(A) Tickets for air travel involve direct payment to private entities providing transportation services. In setting maximum allowable reimbursement amounts for air travel, Metra recognizes that the typical practice is for air travel to be booked in advance. However, there are rare occasions when air travel must be booked on short notice. For air travel booked more than 14 days before travel, not including applicable taxes, Metra will reimburse 100% of the actual air travel charges incurred, but the maximum allowable reimbursement shall be no more than up to 200% of the rates established by the General Services Administration (GSA) for destinations within the continental United States and no more than 200% of the rates established by either the GSA or the State Department for foreign countries.
(B) For air travel booked less than 14 days before travel, not including applicable taxes, the maximum allowable reimbursement expense is the actual air travel charges up to 300% of the established GSA rates for destinations within the continental United States or up to 300% of the GSA or the State Department established rates for foreign countries. Air travel booked less than 14 days in advance must be approved in advance and in writing by the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer.
(C) Air travel shall be non-stop (when possible) and booked in economy class. Air travel shall depart and arrive at the airport that is most advantageous for Metra’s purposes and the employee’s time. First class or business class travel is not reimbursable.
(D) Checked baggage fees are reimbursable as an allowable travel expense. Receipts should be obtained for checked baggage fees. The maximum allowable reimbursement amount that Metra will reimburse employees for these expenses is the amount charged by the airline on the travel date.
(E) (1) Additionally, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, and his or her designee, may approve reimbursable air travel expenses in “extraordinary circumstances”, as contemplated under the Act.
(2) Such circumstances exist when:
(a) Such travel is determined to be necessary and advantageous to Metra; and
(b) The need for such travel could not have been reasonably foreseen.
(F) All approvals of extraordinary circumstances shall be reported to the Board. All approvals of extraordinary circumstances involving the travel of the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer shall be approved by the Board Chairperson, or his or her designee, with a copy of such expense reported to the Board and the Chief Audit Officer.
(Ord. NIRC 17-03, passed 2-15-2017)