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Fare Bucket for Military/Government ticket

Fare Bucket for Military/Government ticket

Old Jun 13, 2019, 12:28 pm
  #61  
 
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Originally Posted by UAFLYER22
If the outbound leg is cheaper on UA, but the return leg is cheaper an AA, will they book UA roundtrip? UA out and AA back?
Originally Posted by drewguy
So here's a question - say that on a given flight UA has sold out all S and below fare classes (assuming _CA is SCA) to general consumers, but hasn't sold all the S allotment for government. Is the _CA fare available for gov't?
Originally Posted by therossinator

Despite what the site says, the actual difference between a YCA and an -CA on this route is only $100 ($1300 vs $1400) and I only changed my departure date one day, well within my rights when PCSing especially when I was originally booked to depart at 0700 the same morning I was supposed to check out of my command.
In the case of officers, it is completely up to the service member when they choose to detach their command. The orders only state which month and year to detach the old command and attach to their new command.
Well, FTRs dictate that "Note 3 to 301-10.107: If the Government contract citypair carrier offers a lower cost capacity-controlled coach class contract fare (MCA, QCA, VCA, etc.) in addition to the unrestricted coach class contract fares (YCA), the traveler should use the lower cost capacity-controlled fare when it is available and meet mission needs."

You made pretty clear that the lower fare day met mission needs. YMMV but my travel or ethics people would eat my lunch if I told them I was doing this.
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Old Jun 13, 2019, 12:55 pm
  #62  
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Originally Posted by Alpha Golf
Well, FTRs dictate that "Note 3 to 301-10.107: If the Government contract citypair carrier offers a lower cost capacity-controlled coach class contract fare (MCA, QCA, VCA, etc.) in addition to the unrestricted coach class contract fares (YCA), the traveler should use the lower cost capacity-controlled fare when it is available and meet mission needs."

You made pretty clear that the lower fare day met mission needs. YMMV but my travel or ethics people would eat my lunch if I told them I was doing this.
In my 40+ years of flying for the government, Ive never been told that I need to leave on a certain day in order to get a cheaper fare.
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Old Jun 13, 2019, 2:32 pm
  #63  
 
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Originally Posted by halls120


In my 40+ years of flying for the government, Ive never been told that I need to leave on a certain day in order to get a cheaper fare.
But that's the reverse of what we're discussing. Poster's originally-preferred date was cheaper, he's changing preferred date to make it more expensive. I'm pretty sure he/she wouldn't go to ethics counsel and say they're doing that.

I'll leave it here, I've said my bit.
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Old Jun 13, 2019, 7:27 pm
  #64  
 
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Originally Posted by Alpha Golf
But that's the reverse of what we're discussing. Poster's originally-preferred date was cheaper, he's changing preferred date to make it more expensive. I'm pretty sure he/she wouldn't go to ethics counsel and say they're doing that.

I'll leave it here, I've said my bit.
Government travel rules create some perverse incentives. Indeed, if it booked to W there would be (almost) no reason to change. (I did once pay myself for the higher fare class to get the PQM bonus to put me up a status level near end of year.)
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 9:48 am
  #65  
 
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Any issues with a Same Day change on gov't fare? If I'm originally booked Y for an evening flight, but SDC to the morning flight, do I keep Y or will it kick to the lowest available fare? Does switching matter to the AO?
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Old Jun 14, 2019, 9:59 am
  #66  
 
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Originally Posted by UAFLYER22
Any issues with a Same Day change on gov't fare? If I'm originally booked Y for an evening flight, but SDC to the morning flight, do I keep Y or will it kick to the lowest available fare? Does switching matter to the AO?
With a Y fare you can make any change anyway - it's fully flexible. If you don't get Y credit I would call and request.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 9:11 am
  #67  
 
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Originally Posted by therossinator

In my experience, that only happens for instant upgrades and only happens in the app. It will let you confirm the upgrade, but when you get ticketed, it will revert back to economy and your AO will get a nastygram from SATO saying that you should not have upgraded.
You should be able to select an E+ seat once booked via the United website. Maybe none available, the CRJ200 only has 4 E+ seats on the whole aircraft (first row). Have you tried calling the United government desk?
My trip got ticketed yesterday. As you told me, I lost my upgrade in that one segment that I was upgraded in the app. I immediately checked but there was no PN space. This morning, I again got the message in the app about the upgrade for that segment. I took it. Is it now good or will I lose it again?

The preferred seat that I wanted on the CR2 was still available: an exit row seat next to my wife.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 5:28 pm
  #68  
 
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Originally Posted by UAFLYER22
Any issues with a Same Day change on gov't fare? If I'm originally booked Y for an evening flight, but SDC to the morning flight, do I keep Y or will it kick to the lowest available fare? Does switching matter to the AO?
No issues with same day changes. In fact, in some cases when I've done SDCs, I've seen my PQD increase and thus my award miles. The first time it happened I was really concerned that United was making an additional charge to my GTCC but ultimately there was no additional charges, just additional PQDs and miles. If you want to make changes before 24 hours on your "Unrestricted" YCA or -CA fare, most agents at the government desk will tell you that you need to make those changes through your CTO (usually SATO), or wait until you've flown your first leg. However, there are at least 2-3 agents there that have no issue making routing changes well in advance of your departure under an even exchange.

You will keep your original fare class (you need to have the same fare class available on the new flight in order to do a SDC after all), and if your new routing is longer, you get additional PQMs. Your AO shouldn't care as they only see what was ticketed, not what was flown. However, if you SDC to a different day you should clear it with your AO as you will be changing your per-diem allotments.

Originally Posted by StuckinITH
My trip got ticketed yesterday. As you told me, I lost my upgrade in that one segment that I was upgraded in the app. I immediately checked but there was no PN space. This morning, I again got the message in the app about the upgrade for that segment. I took it. Is it now good or will I lose it again?

The preferred seat that I wanted on the CR2 was still available: an exit row seat next to my wife.
You should be good to go now. If you happened to look at your itinerary on the website at the same time the app was allowing you to upgrade, you would have seen that there were options to confirm your upgrade there as well. Before you were ticketed only the app would allow you to "upgrade". Glad to hear you made the cut!
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 9:58 am
  #69  
 
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I would prefer to book my travel on United for my upcoming trip, and when going through DTS, the City Pair shows United as the cheapest City Pair, but when you scroll to the "Alternative Option", there are cheaper options on Delta. I'm sure the AO will push me to those.

I am more than willing to pay the difference to fly United, but on DTS it either books into S or Y, and the Y fares are obviously way more expensive. Is it possible to book outside of DTS (so I have access to other fare classes) and still be reimbursed for what the gov't would have spent on my ticket?
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 10:12 am
  #70  
 
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Originally Posted by UAFLYER22
I would prefer to book my travel on United for my upcoming trip, and when going through DTS, the City Pair shows United as the cheapest City Pair, but when you scroll to the "Alternative Option", there are cheaper options on Delta. I'm sure the AO will push me to those.

I am more than willing to pay the difference to fly United, but on DTS it either books into S or Y, and the Y fares are obviously way more expensive. Is it possible to book outside of DTS (so I have access to other fare classes) and still be reimbursed for what the gov't would have spent on my ticket?
Booking the contract carrier should always be allowed (assuming UA is contract).

Often there's pressure to use the contract carrier in such circumstances despite cheaper alternatives because the contract carrier wants protection from cherry picking use of the contract only when other flights are more expensive.
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Old Jan 14, 2020, 2:28 pm
  #71  
 
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This is all new to me and I have read the thread but still not certain.

My son is travelling on orders and will be flying United but told me he is not allowed to input his FF number as it is a government paid flight. Is that true?
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Old Jan 14, 2020, 2:33 pm
  #72  
 
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Originally Posted by Aussienarelle
This is all new to me and I have read the thread but still not certain.

My son is travelling on orders and will be flying United but told me he is not allowed to input his FF number as it is a government paid flight. Is that true?
That is absolutely false. You son will be provided a United confirmation number (or he could use his travel authorization code) once the flight is confirmed. He can plug that number into United find reservation and from there he can associate his MileagePlus information with that reservation.
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Old Mar 5, 2024, 2:22 pm
  #73  
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Am I able to fly YYZ- KOA and then HNL-YYZ (multi-city) on a DTS fare ? Looks like United is the carrier of choice, but could I use AC on the HNL-YYZ trip ? Also, I would be paying my own way KOA-HNL. As always, thanks for answering my questions.

Last edited by flying chef; Mar 12, 2024 at 6:10 am Reason: spelling mistake
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Old Mar 5, 2024, 3:01 pm
  #74  
 
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Originally Posted by flying chef
Am I able to fly YYZ- KON and then HNL-YYZ (multi-city) on a DTS fare ? Looks like United is the carrier of choice, but could I use AC on the HNL-YYZ trip ? Also, I would be paying my own way KON-HNL. As always, thanks for answering my questions.
I'd say you would have to call to try and get AC. It may be that DTS (the website) only lists US flagged carriers.
Beyond that, I'd say it probably just depends on what your approver allows.
Yes, I did see UA as the preferred on both of those itineraries, but YYZ doesnt show up in the GSA City Pairs program....
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Old Mar 5, 2024, 3:13 pm
  #75  
 
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Originally Posted by flying chef
Am I able to fly YYZ- KON and then HNL-YYZ (multi-city) on a DTS fare ? Looks like United is the carrier of choice, but could I use AC on the HNL-YYZ trip ? Also, I would be paying my own way KON-HNL. As always, thanks for answering my questions.
Unless you qualify under one of the exceptions youll have to abide by the Fly America Act.
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