B-166451, APR. 15, 1969

B-166451, APR. 15, 1969

TO MR. A. E. DAZELL:

YOUR LETTER OF MARCH 14, 1969, REFERENCE 2-363, REQUESTS A DECISION ON A CLAIM BY MR. JOHN C. FARRELL FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF DISALLOWED TRAVEL EXPENSES INCURRED JANUARY 17, 1969, WHILE ON OFFICIAL TRAVEL FROM MONTEREY TO SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

MR. FARRELL HAD TRAVELED ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS FROM SACRAMENTO TO MONTEREY ON JANUARY 12, 1969. HE LEFT MONTEREY ON JANUARY 17, 1969, AT 12:05 P.M. ON AIRWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT NO. 217 TO LOS ANGELES, WHERE HE TRANSFERRED TO WESTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT NO. 442 TO SACRAMENTO, ARRIVING THERE AT 3:30 P.M.

YOU HAVE RECOVERED $22.30 FROM MR. FARRELL REPRESENTING THE ADDITIONAL COST TO THE GOVERNMENT INCURRED BY HIS INDIRECT RETURN TO SACRAMENTO. YOU POINT OUT THAT DAILY FLIGHTS ARE SCHEDULED DIRECTLY FROM MONTEREY TO SACRAMENTO BY SKYMARK AIRLINES, AIRWEST, AND UNITED AIR LINES. THE SUBSTANCE OF MR. FARRELL'S JUSTIFICATION FOR INCURRING THE ADDITIONAL COSTS IS THAT HE HAD TO RETURN TO SACRAMENTO ON JANUARY THE 17TH NOT LATER THAN 4:30 P.M. TO MEET A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT BEFORE A NATIONAL ACCOUNTING HONORARY FRATERNITY, AND THAT HIS RETURN TRAVEL WAS SCHEDULED ON AIRWEST AIRLINES ACCORDINGLY BY AN EMPLOYEE OF THE AGENCY. THE FILE INDICATES THAT THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR HAD BEEN ADVISED OF MR. FARRELL'S SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT AND APPARENTLY CONSENTED TO SAME. THE EMPLOYEE POINTS OUT THAT EVEN THOUGH SKYMARK AIRLINES HAD A SCHEDULED FLIGHT BACK TO HIS OFFICIAL STATION TO MEET HIS TIME REQUIREMENT SUCH FLIGHT BECAUSE OF A PRINTING ERROR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE JANUARY 1969 OFFICIAL AIRLINE GUIDE. APPARENTLY, THE EMPLOYEE PREPARING HIS SCHEDULE HAD CONSULTED THAT GUIDE.

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES RELATED WE WOULD NOT OBJECT TO PAYMENT OF THE $22.30 WITHHELD FROM THE EMPLOYEE'S REIMBURSEMENT VOUCHER.