Our Ref:         FOI-3294-1920

Thank you for your requests received on 28 January 2020 asking for information about TfL spend on flights.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require.

All expenditure within the organisation is carefully assessed to ensure it is essential to providing a safe, efficient, extensive and reliable transport network, including expenses incurred by employees who often are called upon to travel out of the capital on business and attend conferences and other out of hours business related activities.

Our staff are responsible for operating a world class transport network transporting millions of people around the capital each day. As a result of running a transport network on this scale, our staff sometimes have to travel across the UK, Europe, and the world to meet with suppliers as well as learning from and offering our expertise on running such a huge network to other world leading cities. Whilst we take rail journeys wherever possible, some journeys require air travel. Air travel is only approved where the use of more sustainable modes of travel will incur excessive time, cost or logistical implications.

Any flights which are undertaken will have their carbon emissions offset as an important final step for dealing with carbon emissions that cannot be reasonably avoided. Carbon offsetting is a technique where carbon emissions from activities like air travel are calculated and priced. An equivalent payment is made to support activities that directly reduce emissions.

Bookings for air travel can only be made with evidence of pre-approval from senior management. Scheduled air travel must be booked only according to the following restrictions:
· Standard class for flights up to 5 hours
· Premium economy and business class allowable only for flights over 5 hours
· Scheduled flights will be managed by a 2 tier approval process based on a spend threshold
· Air miles or similar benefits must not be used for private purposes

The information you have requested for May 2016 – March 2018 is available on our website using the following link:
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-4937-1718

In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, TfL is not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.

As a result of a change in our service provider, we do not hold information prior to May 2016. Please see the information below for 2018/19 and 2019/20 (up to January 2020) and please note that this information relates to expenditure prior to any reimbursement from third parties such as event/conference organisers that may have occurred at a later date. First class bookings may only be booked if either the passenger pays for an upgrade themselves or if the flight is paid for by a third party such as event/conference organisers.

 2018/19 2019/20
First £688.96 £1,003.20
Business £155,291.21 £247,932.88
Premium Economy £137,535.24 £150,172.18
Economy £82,065.72 £127,394.27
Other (Please see further breakdown below) £30,898.81 £32,556.50
 £406,479.94 £559,059.03
Other
Business/Economy £290.50 £1,886.82
Business/Economy/Business £0.00 £14,930.36
Economy/Business £0.00 £6,705.06
Business/First £5,496.41 £0.00
Economy/Premium Economy £6,905.24 £1,846.92
Premium Economy/Business £4,335.41 £3,289.88
Premium Economy/Economy £13,871.25 £1,661.98
Premium Economy/Economy/Premium Economy  £2,235.48
 £30,898.81 £32,556.50

Other flights refer to flights where a different class of flight was taken for each part of the journey.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
Senior FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
[email protected]