Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— - AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part PART A— - AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › Subpart subpart i— - general › Chapter CHAPTER 401— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 40118
Federal agencies must use U.S. airlines that hold the federal certificate under section 41102 when the government pays for or provides air travel, as long as the trip is allowed by the carrier’s certificate or by rules or an exemption from the Secretary of Transportation, and a U.S. carrier is available (for U.S.–foreign trips) or reasonably available (for foreign–foreign trips). Foreign airlines may be used if a bilateral or multilateral agreement allows it, if the agreement matches the international aviation goals in section 40101(e) and gives similar rights or benefits in exchange. A member of the Armed Forces or a Defense civilian may travel on a foreign carrier, with 1 to 3 domestic animals, when no U.S. carrier will do the trip; the traveler must pay any extra cost above what a U.S. carrier would have charged. Domestic animal means a domestic cat (Felis catus) or a domestic dog (Canis familiaris). The General Services Administrator can allow exceptions when an agency proves the trip was necessary. Money given to the Secretary of State or USAID may pay for foreign-carrier travel for their officers, employees, dependents, and baggage between two places outside the United States. Contracts for moving commercial products may not be forced to include special certifications or clauses to apply this rule (commercial product defined under title 41, section 103, but not passenger air transport). Domestic carriers under these contracts must send an annual report to GSA, the Secretary of Transportation, the TSA Administrator, the Secretary of Labor, and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection showing how many staff were trained to detect trafficking (including training required under section 44734(a)(4)), how many possible trafficking notifications they got, and whether and when they told the National Human Trafficking Hotline or airport law enforcement.
Full Legal Text
Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 40118
Title 49 — Transportation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73