Posts Tagged "Fly America act"

Our E Travel System uses the Sabre Global Distribution System as an integral part of the overall travel system. The GDS is a legacy data based system that is used by all travel suppliers such as airlines, hotels and rental car vendors to automatically book travel. The GDS is separate from the commercial internet booking sites, although some booking sites will use GDS information to offer information to their users and to assist with bookings. Not all airlines and hotels use a Global Distribution System as the GDS charges travel vendors to display inventories. If a supplier uses a GDS, it is the airline carrier, hotel, or rental car company’s responsibility to keep the GDS updated with current information. In some instances some small airlines do not use the GDS...

The GSA City Pair program has helped save millions of taxpayer dollars since it’s inception in the early 80’s.   This program allows government employees to travel on negotiated flat airfares in most markets with up to 70% discount on refundable airfares.  Government contractors, however, are not allowed to participate in the CPP with GSA, but can negotiate with airlines on their own. Working for an FFRDC proves to show significant differences between GSA CPP rates and corporate rates.  As airlines continue to struggle to make profit in today’s world due to fuel hikes, competition, union employees, airport fees, mergers, etc., corporate contracts have been revamped to tiered programs which provide small discounts on published airfares with heavy...

US Government business is often very different from commercial business, largely due to the extensive rules in place to ensure fairness in the award of contracts that use public funds.  Not only is the Government the customer it also acts at the overseer of contracts. Detailed rules on reimbursement are designed to prevent the taxpayer from paying for costs that are against public policy. For Government Contractors the creation of a Travel Policy is not only a resource for cost effective travel it also incorporates laws that must be followed in order to perform travel for the Federal Government.  Two of the most important documents that must be included in the Travel Policy are the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Federal Travel Regulation (FTR).  These...

The Fly America Act was first approved by congress with the Air Transporation Fair Competitive Practice act of 1974. In 1981 it was amended to include the verbiage requiring Federal Employees and their dependents, consultants, contractors, grantees and others performing United States Government financed foreign air travel to travel by US flag carriers. In April 2007 the US-EU Open Skies Agreement was signed this agreement amended the earlier Fly America Act to provide airlines of the European Community or its Member States the right to transport passengers and cargo on scheduled or charter flights for US Government transportation. In October of 2008 the United States Government signed an Open skies agreement with Australia and Switzerland.   These agreements...

The Fly America Act as you know it today provides excellent opportunities for all parties involved.  The program provides excellent advantages for the Traveler, the TMC, and the Airlines.  Code share when it began did have its challenges, travelers were unsure which ticket counter to check in, what airline they were actually flying on, which baggage claim was the appropriate one and whom do they speak to in the event of problem that needed resolution as a result of their flight.   Code share today represents positive changes to all involved in the process including the actual booking in ETS or DTS.    Government travelers are permitted to use the code share carriers provided the ticket is issued with the U.S. Flag Carrier code and U.S. Carrier flight...

The Fly America Act was first approved by congress with the Air Transporation Fair Competitive Practice act of 1974.  In 1981 it was amended to include the verbiage requiring Federal Employees and their dependents, consultants, contractors, grantees and others performing United States Government financed foreign air travel to travel by US flag carriers. In April 2007 the US-EU Open Skies Agreement was signed this agreement amended the earlier Fly America Act to provide airlines of the European Community or its Member States the right to transport passengers and cargo on scheduled or charter flights for US Government  transportation.  In October of 2008 the United States Government signed an Open skies agreement with Australia and Switzerland.   These...