The airline industry has seen many changes in the past few years. For government travelers the most significant change occurred in 1980 with the implementation of the City Pair Program (CPP). Governed by the General Services Administration (GSA), CPP started out with 11 city pairs but has now expanded to over 5,000 city pairs for both domestic and international locations. The program offers competitive rates which saves the government an average of 50% to 70% off unrestricted coach fares.
Government travelers, following the requirements set forth in the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), must use a contract fare when available unless the traveler has a valid justification. Some of the justifications are:
- There are no seats available on a contract carrier.
- Flight times do not enable the traveler to meet mission requirements.
- A non-contract carrier offers a lower fare available to the general public and using it reduces the cost to the government.
Not only as a government employee but also a taxpayer, it is good to know the CPP benefits the government by saving money on travel. Other benefits of using the program include:
- Fully refundable tickets.
- Advance purchase not required.
- No blackout dates.
- No charge for cancellations or changes to a reservation.
- Fares are priced on one-way routes, permitting travelers to plan multiple destinations.
- Once negotiated, the fares are locked in for one year which makes for a more manageable travel budget.
- Last seat availability.
The CPP fares must be purchased with a government issued charge card or in certain instances, the Government Transportation Request (GTR).
By: Sue Burton
The contents of this message are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the Government or my agency.