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Apr. 21, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

State aims to squeeze savings on flights

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CARSON CITY -- State officials are trying to find a way to save money on thousands of commercial flights that state workers take annually between both ends of Nevada on official business.

Nevada purchased 31,460 Southwest Airlines flights between Reno and Las Vegas for a total of $3.1 million in 2007, said Kimberlee Tarter, state deputy purchasing administrator.

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    • "We want carriers to tell us what they could do" as far as charter service, Tarter told the Nevada Appeal. "All we're really trying to do is determine whether this is a feasible option for the state."

    The state also considered the proposal six or seven years ago, officials said. At the time, the state had a contract with Southwest providing $100 roundtrip fares between Reno and Las Vegas.

    Since then, Southwest declined to renew the contract while fuel costs are pushing roundtrip fares as high as $250 between the two cities.

    Southwest flights, especially early morning and late afternoon flights to and from Reno-Tahoe International Airport, are packed with state workers.

    Officials also are considering the possibility of originating flights from Carson City or Minden if a charter contract is signed. Tarter said there are potential savings from state workers not having to drive to and from Reno.

    "It's a long way off before an actual contract could be developed," she said, adding factors such as insurance, rental car availability, security and flight schedules must be resolved.

    With a capacity of 10 passengers, a Cessna Citation operated by the Nevada Department of Transportation can't handle the state's needs.

    Robert Chisel, deputy director of NDOT, said the aircraft was in use nearly every weekday last year, logging 447 hours of flight time.

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    TimeRanger wrote on April 21, 2008 09:39 PM: Ever hear of a BUS?


    Aero Plain wrote on April 21, 2008 12:36 PM: Ever heard of telecommuting? Most of the trips are unneccesary. I've worked for companies where employees fabricate trips so they can go on vacation and eat out at the expense of their employer + collect per diem.


    nvtaxpayer wrote on April 21, 2008 08:37 AM: For years the state owned a Piper Cheyenne at Minden. This plane just "sat" and was rarely used to transport state empolyees while they took "commerical flights". Then the state trumped up "charges" on their pilots, getting rid of them, and then auctioned off the aircraft last May! So now the state complains about the cost of the commercial tickets? Excuse me, but only one thing comes to my mind...our state is being run by idiots!


    b wrote on April 21, 2008 04:22 AM: how bout letting some of them hitch hike, that might cut down on some of the unnecessary trips