Code of Federal Regulations Title 41. Public Contracts and Property Management § 41.301–10.107 Are there any exceptions to the use of a contract city-pair fare?

Yes, your agency may authorize use of a fare other-than a contract city-pair fare when—

Note to paragraph (c):  This exception does not apply if the contract carrier offers the same or lower fare and has seats available at that fare, or if the fare offered by the non-contract carrier is restricted to Government and military travelers performing official business and may be purchased only with a contractor-issued charge card, centrally billed account (e.g., YDG, MDG, QDG, VDG, and similar fares) or GTR where the two previous options are not available;

Note 1 to § 301–10.107:  Any group of 10 or more passengers traveling together on the same day, on the same flight, for the same mission, requiring group integrity and identified as a group by the travel management service upon booking is not a mandatory user of the Government's contract city-pair fares. For group travel, agencies are expected to obtain air passenger transportation service that is practical and cost effective to the Government.

Note 2 to § 301–10.107:  Contractors are not authorized to use contract city-pair fares to perform travel under their contracts.

Note 3 to § 301–10.107:  If the Government contract city-pair 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.