Academic and administrative staff at cash-strapped Trinity College Dublin and UCD are entitled to fly business class on longhaul trips while on college business.

Despite ongoing concern about the funding shortfall in the state's universities, the privilege means the cost of travelling on official business can increase by a factor of five in many cases.

Unlike their counterparts at DCU, whose staff have to "slum it" in economy, TCD and UCD have confirmed staff of all levels can apply for business-class long-haul flights, depending on the length of the journey.

Recently, this newspaper was offered a quote via the Aer Lingus website of €586 for a return economy class flight for one adult from Dublin to New York. But business class tickets on the same flight, returning a week later, cost over €2,700.

Similarly, an economy class return flight for one adult from Dublin to Shanghai in China cost €1,190 via British Airways, while its Club World business class equivalent cost over €6,400.

A spokesman for UCD said its travel policy since June 2000 is that all official travel should be by the shortest practical route and by the cheapest practicable mode of conveyance.

Earlier this year, UCD president Dr Hugh Brady announced a vigorous cost-cutting programme amid fears its accumulated debt could reach €20m.

"For flights in excess of six hours, if staff wish to travel by business class, they must apply for written permission from the relevant college principal. Regardless of the class of travel, every effort must be made to procure the cheapest ticket," he said.

A TCD spokeswoman said it has a policy "to book travel on the lowest available fare available at all times, including low cost carriers – economy class must be used on all flights of less than eight hours' duration."

Staff at DCU are entitled to fly economy class only, regardless of the length of their flight.