B-126647, FEB. 23, 1956
Highlights
250 FRENCH FRANCS STATED TO HAVE BEEN EXPENDED BY YOU FOR TRANSPORTING 25 POUNDS OF EXCESS BAGGAGE. WAS SUSPENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE BECAUSE THE EXPENSE WAS NOT AUTHORIZED AND THE OFFICIAL NECESSITY THEREOF HAD NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED. THE CLAIM WAS SUBMITTED TO OUR OFFICE FOR DIRECT SETTLEMENT. THE BALANCE OF $69.97 WAS DISALLOWED. IN QUESTIONING THE AMOUNT OF THE SETTLEMENT YOU SAY THAT THE SETTLEMENT FAILS TO CONSIDER THAT YOUR TRAVEL FROM LONDON TO NEW YORK WAS VIA PARIS. IT APPEARS THAT YOUR TRAVEL FROM LONDON TO PARIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON AN AIRPLANE OF THE USAAF. THAT NO COSTS FOR EXCESS BAGGAGE WERE INCURRED THEREBY. WAS 1 PERCENT OF AN ADULT FARE MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF KILOGRAMS OF SUCH BAGGAGE TRANSPORTED.
B-126647, FEB. 23, 1956
TO DR. ADELE KIBRE:
YOUR RECENT LETTER REQUESTS REVIEW OF THAT PART OF OUR SETTLEMENT OF OCTOBER 13, 1955, WHICH DISALLOWED $69.97 OF YOUR CLAIM FOR $112.50, FOR TRANSPORTATION CHARGES ON YOUR EXCESS BAGGAGE, INCURRED WHILE TRAVELING FROM LONDON, ENGLAND, TO WASHINGTON, D.C., DURING APRIL 1946, AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
THE RECORD--- SO FAR AS HERE PERTINENT--- SHOWS THAT YOUR CLAIM FOR $112.50, REPRESENTING THE DOLLAR EQUIVALENT OF 11,250 FRENCH FRANCS STATED TO HAVE BEEN EXPENDED BY YOU FOR TRANSPORTING 25 POUNDS OF EXCESS BAGGAGE, WAS SUSPENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE BECAUSE THE EXPENSE WAS NOT AUTHORIZED AND THE OFFICIAL NECESSITY THEREOF HAD NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED. IT FURTHER APPEARS THAT NO RECEIPT FOR THE SAID EXPENDITURE OF 11,250 FRENCH FRANCS NOW CAN BE LOCATED. THE CLAIM WAS SUBMITTED TO OUR OFFICE FOR DIRECT SETTLEMENT.
ON THE BASIS OF SECONDARY EVIDENCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO THE EFFECT THAT AN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL HAD SEEN A RECEIPT SHOWING THAT YOU PAID THE TWA AIRLINES AN AMOUNT OF 11,250 FRENCH FRANCS ON APRIL 9, 1946, TOGETHER WITH EVIDENCE THAT YOU HAD SATISFACTORILY EXPLAINED TO ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS THAT THE 25 POUNDS OF EXCESS BAGGAGE CONSISTED OF OFFICIAL EQUIPMENT, WE ALLOWED YOUR CLAIM, FOR AN AMOUNT OF $42.53, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED TARIFFS ON FILE IN OUR OFFICE. THE BALANCE OF $69.97 WAS DISALLOWED.
IN QUESTIONING THE AMOUNT OF THE SETTLEMENT YOU SAY THAT THE SETTLEMENT FAILS TO CONSIDER THAT YOUR TRAVEL FROM LONDON TO NEW YORK WAS VIA PARIS, AND YOU PERCEIVE NO REASON WHY THE FULL AMOUNT CLAIMED SHOULD NOT BE PAID.
IT APPEARS THAT YOUR TRAVEL FROM LONDON TO PARIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON AN AIRPLANE OF THE USAAF, AND THAT NO COSTS FOR EXCESS BAGGAGE WERE INCURRED THEREBY. THE ESTABLISHED RATE FOR TRANSPORTING EXCESS BAGGAGE ON TWA AIRLINES FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK IN APRIL 1946, WAS 1 PERCENT OF AN ADULT FARE MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF KILOGRAMS OF SUCH BAGGAGE TRANSPORTED, A KILOGRAM BEING THE METRIC EQUIVALENT OF 2.2046 POUNDS. THE FARE FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK AT THE TIME OF TRAVEL WAS $375. THUS YOU WERE ENTITLED TO $3.75 (1 PERCENT OF $375) TIMES 11.34 KILOGRAMS (THE EQUIVALENT OF 25 POUNDS), OR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $42.53. THEREFORE, YOU HAVE BEEN PAID THE AMOUNT ALLOWABLE UNDER APPLICABLE TARIFFS FOR TRANSPORTING THE EXCESS BAGGAGE FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK. WE ARE AWARE OF NO AUTHORITY BY WHICH ANY ADDITIONAL AMOUNT MAY BE AUTHORIZED.
ACCORDINGLY, UPON REVIEW, THE DISALLOWANCE OF THAT PART OF YOUR CLAIM PERTAINING TO THE EXCESS BAGGAGE CHARGE APPEARS PROPER AND SUCH ACTION MUST BE SUSTAINED.