B-157623, MAR 30, 1967

B-157623, MAR 30, 1967

SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION OF CASH PAYMENTS FOR EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGES ON DOMESTIC AIR TRAVEL AS APPLIED TO OFFICIAL TRAVEL OF U. S. GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL

TO THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, INDEPENDENT ESTABLISHMENTS AND OTHERS CONCERNED:

IN OUR CIRCULAR LETTER B-157623 DATED SEPTEMBER 8, 1965, WE ANNOUNCED THAT CERTAIN U. S. SCHEDULED AIRLINES HAD INCREASED THE FREE BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE FOR TRAVEL SOLELY WITHIN THE UNITED STATES AND/OR CANADA, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 1965. WE ALSO PROVIDED INTERIM INSTRUCTIONS TO CONFORM THE EXCESS BAGGAGE AUTHORIZED IN TRAVEL ORDERS AND ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TRANSPORTATION REQUEST, STANDARD FORM 1169, TO THE WEIGHT CONCEPT AND THE NEW PIECES CONCEPT IN THE REVISED TARIFFS OF THE AIRLINES.

SUBSEQUENT TO OUR LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 8, 1965, WE MADE AN ANALYSIS OF PAID BILLS FOR EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGES ON DOMESTIC AIRLINE TRAFFIC, TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF THE TARIFF CHANGES ON THE FREQUENCY AND AMOUNTS OF THESE CHARGES FOR GOVERNMENT TRAVEL. WE FOUND THAT PRIOR TO THE CHANGES IN THE AIRLINE TARIFFS THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL CHARGES FOR DOMESTIC EXCESS BAGGAGE SERVICES AMOUNTED TO A MONTHLY VOLUME OF OVER 5,000 AND THE AVERAGE CHARGE PER TRAVELER WAS $12.64. AFTER THESE CHANGES, THE NUMBER OF SUCH PAID CHARGES RECEIVED IN GAO FROM ALL AGENCIES DECLINED TO ONLY ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF THE FORMER VOLUME, AND THE AVERAGE CHARGE PER TRAVELER ON THE BILLINGS SURVEYED WAS ABOUT $6.50. THESE TARIFF CHANGES FOR EXCESS BAGGAGE SERVICES HAVE CLEARLY RESULTED IN A SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS BOTH IN THE TOTAL COST OF EXCESS BAGGAGE SERVICES AND IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST OF PROCESSING AND PAYING THE BAGGAGE BILLINGS.

WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL DROP IN THE AVERAGE CHARGE UNDER EITHER THE PIECES CONCEPT VIA DOMESTIC TRUNK CARRIERS OR THE WEIGHT CONCEPT VIA MOST LOCAL SERVICE CARRIERS, EXCESS BAGGAGE COSTS ARE NOW NOT MUCH GREATER IN MOST CASES OF DOMESTIC AIR TRAVEL THAN TAXI OR LIMOUSINE FARES AND OTHER INCIDENTAL TRAVEL EXPENSES. FURTHER REDUCTIONS COULD BE MADE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF PAYING AND ACCOUNTING FOR EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGES, IF THEY WERE TO BE TREATED GENERALLY AS AN INCIDENTAL EXPENSE IN CONNECTION WITH DOMESTIC AIR TRAVEL, PAYABLE BY THE TRAVELER IN CASH AND REIMBURSABLE ON A TRAVEL VOUCHER.

ACCORDINGLY, WE URGE THAT ALL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT SERIOUSLY CONSIDER FOLLOWING THE POLICY OF NORMALLY REQUIRING DOMESTIC TRAVELERS ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS TO PAY FOR EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGES IN CASH. RECOGNIZED EXCEPTIONS TO THIS GENERAL POLICY WOULD BE THE CASE OF TRAVELERS WHO ARE EXPECTED TO BE CARRYING AN UNUSUALLY LARGE AMOUNT OF BAGGAGE CHARGEABLE TO THE GOVERNMENT OR THE CASE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF OFFICIAL TRAVELERS, SUCH AS ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF THE ARMED FORCES, WHO ARE NOT ORDINARILY REQUIRED TO PAY FOR INCIDENTAL TRAVEL EXPENSES OF ANY KIND IN CASH.

WE SUGGEST THAT AN UPPER LIMIT OF $15, PLUS TAX, FOR CASH PAYMENT OF DOMESTIC AIRLINE EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGES WOULD BE A REASONABLE MAXIMUM THAT WOULD NOT UNDULY INCONVENIENCE GOVERNMENT TRAVELERS. IN THIS CONNECTION, BASED ON ANLYSES MADE HERE, WE BELIEVE THAT AGENCIES CAN GENERALLY APPLY THE FOLLOWING GUIDE LINES: THE $15 LIMITATION WILL COVER CHARGES FOR AT LEAST THREE PIECES OF BAGGAGE IN EXCESS OF THAT ALLOWED FREE UNDER THE PIECES CONCEPT AND AT LEAST 50 POUNDS IN EXCESS OF THE 50 POUNDS FREE ALLOWANCE UNDER THE WEIGHT CONCEPT. WE ARE REVISING CHAPTER 2000 OF TITLE 5 OF THE GAO POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR GUIDANCE OF FEDERAL AGENCIES, FOR THIS PURPOSE.

IT WILL STILL BE NECESSARY FOR GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF TRAVEL ORDERS FOR DOMESTIC AIR TRAVEL TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE EXCESS BAGGAGE AUTHORIZED THEREON IS SHOWN IN POUNDS AND/OR PIECES. TO AVOID POSSIBLE DUPLICATE PAYMENT OF EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGES, WE SUGGEST THAT THE TRAVEL ORDERS CLEARLY STATE WHETHER THE EXCESS BAGGAGE SERVICES AUTHORIZED THEREON ARE TO BE PAID ARE TO BE PAID FOR IN CASH BY THE TRAVELER OR TO BE AUTHORIZED ON THE GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST. WHEN THE TRAVELER HAS BEEN PAID FOR AUTHORIZED EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGES IN CASH AND IS CLAIMING REIMBURSEMENT, HIS TRAVEL VOUCHER MUST BE SUPPORTED BY RECEIPTS IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRED UNDER SECTION II OF THE STANDARIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, PROMULGATED BY THE BUREAU OF THE BUDGET,S CIRCULAR NO. A-7, REVISED. IT WILL BE EXPECTED THAT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES WILL ESTABLISH SUCH CONTROLS OVER CASH DISBURSEMENTS FOR EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGES AS WILL MEET THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS.

GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF TRAVEL SHOULD BEAR IN MIND THAT THE SUBJECT CHANGES ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL NOR TO ANY DOMESTIC PORTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.