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Like many organizations with managed travel programs, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation amid the Covid-19 pandemic found itself with an excess of unused air tickets far outweighing its travel needs for the foreseeable future. Asking for refunds, however, didn’t seem to fit the spirit of partnership the foundation wanted with its suppliers, as they dealt with their own financial difficulties, including layoffs and furloughs, said senior manager of global travel Stephen Gheerow. We thought about how it impacts us from a financial perspective, and it was money we had already budgeted and spent, said Gheerow. We didn’t want to go back to our partners and say, ‘Give us the money,’ because that would impact their financials as well.