay Blackman is an NBC News producer covering such areas as transportation, space, medical and consumer issues.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

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Show the math on $15 fee to drive into parts of lower Manhattan, lawmaker demands

U .S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer , D-5th Dist., did the legislative version of Seinfeld’s infamous pop-in on MTA CEO Janno Lieber on Wednesday to get answers to questions he asked months ago about the math used to determine the congestion pricing fee structure.

The New Jersey congressman went to see Lieber after a sidewalk press conference in front of MTA headquarters at 2 Broadway where he renewed a formal request made to the MTA in February to show him the math on how officials arrived at the $15 rate for congestion pricing.

In January, Gottheimer’s staff calculated the MTA would raise $3.4 billion annually from the fee , three times more than the $1 billion annual revenue needed to support MTA bus, subway and commuter railroad projects.

That analysis was based on 2022 traffic statistics for MTA bridges and tunnels and the Port Authority Hudson River crossings from New Jersey and applying the fee structure that was preliminarily approved on Dec. 6.

If that number is accurate, Gottheimer said, there is no reason to charge a congestion fee to Jersey commuters who have to drive to work.

Congestion pricing is designed to reduce traffic, crashes, air pollution and raise $1 billion annually for subway, bus, and commuter rail projects. A projected 80,00 to 110,000 commuters are forecasted to switch from driving to transit use to avoid the fee, MTA officials said.

Gottheimer filed a Freedom of Information Law request with the MTA for the math to show how they arrived at $15 rate for non-commercial passenger vehicles using E-ZPass.

That rate structure was approved on March 27 and is before the Federal Highway Administration for final approval. That would clear the way for congestion pricing to start on June 15, barring a court order resulting from several lawsuits in New Jersey and New York challenging the fee.

After checking in with a receptionist, he waited in the lobby of the MTA building for about 20 minutes, only to be told Lieber wasn’t in. Gottheimer gave an MTA employee a note for Lieber, asking him for a meeting.

Ignore the request and Gottheimer said he would seek a congressional subpoena to compel the MTA to explain its math and spending to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“If they ignore our request, we’ll see how they respond to a subpoena,” he said.

Aaron Donovan, an MTA spokesperson, said the Freedom of Information Law office operates under rules for response and production and it’s work continues. He declined to comment about the subpoena threat.

Whether Lieber will meet with the congressman, he said “Gridlock Gottheimer’s pro-traffic agenda is well known.”

He introduced a bipartisan bill to prohibit the implementation of congestion pricing with another vocal opponent, U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, D-11th Dist., of Staten Island. Malliotakis cited the lack of any discount or exemption for Staten Island residents who use the MTA’s Verazzano-Narrows bridge to commute.

Both cited concerns for working people who don’t have access to mass transit, live in transit “deserts” or work shifts when subways and buses run on reduced schedules or during the end of NJ Transit’s service day.

The only communication from the MTA about the Freedom of Information Law request was an email acknowledging it was received and a response to “dozens” of emails and voicemails from Gottheimer saying it was passed on to the appropriate office, according to an email chain shown at the press conference.

“The response has been crickets,” he said. “They should put the math out there.”

Responding to a reporter’s question, Gottheimer said the rate calculations are not in the Environmental Assessment or other congestion pricing public documents. “There is no math in the report,” he said.

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Larry Higgs may be reached at [email protected] . Follow him on X @CommutingLarry .

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Central figure in Operation Blooming Onion plans to take her case to trial

Maria Patricio, the central figure in Operation Blooming Onion, one of the largest U.S. human trafficking cases ever prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ), plans to take her case to trial, according to a court document filed in federal court on April 18. Although all pretrial motions have been satisfied, neither Patricio and her attorney nor the DOJ prosecutor are prepared for trial, according to the same court filing.

The court filing is the latest update in the Operation Blooming Onion case, a saga that has stretched on since the DOJ unsealed the indictment in early December 2021.

The court document surfaces about two months after SMN reported that two defendants pleaded guilty to charges in the case, and eight defendants planned to plead guilty. Of those eight defendants, three pled guilty in a case attended by SMN .

Barry L. Paschal, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Georgia, declined to comment.

When reached for comment, a representative with Patricio’s law firm, Juanita Holsey of the Holsey Law Firm, said the attorney wasn’t interested in speaking about the case.

More: Eight of 24 defendants in Georgia's largest human trafficking case plan to plead guilty

More: Three of 24 defendants in Georgia's largest human trafficking case plead guilty

Who is Maria Patricio?

In October 2021, a grand jury indicted 24 people for conspiring to engage in forced labor and other related crimes. Federal prosecutors say the defendants required guest farmworkers to pay illegal fees to obtain jobs, withheld their IDs so they could not leave, made them work for little or no pay, housed them in unsanitary conditions and threatened them with deportation and violence. Two workers died in the heat, according to the indictment. Court records say five workers were kidnapped and one of them was raped.

Following the announcement of Operation Blooming Onion, investigative reporting by USA Today, the Augusta Chronicle and the Savannah Morning News revealed that  two Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) officials whose jobs involved protecting or advocating for farmworkers had links to Patricio , who was 70 years old at the time of the indictment. That story found that Jorge Gomez, a GDOL state monitor advocate who has since retired, is the brother of Patricio. While not indicted, his home was searched as part of the case.

Subsequent investigations found that a federal agent  testified that GDOL officials were bribed by the alleged Patricio trafficking organization related to farmworker housing inspections , and a  Georgia state senator routinely hired a family of farm labor contractors linked to Operation Blooming Onion .

Multiple civil lawsuits have also arisen from the trafficking charges.  One civil lawsuit  filed on April 5, 2023, in federal court by  the Vedder Price law firm , consists of former workers claiming that Maria Patricio and two alleged traffickers forced them to work in dangerous conditions with little to no pay, housed them in rundown motels and trailers, and subjected them to physical and mental abuse.

Federal judge grants Patricio's request for travel again

On April 18, Federal Magistrate Judge Benjamin W. Cheeseboro also denied eight of Patricio’s previous requests, calling them “moot.” As such, Cheeseboro canceled a motion hearing previously scheduled for 10 a.m. on April 19 in Waycross Federal Court.

The requests Cheeseboro canceled;

• A request to view notes by any government witness;
• A request to allow the attorney to inspect and copy any statements made by Patricio;
• A request to obtain Brady materials, including investigations against the police officers and federal agents who investigated the case;
• A request for the government to “preserve and retain intact and not to destroy or alter” any investigative reports, surveillance video and other physical evidence in its possession, which may have been “necessary or helpful to a proper resolution of the case.”
• A request for the government to disclose the name of its witnesses, which would have afforded Patricio “the opportunity to interview them to fully prepare her defense.”
• A request to see the name, identity, and whereabouts of any informant who gave information leading to Patricio’s arrest or indictment, as well as whether said informant was paid by the Government for such information;
• A request for production and inspection of grand jury proceedings;
• A request for the government to disclose expert witness testimony

Throughout the trial, Patricio has requested eleven motions for travel - all of which have been granted by the court. Patricio frequently travels to Las Vegas, Nevada, to attend a PROMOTORES Unidos and LENUSA Conference.

On April 8, the court granted a similar travel request to Patricio. Cheeseboro “ordered [Patricio] to communicate with her supervising probation officer as directed and must follow all instructions provided by her supervising probation officer related to travel. Moreover, all other conditions of release are unaffected by this modification and are still in effect.”

Drew Favakeh is the public safety and courts reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at [email protected].

Carnival cruise ship rescues nearly 30 people from adrift vessel

A Carnival Cruise Line ship rescued nearly 30 people who were stuck at sea on Sunday.

The crew on Carnival Paradise saved 28 Cuban nationals who were signaling for help on a vessel that was adrift around 2:30 p.m. The cruise ship was headed from Tampa, Florida, to Roatan in Honduras at the time.

“The bridge team onboard spotted the vessel and turned the ship around to rescue them,” Carnival said in a news release . “All were taken aboard, given food and were seen by the medical team.” The cruise line also notified the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West and officials in Roatan.

The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

The ship was set to visit Roatan on Monday. Carnival Paradise is on a five-day Caribbean cruise that departed from Tampa on Saturday, according to CruiseMapper .

The news comes after Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Apex ship rescued seven people in a small vessel adrift between Cuba and Mexico earlier this month. Another Carnival ship, Carnival Jubilee, also rescued two people stuck in a kayak off the coast of Mexico’s Isla Mujeres in January.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Board of Architectural Review approves demolition of College Lodge

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A former College of Charleston dorm is one step closer to being demolished.

The city’s Board of Architectural Review approved the demolition of the College Lodge with a 2-1 vote during Wednesday night’s meeting.

The College Lodge, located at 159 Calhoun St., is the previous Downtowner Motor Inn. The building has been a housing option for College of Charleston students since the 1960s until it closed last spring.

After a previous deferral , so they could have more time to gather information, the request to approve the demolition of College Lodge went in front of the city of Charleston’s Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday.

Robert Summerfield, the director of planning, preservation and sustainability for the City of Charleston, says this building is one of the last examples of a mid-century modern style downtown.

“Based on our ordinance, from a staff perspective, this is not meeting the test for recommendation for demolition,” Summerfield said.

Summerfield says the architectural, cultural and contextual elements are too positive to warrant the demolition. So, in turn, they could renovate the entire interior instead. However, the College of Charleston tells them it’s not that quick of a decision.

“They are not sure if they can economically make that work for what they need in student housing,” Summerfield said.

Regardless of whether or not it’s demolished, the college plans to keep it as a dorm. According to Wednesday’s presentation, a new building would cost about $31.4 million.

“Finding housing on campus is very difficult,” College of Charleston sophomore, Ryan Ciliento, said. “With the dorms, they get filled up very quickly. And the houses that are here are very expensive.”

The housing crisis has led Ciliento and sophomore Savannah Magee in a different direction.

“They ended up having to lease out a hotel because there wasn’t enough housing,” Magee said. “So, me and about 40 other students are living in there.”

They both say demolishing College Lodge could be a negative.

“It would be cleaner and better, but I think it would take too long that in the meantime it would create a serious problem,” Ciliento said.

The College of Charleston says they remain concerned about the structural integrity of this building but did not want to make any additional comment until the Board of Architectural Review has reviewed the plans.

When it comes to other future housing options, Summerfield says Charleston City Council has already approved replacing the YWCA with a new dorm.

As of now, there’s no timeline for when College Lodge might be gone for good.

Magee wants the Board of Architectural Review and the college to think about them.

“Just consider the students and the priority of housing because it’s a very big necessity right now,” Magee said.

You can watch the Board of Architectural Review’s meeting, here .

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

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