City Pairs Cut Fares

ince 1980, the General Services Administration and commercial airlines have negotiated prices for federal employees on official travel. The fiscal 1998 city-pair fares, which were announced July 10, are an average of 70 percent lower than the full walk-up fares. Among the most popular of the 6,100 fares are Washington/Los Angeles round trip for $170 and Washington/Chicago for $98.

That's going to save the government an estimated $2.65 billion this year alone. And government workers don't face the restrictions other travelers do when trying to fly on the cheap. City-pair fares:

• Don't require advance purchase.
• Don't require a minimum or maximum length of stay.
• Are fully refundable: There are no

  charges for cancellations or schedule changes.

• Aren't capacity controlled. As long as there is a coach-class seat available on the plane, a government traveler can buy it at the contract fare.
• Aren't subject to blackout periods.

In awarding contracts, GSA considers several factors, including type of service (nonstop, direct, etc.); distribution of flights (must leave between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.); frequency of flights; average flight time; and price. This year, the agency awarded contracts to nonstop flights in 99 percent of cases where they were available and offered.

For more information, contact Anne Hasselbrack at (703) 305-7504 or go to www.patsys.com/ftd/flights.htm