Bigger Discounts

The cost of plane tickets for federal travelers will be even lower in fiscal 2004 under the new $920 million City Pair airline contracts awarded in August by the General Services Administration.

Federal travelers will spend an average of 74 percent less than unrestricted coach fare tickets offered to the general public when they use designated City Pair routes.

"In an industry where economic issues are well-documented, we are very pleased to achieve such significant discounts for the federal government," says GSA Federal Supply Service Commissioner Donna Bennett.

FSS awards the City Pair airline contracts to make inexpensive rates available to those traveling on government business. The contracts are awarded competitively, based on the best overall value to the government. Best value is determined by average flight time, price, and distribution and number of flights. This year's contract awards could boost savings more than $157 million over last year's amount, FSS officials say.

Nearly 5,000 City Pair routes will be available to federal fliers in fiscal 2004. Discounted rates include $78 one way from Washington's Reagan National Airport to Chicago and $152 one way from Washington's Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles. These unrestricted fares require no advance purchase and have no minimum or maximum stay requirements, travel time limits, cancellation charges or blackout periods.

A second rate, the capacity controlled fare, also is offered through the program. The fares are even lower than the already discounted federal rates. For example, a one-way unrestricted City Pair fare from Washington's Reagan National Airport to Dallas is $269. The capacity controlled fare for the same route costs $80 less. These fares are available only for a limited number of seats, and federal travelers have to book their flights early. There are no cancellation fees on the special discounted fares. Travelers can still buy tickets under standard government rates at the last minute if seats are available, and unrestricted standard fares will still be available in the test markets.

The following airlines were awarded City Pair contracts: AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, America Trans Air, America West Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Midwest Express Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.