Fare Bucket for Military/Government ticket
Jun 11, 2019, 9:47 pm
#31
Join Date: Mar 2018
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This thread has kind of gone off track since your original question of fare class on UA, but the answer remains the same. You just need to call the travel agent. None of us have the answer.
Jun 11, 2019, 11:29 pm
#32
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As to your second question, again that depends on how specific your AO reviews the costs or work policies. Usually you are able to opt for one WAS airport versus another, but in the past I have had IAD bookings disapproved and told I had to book DCA because it resulted in greater savings to the taxpayer. Of course I was able to show subsequent savings were offset by baggage fees associated with flying on an airline I didn't hold status on, or rental car pricing, but it really can depend on each situation.
Talk to your AO. By the book, electing to pay the fare difference is permitted but there is a process. IIRC, you need to get either sign the authorization or get the authorization approved for the cheapest flight, then talk to SATO to book you the flight you really want and they will note in your record that you will only get a reimbursement up to whatever that cheapest flight would have cost.
I've tried to do something similar, electing to pay the difference for a YCA (non-capacity controlled) city pair fare instead of the _CA but SATO says that that move is not allowed.
First of all, there is no rule prohibiting it in the JTR. As long as your ticket is fully refundable, cancelling an early ticket isn't any more of a hassle. And purchasing a ticket early means you don't run the risk of the ticket being more expensive when actually purchased.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jun 12, 2019 at 12:53 am Reason: Using symbols, spaces or other methods to mask vulgarities is not allowed.
Jun 11, 2019, 11:59 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Ventura
Programs: Gov't Travel Aficionado, UA Plat
Posts: 288
But on that method you're left with a nonrefundable fare whereas electing for limited reimbursements with SATO/DTS would most likely be unrestricted as that's what the DTS search engine seeks out, and it likely be significantly cheaper than purchasing the commercially available unrestricted ticket you would get by exchanging it via the United government desk.
Jun 12, 2019, 2:49 am
#34
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But on that method you're left with a nonrefundable fare whereas electing for limited reimbursements with SATO/DTS would most likely be unrestricted as that's what the DTS search engine seeks out, and it likely be significantly cheaper than purchasing the commercially available unrestricted ticket you would get by exchanging it via the United government desk.
Jun 12, 2019, 5:37 am
#35
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As far as the ticket price going up, in our case once the reservation is made, if it was a discounted xCA fare, that is the fare that will be paid, whether ticketed a month out, or 3 days out. Again, could be agency-dependent.
Jun 12, 2019, 8:24 am
#36
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Location: STL
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My experience was working as a Navy civilian on the west coast right after the 2013 sequestration period; granted this was also during a time where travel approvals were required from 3 different chains of command and complicating matters were travel authorizations were scrutinized after several coworkers became the subject of investigations. I'm not saying its in the JTR, but local commands can set their own rules/policies and in this particular scenario if DCA was cheaper, we were directed to use it.
Jun 12, 2019, 8:37 am
#37
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Then again a lot of times, as with any UA res agent, it becames a HUCA scenario.
Jun 12, 2019, 8:43 am
#38
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Ventura
Programs: Gov't Travel Aficionado, UA Plat
Posts: 288
So UA allows you to pay the difference with a personal card? I know that the Gov't fare search option only will allow input of Gov't charge card; I think its because it looks at the first four digits of the card number.
Then again a lot of times, as with any UA res agent, it becames a HUCA scenario.
Then again a lot of times, as with any UA res agent, it becames a HUCA scenario.
Jun 12, 2019, 8:52 am
#39
Join Date: May 2009
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I don't know of a single department or agency based in DC that requires employees to use the cheapest of IAD, DCA, or BWI.
The way to do it is to have SATO ticket the reservation, and then call the UA government desk and offer to pay the difference. Most times I've tried this, it works.
First of all, there is no rule prohibiting it in the JTR. As long as your ticket is fully refundable, cancelling an early ticket isn't any more of a hassle. And purchasing a ticket early means you don't run the risk of the ticket being more expensive when actually purchased.
The way to do it is to have SATO ticket the reservation, and then call the UA government desk and offer to pay the difference. Most times I've tried this, it works.
First of all, there is no rule prohibiting it in the JTR. As long as your ticket is fully refundable, cancelling an early ticket isn't any more of a hassle. And purchasing a ticket early means you don't run the risk of the ticket being more expensive when actually purchased.
This may be agency-dependent, but in our case, cancelling/refunding a ticket can mean that the money for that ticket is tied up for a couple of months (or more!) during the refunding process before it 'de-obligates', and thus unavailable for use during that time. If you have a large travel budget, it may not be an issue, but if your travel funds are limited, it can cause headaches. Plus the cancellation/refund process means more fees paid to Concur or whoever your travel processing contractor is.
As far as the ticket price going up, in our case once the reservation is made, if it was a discounted xCA fare, that is the fare that will be paid, whether ticketed a month out, or 3 days out. Again, could be agency-dependent.
As far as the ticket price going up, in our case once the reservation is made, if it was a discounted xCA fare, that is the fare that will be paid, whether ticketed a month out, or 3 days out. Again, could be agency-dependent.
Jun 12, 2019, 8:53 am
#40
Join Date: Dec 2002
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I don't know of a single department or agency based in DC that requires employees to use the cheapest of IAD, DCA, or BWI.
First of all, there is no rule prohibiting it in the JTR. As long as your ticket is fully refundable, cancelling an early ticket isn't any more of a hassle. And purchasing a ticket early means you don't run the risk of the ticket being more expensive when actually purchased.
First of all, there is no rule prohibiting it in the JTR. As long as your ticket is fully refundable, cancelling an early ticket isn't any more of a hassle. And purchasing a ticket early means you don't run the risk of the ticket being more expensive when actually purchased.
I know it's not in the FTR, but our travel just won't do it. Not unusual that we've had to pay more because of slow approvals, although not usually once fully approved.
Jun 12, 2019, 8:53 am
#41
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Sorry I should have clarified my comment. Sometimes non Gov't desk agents will modify a gov't booking if there is no re-price required.....other times they see its a gov't fare and refuse to make any changes even if its a result of IRROPS.
Jun 12, 2019, 10:23 am
#42
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This is correct. For example, an earlier version of the GSA tool allowed you to see the specific fare classes, and I noticed on one route that UA had published YCA and SCA (_CA) fares. If you booked that city pair on a flight that had S class availability, you’d get the SCA fare; if S was 0, you’d get the (higher) YCA fare. It still works that way today; I just don’t know of a public way to find the specific fares tthat have been created. The number of government tickets sold is not a factor; it’s the overall flight inventory that matters.
Jun 12, 2019, 10:34 am
#43
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 148
This is correct. For example, an earlier version of the GSA tool allowed you to see the specific fare classes, and I noticed on one route that UA had published YCA and SCA (_CA) fares. If you booked that city pair on a flight that had S class availability, you’d get the SCA fare; if S was 0, you’d get the (higher) YCA fare. It still works that way today; I just don’t know of a public way to find the specific fares tthat have been created. The number of government tickets sold is not a factor; it’s the overall flight inventory that matters.
Jun 12, 2019, 10:46 am
#44
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Ventura
Programs: Gov't Travel Aficionado, UA Plat
Posts: 288
Not necessarily, I always get booked on a U fare every time I go between Guam and Okinawa. Maybe it’s because it includes code shared flights with ANA, maybe it’s because it’s short haul international, not really sure.
Jun 12, 2019, 10:52 am
#45
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During the GSA City Pairs bidding process, United may submit two bids: a YCA bid and a -CA bid. What bucket the -CA comes out of is a business decision by United. I’ve seen SCA fares, UCA fares, and others.