FLY AMERICA ACT
Federal Regulation requires the use of US carriers for travel that will be reimbursed from Federal grants and contracts.
Exclusions: Travel that is being reimbursed from federal grants and contracts must be booked through US carriers except in the below instances:
- When the use of U.S. carrier service would extend travel time by 24 hours or more
- When the costs of transportation are reimbursed in full by a third party, such as a foreign government or an international agency
- When U.S. carriers do not offer nonstop or direct service between origin and destination. However, a U.S. carrier must be used on every portion of the route where it provides service unless, when compared to using a foreign air carrier,
such use would:
- Increase the number of aircraft changes outside the United States by two or more
- Extend travel time by at least six hours or more
- Require a connecting time of four hours or more at an overseas interchange point.
- When an Open Skies agreement is in place between the United States
(U.S.) government and the government of foreign country. Under the Open Skies
agreement, the use of a foreign carrier is allowable when that airline is a member state carrier, transportation is between the U.S. and any point in the member state or between two points outside the U.S. provided that:
- No City-Pair fare exists. Review the fare finder.
- Funding is not provided by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of a military department.
Note: When one or more of the above circumstances apply, an explanation indicating the appropriate exception must be provided submitted with your reimbursement request.
Code-sharing agreements with foreign air carriers, whereby American carriers purchase or have the right to sell a block of tickets on a foreign carrier, comply with the Fly America Act Regulations. The ticket, or documentation for an electronic ticket, must identify the U.S. carrier's designator code and flight number. (Note: Some funding sources may not recognize code-sharing as being compliant with Fly America Act regulations. When fund source policy is more restrictive than Temple Univesity's travel policy, the more restrictive policy applies.)