B-168937, APR. 17, 1970
Highlights
CONSTRUCTIVE COSTS WHERE CORRECT FARE FOR INDIRECT ROUTE TAKEN BY EMPLOYEE FOR PERSONAL REASONS WAS $233. FARE OVER DIRECT ROUTE WAS $238. OF WHICH $238 WAS INITIALLY CHARGED TO GOVT. HAUCK WAS AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL FROM PORTLAND. THE COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN $238 ($119 EACH WAY). THE CORRECT FARE WAS $233. THE INCORRECT FARE OF $262 WAS INITIALLY CHARGED IN THE AMOUNT OF $238 TO THE GOVERNMENT AND $24 TO MR. SINCE THE CORRECT FARE OF $233 WAS LESS THAN THE ROUND TRIP FARE PORTLAND-MEMPHIS. NO CHARGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO MR. A REFUND OF $52 WAS DUE BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. IT IS CLEAR THAT $24 OF THE AMOUNT REFUNDED BELONGS TO MR. WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH.
B-168937, APR. 17, 1970
TRAVEL EXPENSES--CIRCUITOUS ROUTES--PERSONAL CONVENIENCE--CONSTRUCTIVE COSTS WHERE CORRECT FARE FOR INDIRECT ROUTE TAKEN BY EMPLOYEE FOR PERSONAL REASONS WAS $233, AND FARE OVER DIRECT ROUTE WAS $238, BUT AIRLINE INCORRECTLY CHARGED $262, OF WHICH $238 WAS INITIALLY CHARGED TO GOVT. AND $24 TO EMPLOYEE, $24 OF $81 REFUND FROM AIRLINE (INCLUDING OVERCHARGE AND LIABILITY FOR FAILURE TO PROVIDE CONFIRMED RESERVED SPACE) SHOULD BE PAID TO EMPLOYEE.
TO MR. DAVID M. ADISON:
WE REFER TO YOUR LETTER OF JANUARY 28, 1970, REQUESTING OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT A VOUCHER FOR $24 IN FAVOR OF MR. WILLIAM J. HAUCK, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ADMINISTRATION. THE VOUCHER REPRESENTS REIMBURSEMENT OF EXCESS COSTS PAID BY THE EMPLOYEE FOR INDIRECT TRAVEL ON GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.
THE RECORD SHOWS THAT MR. HAUCK WAS AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL FROM PORTLAND, OREGON, HIS OFFICIAL STATION, TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, AND RETURN FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTENDING A CONFERENCE DURING THE PERIOD JULY 14 TO 18, 1969. HAD HE PERFORMED SUCH TRAVEL DIRECTLY BY AIR (TOURIST CLASS), THE COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN $238 ($119 EACH WAY). HOWEVER, FOR PERSONAL REASONS, MR. HAUCK TRAVELED TO AND FROM MEMPHIS BY INDIRECT ROUTES.
USING A GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST MR. HAUCK PROCURED TICKETS COVERING AIR TRAVEL FROM TWIN FALLS, IDAHO, TO MEMPHIS, VIA SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, AND CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, FOR THE OUTBOUND PORTION OF HIS TRIP AND FROM MEMPHIS TO PORTLAND VIA ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, FOR THE RETURN PORTION. THE AIRLINE CHARGED MR. HAUCK $262 FOR THE PASSAGE BOOKED BY HIM, WHICH INCLUDED A $29 OVERCHARGE. THE CORRECT FARE WAS $233, CONSISTING OF $21 FROM TWIN FALLS TO SALT LAKE CITY; $52 TO CHICAGO; $37 TO MEMPHIS; AND $123 RETURN TO PORTLAND VIA ST. LOUIS. THE INCORRECT FARE OF $262 WAS INITIALLY CHARGED IN THE AMOUNT OF $238 TO THE GOVERNMENT AND $24 TO MR. HAUCK. SINCE THE CORRECT FARE OF $233 WAS LESS THAN THE ROUND TRIP FARE PORTLAND-MEMPHIS, NO CHARGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO MR. HAUCK.
THE AIRLINE FAILED TO PROVIDE RESERVED SPACE CONFIRMED FOR THE SALT LAKE CITY-CHICAGO LEG OF MR. HAUCK'S TRIP. A REFUND OF $52 WAS DUE BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE, TO WHICH THE AIRLINE ADDED THE $29 AMOUNT OF ITS INITIAL OVERCHARGE FOR A TOTAL REFUND OF $81. IN LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS CLEAR THAT $24 OF THE AMOUNT REFUNDED BELONGS TO MR. HAUCK. THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.