daw617

I always get the 150% EQM bonuses for government Y fares. Call Mileage Plus if they don't show up after a few days (the 50% bonus often takes a few extra days to show up in your account).

The government Y fares are also very nice because they allow upgrading with miles at the reduced rate (8K instead of 15K miles). Shh, don't tell anyone.

Superguy

One UA insider told me that xCA stood for contract award. So I would imagine that it's possible that other organizations that have contracts could have the same moniker.

Soup Sandwich

Our agency DTS system went down. So we just called Carlson to book with rep's on the phone.

That was SO much nicer and easier than dealing with DTS.

Superguy

What's DTS break out to?

Interesting that every agency seems to contract to a different travel agency.

Soup Sandwich

Oops, and I just asked any acronym question in another thread.

DTS is Defense Travel Service (or System... can't remember).

Superguy

That's what I figured.

Interestingly, I work for a defense agency and have never gotten anywhere near DTS. We just use our contract travel agent.

djerikd

Yep, its
Defense Travel System

Portolan

They've apparently been rolling out DTS for a couple of years now. We just converted in the early summer. Apparently the agencies they've been trying it with don't actually have people who travel since it is hideously bad for what is (should be) an up-to-date web-based program. The clunks are too numerous to mention. As a reference, we are all waxing nostalgic about the barely Windows-based application (Travel Manager Plus which still ran {or tried to} DOS scripts in the background). My standard for really user-freindly software is that you don't need the manual to make it work. With DTS, you can't make it work even with the manual. My average time to enter a trip has at least trebled with its advent.

Of course, all of the above applies to government employees. If you are a contractor in a defense agency, lucky you!

I believe that if you are anywhere in DoD, then DTS is coming to a screen near you soon.

UA_Flyer

Is it UA or the government travel policy that prevent all government fares to qualify for all promotion offers? I remember the the DC RTW promotion also excluded government fares.

I agree with you it is stupid and unfair to exclude people traveling on government fares.

itsme

What is stupid or unfair about it? The government has no interest in paying higher contract fares so its employees can get miles for their personal accounts with special promotional offers and the airline has no interest in handing out miles when they don't have to in order to keep the business. You may not like it, but how can it be convincingly argued that this is either "stupid" or "unfair"?

Until a few years ago, government employees were not supposed to benefit personally through the accrual of miles and awards from travel on government business.

Soup Sandwich

From the United perspective, it may be in their best interest to attract more government fares.

Even within DTS, we can steer our airline choices to other airlines. The government fares are not discounted very much..... quite often, a commercial ticket is cheaper than a government ticket (short term purchases is where to government ticket is very favorable).

Thus, if United included Govee tickets in more of the promotions, they'd see an increase in those who steer their purchase toward United tickets.

I travel to the same desinations with a coworker who steers toward AA. I steer toward United. Yet we both figure out ways (depart from DCA rather than IAD....) going to the same places to go with our prefered airlines.

Because of GSA City Pairs..... I don't think the airlines realize how much we can steer.

Portolan

United.

UA_Flyer

It doesn't affect me one bit, however, when I see several FT members such as Superguy who goes out of his way to change time, routings, etc. to get on a UA plane, it does convince me government employees do have choices if they are creative enough on their travel plans. I know others who would go out of their ways to fly UA instead of contracted carriers by switching airports ( eg. from BWI/DCA to IAD). UA do have to earn it; it is not going be handed to them when they win the contract to serve certain routes.

My understanding is the government contract fares are not exactly cheap either, they seem to slot between B and V fares. My argument is why not level the playing fields to all. If non-government employees can participate on all those offers, why not government employees. I really don't see the reasons to differentiate them, unless there is an official government policy forbid government employees participate in any promotion offers. By allowing government employees to earn and keep their miles is a good first step.

We both entitle to our opinions, and mine is to be fair and equal to all.

thor17

Pay $800 for a gov't fare, don't qualify for promo.
Pay $150 for the exact same flight, on non-gov't fare, qualify for promo.

= stupid and unfair

Superguy

Bingo.

I'm really close to hitting 1K, and found out within the last few weeks that I'm going to SJC. Guess what ... UA doesn't have the contract there out of BWI. I can go out of IAD, but the fare's prohibitive that I couldn't get them to do it. If I stick with the contract, I'm stuck on Southwest. Yuk!

So instead, I asked my boss if I could fly to SFO. I have to rent a car anyway, and the contract with UA to SFO is about $40 cheaper to fly there. So he said I could.

Add that to a couple mileage runs and a holiday trip, and I have a 1K. And I did the bulk of it on govie fares

If the fare was competitive, I'd drive to DCA or IAD to get on a UA plane too.

I also figured out a legal way to get to interior Japan on UA when NW had the contract to NRT.

I also found cheaper ways to work the contracts in Germany to get on UA too.

Choice IS there, if you know how the rules and can use them to your advantage.

I know we've had this discussion before, so it's not directed toward you.

Would it kill me to fly on another airline. No. I've done it before when there's no other choice. I'm glad that the HP and US merger happened so I can at least get on *A when I couldn't before. I'd rather not, though, as I like how I'm generally treated on UA and I liked the perks.

I'm waiting until I cross 1K until I gripe again. I tried as a GM and it didn't help, but I think I griped to the wrong people too.