stacker1
LE
Before I logged off I had a proper look at today’s announcement on a new option for bulk bookings, which also took me to the main travel pages and latest info, FAQs etc
(For MoDnet users you can see the announcement on the home page, or search GBT)
Most pages there have been updated in August.
There are a series of points listed for “Why is it mandated?” and they include items such as:
Best VFM
Ensures MoD business travel policy is adhered to
Provides MI —— including cabinet office reporting
Lowest rates in industry
MoDs duty of care - storms, incidents etc (Therefore confirms the MI is used to identify if MoD staff have booked travel in an area)
The FAQs highlight how to get price matching if there is a lower like for like rate elsewhere, and how to add missing hotels
eg In the example where CHBS was 25p more expensive it probably wasn’t like for like due to cancellation policy etc
Breakfast is now not included unless indicated, which confirms that the £55.25 price I had was equivalent to the booking.com £55 price. But they had no cancellation protection
Previously the default was that breakfast was included unless otherwise indicated, whereas it is only included if listed. This has either changed since I last booked a hotel for work, or it was listed among my choices
Im glad you were honest enough about the breakfast, I thought it was suspiciously cheap.
But to take your points.
Best VFM I would very much like to know what metric they use, if they offer the cheapest rooms why arent they like booking.com and doing it for the whole world? Or are its VFM because its easier to fool gullible people like Kroneit because they are "free"?
Ensures MoD business travel policy is adhered to, Travel isnt the same as hotels, however the policy can be adapted to whatever the MOD want it to be, the only thing I can think of that the CHBS could do is prevent first class travel when its supposed to be standard. However other firms do that by not paying out (or part paying) if you bluff a first class ticket.
How exactly did Audrey Urbina get away with it for so long?
Lowest rates in industry As I said for VFM, who is saying this? By what measurement? If they have the power to get cheap rooms for the MOD why arent they doing it for the other 66 million people in the country? They would make a mint.
MoDs duty of care - storms, incidents etc (Therefore confirms the MI is used to identify if MoD staff have booked travel in an area) I gave numerous examples earlier why it would be ******* stupid for the MOD to trust a civvie travel/hotel firm to say where its personnel are. However that once again covers travel not hotels.