GovernmentExecutive.com

Return to Article: Report: HHS Secretary's office not using discounted airfares

• 57984
  

  We tried to use those discounted city-pair fares and it was a NIGHTMARE getting the refunds when the trip was cancelled. They ticket and charge those flights as soon as the flights are booked. At some levels of an organization and in some offices, trips can come up or go away quite quickly and running down all the paperwork or keeping track of all the "refunds" (because they are now tied to the specific airline to be used on your next trip with that airline) cannot possibly be cost effective.

  Juliane Posted September 8, 2008 12:29 PM
• 57966
  

  In all my years (almost 30) of flying on official business, I have NEVER been able to fly cheaper under government contract than while traveling "on my own dime". Case in point - A few years ago, I went through the government travel channels and flew from Albuquerque to Honolulu for $1,800.00 - during off-season. Later that same year I took the same trip on my own and spent $600.

  Govtrip has not changed that. By the way, who was the clown that dreamt up that system?

  David Fischer Posted September 8, 2008 9:48 AM
• 57835
  

  On my last trip, the city pair air fare would have been over $1200 round trip. I used a non-contract carrier at a fare of just over $600 round-trip. I had to submit a justification in GovTrip for using the non-contract carrier (even though I selected the cheaper flight through GovTrip) before the travel authorization could be processed. The only difference was that the cheaper flight left earlier in the morning than the city pairs carrier's flights. In our Department, we have now been instructed to always use the city pairs carrier, even though we may be able to use a cheaper flight on another carrier. So much for saving the government money!

  Elizabeth Posted September 5, 2008 10:49 AM
• 57806
  

  Employees have found cheaper airfares than GovTrip in many instances. Discounted airfares are available on most of the Government Travel Websites. You can book directly with the airlines without paying the GovTrip booking fee.

  Mike Posted September 5, 2008 7:47 AM
• 57791
  

  &GovTrip is often NOT the cheapest fare employees are no longer allowed to take the cheapest commercial fare if they find it. GovTrip is an absolutely horrible system - you have to sometimes "fake" data to get it enters (wich used to be called FALSIFYING a voucher & could get you fired). Managers have pretty much given up trying to track anything, since there are no useful reports or tracking, and have gone back to manual tracking of travel costs.

  ritagar Posted September 4, 2008 7:11 PM
• 57787
  

  This easy to fix the travel voucher should only be paid at the lower rate and then the Fed's can use any rate they want and pay the difference. Bill who makes you airline reservations when you go on vacation bet its you and the cheapest fare

  dan keter Posted September 4, 2008 6:36 PM
• 57759
  

  I will say that the discounted rate is VERY difficult to find on GovTrip. First you have to select the city pair as standard; then, and only then, will it let you know that a discounted fare is available although likely not on that same flight. As someone who books their own travel, I can say this system is very difficult to use and the "users' manual" is worthless.

  Teri Posted September 4, 2008 12:49 PM
• 57757
  

  One question I would have is did the auditors take into consideration the employees mission, ie., was the discounted flight times available for the timimg of the employees trip or work needs, not just looking at the dollars?

  Fed Traveler Posted September 4, 2008 11:25 AM
• 57743
  

  If the DoD both military and civil service have to use DTS and get the City-Pair so can the rest of the US Gov. The fares are better for all. Granted at times when a TDY comes up short-notice style, you may not have a city-pair fare available. That is the only exception in DTS. City-Pair first and foremost, then if not available select another.

  DoD Civ Posted September 4, 2008 10:31 AM
• 57727
  

  Hm, maybe it doesn't make sense to have a $35/hr (or more) professional doing their own travel. Maybe it would actually make sense to have a $25/hr travel specialist who knows how to get the best deals and only takes 1/2 (or less) the time to make the arrangements. Nah, that's overhead and everone knows that overhead money is waste (sorry, lost my head there for a minute).

  bill t Posted September 4, 2008 9:27 AM
• 57715
  

  Unfortunately, the IG report you wrote about is not even looking at the tip of the correct iceberg. The GSA contract and paired city fares, and the "discount" available sometimes for official government travel are often far more expensive than fares that government employees could purchase online. However, government employees are required to purchase airfare through designated contractors. In my agency, it is SATO. When I recently booked a flight for official travel from Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA, one carrier offered a round trip for $301.00. SATO was not allowed to book that flight. Instead I was required to book on a "contract carrier." The fare for the same class of service (economy), and the same dates and times, was $1281.00.

  Jeremiah Posted September 4, 2008 8:36 AM
• 57707
  

  Blah, blah, blah. Most "city pair" tickets are for red eye flights and don't fit mission requirements. Additionally, you have to make 2 and 3 lay overs. With all of this the government is probably saving money when employees us the none standard flights that are not "city pair". Quite often I find cheaper flights on none contract carriers that get me there faster. Where is the government logic in "city pair" requirements. Following a "city pair" mandate the government probably would pay more in travel comp and regular comp. Nope, "city pair" is just another way to give a contractor a leg up at the expense of the government. As for HHS I don't fault them one bit in using none "city pair".

  Avis Posted September 4, 2008 7:52 AM