B-191284, SEP 22, 1978
Highlights
ALTHOUGH THE EMPLOYEE WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED AIR FARE FOR AN ATTENDANT TO ACCOMPANY THE SECOND TWIN. THE TRAVEL EXPENSE WAS INCURRED INCIDENT TO MR. JORDAN WAS AUTHORIZED TRAVEL FOR HIMSELF AND TRANSPORTATION FOR HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY BY COMMON CARRIER OR PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE. THE COST FOR THE ATTENDANT WAS INCURRED DUE TO AIRLINE REGULATIONS WHICH REQUIRE THAT INFANTS (CHILDREN UNDER 2 YEARS OF AGE) BE SEATED WITH AN ACCOMPANYING ADULT. JORDAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR. IS QUESTIONED SINCE SUCH EXPENSE IS NOT SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY MR. THE RATIONALE FOR OUR HOLDING WAS THAT WITHOUT THE ACCOMPANYING ADULT. THIS IS PERMISSIBLE UNDER THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS. JORDAN HAD TWIN INFANT CHILDREN AND EACH WAS REQUIRED BY AIRLINE REGULATIONS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.
B-191284, SEP 22, 1978
DIGEST: THE WIFE AND TWO 16 MONTH-OLD TWINS OF A TRANSFERRED NATIONAL PARK SERVICE EMPLOYEE TRAVELED PART OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW STATIONS PRIOR TO THE EMPLOYEE'S TRAVEL. AIRLINE REGULATIONS REQUIRED AN ADULT TO ACCOMPANY EACH CHILD UNDER 2 YEARS OF AGE. ALTHOUGH THE EMPLOYEE WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED AIR FARE FOR AN ATTENDANT TO ACCOMPANY THE SECOND TWIN, HE MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR SUCH AIR FARE SINCE IT MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE CHILD. M. K. FARNSWORTH, B-183563, MAY 4, 1976.
HAROLD R. JORDAN - TRAVEL EXPENSES - ESCORT FOR MINOR CHILD TRAVELING BY AIR:
THIS ACTION CONCERNS THE REQUEST OF MS. ARLENE TATIGIAN, REGIONAL FINANCE OFFICER, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, FOR A DECISION WHETHER HAROLD R. JORDAN, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SERVICE, MAY BE REIMBURSED THE AIRLINE FARE OF AN ATTENDANT FOR ONE OF MR. JORDAN'S 16 MONTH-OLD TWIN SONS. THE TRAVEL EXPENSE WAS INCURRED INCIDENT TO MR. JORDAN'S TRANSFER FROM SALINA, KANSAS, TO FREDRICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, EFFECTIVE JUNE 19, 1977.
MR. JORDAN WAS AUTHORIZED TRAVEL FOR HIMSELF AND TRANSPORTATION FOR HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY BY COMMON CARRIER OR PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE. MRS. JORDAN AND THE 16 MONTH-OLD TWINS TRAVELED PART OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW STATIONS BY COMMERICAL AIRLINE PRIOR TO MR. JORDAN'S TRAVEL. THE COST FOR THE ATTENDANT WAS INCURRED DUE TO AIRLINE REGULATIONS WHICH REQUIRE THAT INFANTS (CHILDREN UNDER 2 YEARS OF AGE) BE SEATED WITH AN ACCOMPANYING ADULT. THE ATTENDANT WHO FLEW WITH MRS. JORDAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND DID IN FACT, HOLD ONE OF THE JORDANS' INFANT SONS DURING THE COURSE OF THE FLIGHT. MR. JORDAN'S ENTITLEMENT TO REIMBURSMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $114, THE COST OF THE AIRFARE FOR THE ATTENDANT, IS QUESTIONED SINCE SUCH EXPENSE IS NOT SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY MR. JORDAN'S TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION OR THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS (FPMR 101-7) (MAY 1973).
IN OUR DECISION IN M. K. FARNSWORTH, B-183563, MAY 4, 1976, WE HELD THAT A TRANSFERRED EMPLOYEE MIGHT BE REIMBURSED THE COST OF AN AIRLINE TICKET FOR THE ATTENDANT OF THE EMPLOYEE'S 16 MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER WHOSE TRAVEL HAD BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE OF ILLNESS. THE RATIONALE FOR OUR HOLDING WAS THAT WITHOUT THE ACCOMPANYING ADULT, INFANT CHILDREN CANNOT FLY AND, THUS, THE COST OF THE TICKET FOR THE ADULT ATTENDANT MAY BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE TRAVEL OF THE CHILD. IN THE INSTANT CASE MRS. JORDAN AND THE CHILDREN TRAVELED AT A DIFFERENT TIME THAN MR. JORDAN. THIS IS PERMISSIBLE UNDER THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS. SEE FTR PARA. 2-2.2. SINCE MRS. JORDAN HAD TWIN INFANT CHILDREN AND EACH WAS REQUIRED BY AIRLINE REGULATIONS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT, IT WAS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN AN ATTENDANT FOR THE SECOND TWIN IN CONNECTION WITH THE AIR TRAVEL. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THIS CASE WE BELIEVE THE AIRLINE FARE FOR THE ATTENDANT MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE INFANT CHILD.
ACCORDINGLY, WE CONCLUDE THAT MR. JORDAN MAY BE REIMBURSED THE AIR FARE OF THE ATTENDANT IF SUCH REIMBURSEMENT IS OTHERWISE PROPER.