Originally Posted by
alanR
Am I understanding the act correctly - anyone who takes Federal money has to fly on US based airlines or a codeshare with a US airline even for personal travel? So effectively Federal employees & subcontractors couldn't fly - say - Ryanair
No. You are not understanding the act correctly. Obviously for personal travel, anyone can choose any airline they want. It is for business travel which is funded by the US government that you are required to fly US-based airlines when there is a US carrier flying that route. So a State Department employee based in London could fly to mainland Europe on Ryanair on business (if they were so foolish).
My guess is that the OP is a US government employee or contractor who is being relocated, hence the funding for spouse and child. Relocation travel is not personal travel.