Key Travel is the default provider for all travel including, rail, flights, group bookings, visas, accommodation and overseas car hire, and should generally be used for all bookings. However, there are select scenarios where another provider may be used, for example:

• Booking a hotel room in Manchester – this should be done via the University’s preferential rates for the Hyatt.
• Special conference packages.
• Booking on certain regional airlines which are not supported on Key Travel.

If it is necessary to make a booking outside of Key Travel, please refer to the Guidelines for Booking Outside of Key Travel to ensure that the appropriate documentation is provided to the SEED School Operations team when submitting via the SEED Authorised Signatory approval form. PGR students should use this form. 

Information on circumstances where it may be necessary to book outside of Key Travel is available on our ‘Outside Key Travel’ guidance. If you think you need to book outside Key Travel, contact the School Operations Team for assistance with alternative arrangements.

Generally, if you have not followed the procedure for booking travel, including completing a risk assessment, getting appropriate approvals, and booking via Key Travel, we will not be able to reimburse your travel expenses.

Yes, but for low-medium risk travel you will just need to follow the generic risk assessment. Find out how to risk assess your travel.

As long as you have followed the ‘Checklist for booking travel’ you will automatically be covered by the University’s insurance policy for your business travel. Failure to follow the correct approvals process could result in this not being valid. If you have any personal travel attached to your trip you will need to arrange insurance for this separately.

To access a travel insurance certificate, you will need to log into the AIG insurance travel assistance website. If you don’t already have a log-in you can easily set one up using your name, university email address and the University policy number, which is 0010015245. Find out more about the University’s travel insurance arrangements.

You may need to engage with Occupational Health before travel to ensure you’re fit to travel, and any reasonable adjustments are considered. This is especially relevant for high-risk destinations or trips involving physical demands.

If you are travelling outside of Europe you should complete a travel health risk assessment as part of your wider risk assessment before travel.

Choosing travel with less environmental impact - typically rail over plane, or walking/cycling for local trips. Justifications must be recorded if you choose less sustainable options. Please refer to recommendations for sustainable travel.

If you need to travel within the UK, you may want to request use of the SEED e-vehicle. You can also apply for funding through the SEED STAR Fund (Sustainable Travel Alternatives Routes) to cover additional costs of a more sustainable route, via the Academic Absence form. This may be to replace flights with train fares, to pay for a more expensive, but more direct longer-haul route, or to support the cost of hotels where slower travel may require stopovers.

Unless you are the budget holder, your booking will be approved by the budget holder for the budget your travel is being allocated to. Please make them aware of the forthcoming booking to enable rapid approval. Bookings can only be approved within core working hours.

If you are the budget holder and booking your own travel, then the approval request will be sent to your Compliance, Safety and Estates Manager as the back-up approver. Please make sure they are aware of the forthcoming booking request.

Your supervisor should review and sign off your risk assessment. For high-risk travel, it may also need to go to Estates and be signed off by the Head of School, please note this may take more time than the standard process so ensure you give additional time to plan the trip.

You will need to start again and place another booking. We advise that you make the approver aware that you are placing a booking to ensure it is approved quickly. Bookings for many airlines and hotels require approval within the same working day. Avoid making bookings late in the day or out of working hours.

Refer to our ‘Checklist before booking travel’ to understand the approvals you need.

This varies:

• Low-risk, domestic travel: up to 20 working days.
• International or high-risk travel: up to 60 W=working days.

Aim to leave adequate time for approval – at least one month for low risk travel and at least three months for high risk. If you are trying to book at late notice, please notify SEEDestates@manchester.ac.uk.

For information on student fieldtrips please visit the TLSE Fieldwork and placements page.