Office of Research and Project Administration

Open Skies Clarification

NSF now allows the use of the Open Skies agreements as an exception to the Fly America Act. Currently the US has Open Skies agreements with the European Union, Switzerland and Australia. Under these agreements, flag carriers of the represented countries may transport passengers and cargo on flights using federal funds from a point in the US to any point in an agreement country. 

There is one exception to use of the Open Skies: A US flag carrier must be used for transportation between points where there is a City Pair Contract in effect.

A City Pair Contract is negotiated by the government to provide cheaper fares for government travel on certain popular routes.

To determine whether a city pair contract is in place between two points, the GSA (General Services Administration) website may be used:

http://apps.fas.gsa.gov/citypairs/search/

City Pair fares are currently only available to federal employees; they are not available to grantees. Regardless, if a City Pair Contract exists between two points the Open Skies policy does not apply. A US flag carrier must be used unless one of the other exceptions to the use of such service applies.  

The limited circumstances in which US flag carriers are not required to be used include the following: 

1. A U.S. flag carrier involuntarily reroutes a traveler via a foreign air carrier 

2. Use of a U.S. flag air carrier service would extend the travel time by at least 24 hours more than would travel by a foreign flag carrier.  

3. The number of aircraft changes the traveler must make outside of the US would increase by two or more, would require the traveler to wait four hours or more to make connections, or would extend the travel time by at least six hours. 

4. Travel is not part of a trip to or from the US and use of a US flag carrier would extend the travel by at least six hours. 

Please contact your ORPA Research Administrator with any questions.

Donna Beyea - x5-8037

Gayle Elledge - x 5-1502

Brenda Kavanaugh - x5-1504

Tammie Martin - x3-3960

Jane Tolbert - x5-4210

Cheryl Williams - x5-1503 

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Jane Tolbert
Research Administrator
Office of Research & Project Administration
University of Rochester
503 Hylan Building
RC Box 270140
Rochester, NY 14627
Phone: 585-275-4210
Fax: 585-275-9492
Email: jtolbert@orpa.rochester.edu