Archive for the 'Travel' Category

Traveling with your Mozilla Badge

August 26th, 2013 | Category: Tips,Travel

Did you know that your Mozilla badge will give you access to all of our MozSpaces in North America and Europe? Our ultimate goal is for “one badge to rule them all” and thus coordinating our badging systems across our worldwide spaces so that you can easily travel from site to site seamlessly.

Our offices each have different building access requirements (you can read about those here) but the doors to our MozSpaces will always be open to employees with your Mozilla badge.

The Bottom Line:   Please PACK YOUR MOZILLA BADGE on your next business trip. And let us know via Service Now if your badge is not functioning for a specific site and we’ll fix it as soon as soon as we can.IMG_20130808_100141

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Travel Tips Vol. 3: Pro-Tips

January 18th, 2013 | Category: Tips,Travel

Pro-tip Edition

Here are some expert tips for smooth and rewarding business travel.

1. Rewards Programs

No, you cannot book flights or hotels based solely on your preferred rewards programs- but that shouldn’t stop you from collecting rewards points from a variety of locations. Rewards programs are easy and free ways of making business travel more profitable.

Egencia allows you to save rewards program numbers in your “Frequent traveler accounts” in your traveler profile. Each time you book a flight, hotel or car your corresponding program will automatically be attached to your booking.

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2. Travel Preferences

Do you prefer an aisle seat to a window seat?

Are you on a low-calorie diet?

You can add to your trip comfort by saving travel preferences in your profile. Seat selection will filter automatically to your preferences and other requests will be carried to the vendor.

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3. Is that your real name?

Joey, Barb and Jim will almost certainly have trouble at security check points and airport check-ins.

Your Egencia name should exactly match your full legal name as listed in your passport to avoid unnecessary hassles with irritable security guards.

If you need to change your name in Egencia please contact Karen to update.

4. Stay Organized

Getting organized is probably the easiest way to make your travel experience less stressful.

  • Pack well. Travel light and smart with carry-on luggage and simple computer bags. Wear slip-on shoes and keep pack the belt and watch.
  • Have a travel outfit. While it may sound silly, wearing the same jacket or bag each time you travel will allow you to keep your passport and ticket in the same pocket and avoid the 7 pocket slap dance each time you’re asked for your ID.
  • Use technology. Install tools like Tripit on your mobile phone to keep your travel details in one place.  Add your teammates as “connections” to keep track of who is where.
  • Stay hydrated. Jetleg can be minimized when you’re hydrating during travel. No, alcohol does not hydrate.
  • Eat healthy. Eat, period. Often travelers forgo airport food altogether- or opt for a greasy piece of pizza before takeoff. Grab some fruit and nuts or a salad before you go to avoid junk food cravings later on.

5. Visas

We’re a global company, traveling further and faster. We can get you where you need to go- but if you don’t have the right Visa you’ll be turned away at the border.

You can find out if the country you are traveling to requires a Visa from the CIBT website. Brazil, India, China and Russia are popular and growing destinations that do require advance planning and travel Visas.

If you ever have questions, please check in with our resident immigration specialist Elisha Kim.

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Do you have your own travel tips? Share them with us here!

 

 

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Travel Tips Vol. 2: Hotels Edition

November 09th, 2012 | Category: Tips,Travel

All About Hotels

1. What is a “Published Rate” hotel?

Egencia has 4 types of hotel rates: (listed in preferred order for booking)

  • Negotiated Rate Hotels– Mozilla has negotiated a corporate rate with these hotels based on an assumed number of room nights. You reserve these rooms in Egencia and the hotel bills Mozilla. Good choice!
  • Egencia Preferred Rate Hotels– Catering to business travelers and offering the most business amenities. Rooms are charged directly to Mozilla. Good choice!
  • Expedia Special Rate Hotels– Catering to business and vacation travelers with varying degrees of flexibility and amenities. Rooms are charged directly to Mozilla. Good choice!
  • Published Rates or “rack rates”– Hotels with whom Egencia does not have contracted rates. These hotels are reserved in Egencia but require payment on arrival to the traveler’s credit card. Rooms are filed as an expense and then reimbursed by Mozilla. Oops! Try again.

2. How do I tell what kind of room rate it is?

There are a few ways you can check what kind of rate you’re picking:

  • Colored Pins– Your hotel search will produce a list of hotels. The pin color is associated with the type of rate. Published rate hotels will only show in your search results if there are no other results available .

Green Pins = Negotiated Rate Hotels Good choice!
Yellow Pins = Egencia Preferred Rate Hotels Good choice!
Blue Pins = Expedia Special Rate Hotels Good choice!
Gray Pins= Published Rate Hotels Oops! Try again.

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  • Continue to Booking– Once you continue to the booking page to select your room you will see the type of rate the room is listed at the top of the screen.

3. How do I know if this is a good hotel?

Egencia has recently added TripAdvisor hotel reviews to their hotel search.  You can read reviews before you book to determine if this hotel will be a good fit for your travel needs.

4. How do I change my hotel reservation?

Call your hotel directly. Hotel contact information and terms are always included in your trip information under the “Hotel summary.” If you have any problems you can always call an Egencia representative to assist you.

 

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Travel Tips Vol. 1

July 18th, 2012 | Category: Tips,Travel

Mozilla is growing and traveling more than ever. Over the next several months we’ll be offering up some travel tips for Mozillians on the road.

Before you book, review Mozilla’s Travel Policies here: https://intranet.mozilla.org/TravelPolicies

July Travel Tips

1.  Pick up a phone (and use it to make a phone call!)

We work on the web. We live our lives on the web. There are times though, that problems can get solved much faster on the phone. If you have a travel problem or need help with a booking, call Egencia’s Customer service line  +1 (866) 397-2677 or +1 (702) 939-2530. You’ll talk to a real person, too.

2.  Call your airline

If you need to exchange an air ticket, it is often faster and easier to go to your airline directly. Egencia does not have the authority to bend the rules. Your airline may offer you a better solution when rebooking a flight than Egencia is able to.

3. Pack well

Checking baggage is costly and time consuming.  Choose a standard regulation suitcase that will fit in the overhead bins. Lay out everything you plan on taking on your trip, and take half. Don’t forget your Mozilla T-shirts, of course.

4. Read the fine print

Egencia offers extremely competitive hotel and airfare rates, often with extremely restrictive booking policies to match. If you think your plans may change, look for hotels and flights that are refundable or have reasonable cancellation policies.

5. Read the reviews

Egencia provides listings for an array of hotels. While most are business class suitable, some are more pleasant than others. Traveler reviews will help you determine if a hotel is the right fit for you.

 

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Flying on Southwest?

April 16th, 2012 | Category: News and Events,Tips,Travel

You asked. We delivered.

You now can book flights and earn Rapid Rewards points through Southwest Airlines via Egencia.

Egencia’s Southwest Airlines partnership is landing in two phases.

Phase 1:

You’re now able to view Southwest flight options by clicking on a link on your flight search results page.  This link will bring you to our SWABIZ  (Southwest Airlines Business) account page.

If you are a frequent Southwest traveler you can log in with your Rapid Rewards number. If you do not have a Rapid Rewards number you can enroll in the program on this page. You can book and earn flight credits for Southwest Flights booked through SWABIZ and flights will be billed directly to Mozilla.

Important notes:

*Flights are booked through Southwest’s SWABIZ site, not Egencia.

*Please select the appropriate department code.

*Flight purchases will not notify an approver. Please check with your manager before purchasing your flight.

Phase 2:

Coming this Summer, Egencia will allow you to see and book Southwest flights directly from your Egencia results page.  Approvers will be notified and Rewards points will continue to be applied to your personal Southwest account.

Please contact Karen Esterly for all travel related questions.

Happy Travels, Mozillians!

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Traveling with Mozilla?

March 15th, 2012 | Category: Tips,Travel

Yes, we do that too.

Workplace Resources has taken over Mozilla’s Travel Systems management.  We’re working on making booking with Egencia easier- with earlier access for New Hires, extended flight options and clearer travel policies.

Stay tuned in to the WPR blog for news about travel! Contact Karen Esterly for questions and concerns.

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