1. Q: Will the guidelines for payment managers be available before May 27?
2. Q: Couldn't these payment managers' guidelines introduce new rules not contained in the Agreement?
3. Q: As there is no lead-time does that mean I am free to buy my ticket at any time and can be sure of being reimbursed?
4. Q: What is the higher fare category?
5. Q: What kind of supporting evidence would I be expected to submit where it is required?
6. Q: If a range of semi-flexible tickets is available, would payment managers need to be satisfied that no cheaper fare than the one purchased was available?
7. Q: Will the Institutions reimburse the price of the ticket purchased by the ACI, in accordance with the Agreement and submitting all the documentary evidence required, or will they only pay for a more cost-efficient hypothetical ticket the ACI did not travel on?
8. Q: If I choose to travel by train (full 1^st cl. Fare) = €100 but the airfare (semi-flexible changeable and reimbursable on payment of a penalty) = €90 what will be reimbursed, €100 or €90?
9. Q: If I need to take connecting flights to get to the place of assignment, and I choose to go via hub A, costing €100, though going via hub B would cost only €90, what will be reimbursed, €100 or €90?
10. Q: If airline A offers a cheaper fare than airline B, what will be reimbursed?
11. Q: If two airlines operate on the same route, and one offers a semi-flexible fare while the other does not, which one should I use?
12. Q: Can you confirm that the proposed new fare basis (IATA, semi-flexible, changeable and reimbursable on payment of a penalty) would also apply for travel to Strasbourg?
13. Q: The 300 km above which my right to travel to travel by air is guaranteed - is that 300 km one-way or return?
14. Q: Why is there no definition of recruitment at short notice?
15. Q: Would the travel agent's fee or the charge applied when purchasing via the Internet be reimbursed?

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1. Q: Will the guidelines for payment managers be available before May 27?

A: No. These planned guidelines would only be drawn up if the Agreement is approved. Your Delegation would be consulted on them.  In addition, there would be regular and joint Delegation and Administration monitoring of the implementation, to iron out problems and ensure consistency.

2. Q: Couldn't these payment managers' guidelines introduce new rules not contained in the Agreement?

A: No. The Agreement and its implementing provisions, which would be the legally binding instrument, would take precedence over the guidelines.  It may bear repeating that any ACI who is not satisfied with a payment manager's explanation in response to a query regarding a payment is advised to submit the matter to the Head of Unit. We hope it goes without saying that problems with payments may also be referred to the Professional Delegations.

3. Q: As there is no lead-time does that mean I am free to buy my ticket at any time and can be sure of being reimbursed?

A: If you present an IATA semi-flexible ticket you would automatically be reimbursed, irrespective of when it was purchased.  If you present a ticket in the higher fare category you would automatically be reimbursed in the following four cases:

1. when the semi-flexible fare does not exist
2. when the semi-flexible fare is no longer available for the following reasons:
• recruitment at short notice,
• change to a contract and/or place of assignment
• change of programme and of flight at the request of or with the authorisation of the administration.

In all other cases you would need to submit any useful evidence in support of the higher category.

4. Q: What is the higher fare category?

A: The next highest fare available.

5. Q: What kind of supporting evidence would I be expected to submit where it is required?

A: In some cases this could be a print-out of the online reservation system's indication that there are no places available for the fare you requested, depending on how much detail they provide.  In other cases it could be a letter from your travel agent.  It could also be evidence of a major trade fair/congress/football match coinciding with your contract and affecting traffic on your route.

6. Q: If a range of semi-flexible tickets is available, would payment managers need to be satisfied that no cheaper fare than the one purchased was available?

A: As the proposed text says: On presentation of an IATA semi-flexible ticket, that can be exchanged and refunded on payment of a penalty, the ACI is automatically reimbursed, and no additional supporting evidence or justification is required.

7. Q: Will the Institutions reimburse the price of the ticket purchased by the ACI, in accordance with the Agreement and submitting all the documentary evidence required, or will they only pay for a more cost-efficient hypothetical ticket the ACI did not travel on?

A: As the text says: On presentation of an IATA semi-flexible ticket, that can be exchanged and refunded on payment of a penalty, the ACI is automatically reimbursed, and no additional supporting evidence or justification is required.

In addition, there would be automatic reimbursement of the higher fare ticket in the following four cases:

1. when the semi-flexible fare does not exist
2. when the semi-flexible fare is no longer available for the following reasons:
• recruitment at short notice,
• change to a contract and/or place of assignment
• change of programme and of flight at the request of or with the authorisation of the administration.

In all other cases you would need to submit any useful evidence in support of the higher category.

The automatic reimbursement would be a new feature introduced by the proposed revision, and is not contained in the current Agreement.

8. Q: If I choose to travel by train (full 1^st cl. Fare) = €100 but the airfare (semi-flexible changeable and reimbursable on payment of a penalty) = €90 what will be reimbursed, €100 or €90?

A: As the text of the implementing provisions says:

"Article 10: Reimbursement of travel expenses

(a) For the purposes of applying Article 10 of the Agreement, the ACI choose the means of transport for the outward and return journey between their professional domicile and the place of assignment. The right to air travel is guaranteed for all journeys of over 300 km. The ACI determines the route and time of the journeys for the performance of contracts concluded with one or more institutions, reimbursement of travel expenses and payment of any allowances which may be due being limited, except in cases of force majeure, to the most direct route and the transport means offering the best cost/efficiency ratio." (unofficial English translation).

For the EP, for example, the idea of the best cost/efficiency ratio means that account is taken of the train or plane ticket price, the time factored in for departure from and return to the professional domicile (two hours for a flight, 45 minutes for a train) which may trigger flat-rate travel allowances, the time factored in for purposes of assigning the ACI after arrival at and before departure from the place of assignment (two hours after arrival and two hours before departure of the flight, 45 minutes after arrival and before departure of the train). Taken together, these form the overall cost which is then used as a basis for comparison of the two means of transport.  This system is already applied under the current Agreement where the phrase is "overall the most economic".

9. Q: If I need to take connecting flights to get to the place of assignment, and I choose to go via hub A, costing €100, though going via hub B would cost only €90, what will be reimbursed, €100 or €90?

A: The automatic reimbursement of the ticket takes care of this problem.

10. Q: If airline A offers a cheaper fare than airline B, what will be reimbursed?

A: The automatic reimbursement of the ticket takes care of this problem.

11. Q: If two airlines operate on the same route, and one offers a semi-flexible fare while the other does not, which one should I use?

A: The general rule is a semi-flexible ticket, which would be reimbursed automatically.

If you present a ticket in the higher fare category you would automatically be reimbursed in the following four cases:

1. when the semi-flexible fare does not exist
2. when the semi-flexible fare is no longer available for the following reasons:
• recruitment at short notice,
• change to a contract and/or place of assignment
• change of programme and of flight at the request of or with the authorisation of the administration.

In all other cases you would need to submit any useful evidence in support of the higher category.

12. Q: Can you confirm that the proposed new fare basis (IATA, semi-flexible, changeable and reimbursable on payment of a penalty) would also apply for travel to Strasbourg?

A: As we said in FAQ 1, at the end of the technical working group's work, though previously on record as excluding Strasbourg from the scope, the EP delegation said that, for political reasons, it could not agree to its Institution being made conspicuous in the texts, which means that if the semi-flexible fare exists on a given route to Strasbourg, it applies.

13. Q: The 300 km above which my right to travel to travel by air is guaranteed - is that 300 km one-way or return?

A: There has been no change to that part of the text. So it's 300 km one-way.

14. Q: Why is there no definition of recruitment at short notice?

A: Because the length varies according to the Institution the ACI works for.

15. Q: Would the travel agent's fee or the charge applied when purchasing via the Internet be reimbursed?

A: It is at present, subject of course to it being indicated as such and evidence being presented that it was paid, though the current Agreement makes no provision for its reimbursement.

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