B-168893, MAR. 24, 1970

B-168893, MAR. 24, 1970

TRAVEL EXPENSES--OVERSEAS EMPLOYEES--TRANSFERS BETWEEN DUTY STATIONS OVERSEAS UNDER TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION DIRECTING EMPLOYEE'S TRAVEL CONCURRENTLY WITH IMMEDIATE FAMILY FROM MADRID TO SAN PABLO, SPAIN, INCIDENT TO PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION WHERE WIFE REMAINED IN MADRID WHEN EMPLOYEE TRAVELED WITH CHILDREN TO NEW DUTY STATION, CLAIM FOR EMPLOYEE'S TRAVEL EXPENSES BACK TO MADRID AND RETURN, PREVIOUSLY DENIED, IS SUSTAINED SINCE NO ORDERS WERE ISSUED DIRECTING EMPLOYEE'S RETURN TO MADRID, NOR HAS SUCH TRAVEL BEEN SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY PROPER AUTHORITY, BUT REIMBURSEMENT MAY BE MADE OF WIFE'S TRAVEL EXPENSES, NOT TO EXCEED COST TO GOVT. BY UNUAL CODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

TO MR. DAVID E. HARLOW:

YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 30, 1969, SEEKS RECONSIDERATION OF THE DISALLOWANCE OF DECEMBER 12, 1969, OF YOUR CLAIM FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES INCIDENT TO YOUR PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION FROM MADRID TO SAN PABLO, SPAIN, IN SEPTEMBER 1960, AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.

IN OUR OFFICE SETTLEMENT OF DECEMBER 12, 1969, WE STATED:

"BY TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION DATED SEPTEMBER 1, 1960, YOU WERE DIRECTED TO TRAVEL FROM MADRID, SPAIN, TO SAN PABLO, SPAIN FOR THE PURPOSE OF PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION AND YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY WERE AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL CONCURRENTLY WITH YOU. YOU WERE AUTHORIZED TO PROCEED ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 2, 1960.

"THE RECORD SHOWS THAT YOU AND TWO CHILDREN TRAVELED FROM MADRID TO SEVILLE ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1960. YOUR WIFE REMAINED IN MADRID. AFTER WORKING A WEEK AT YOUR NEW OFFICIAL STATION AT SAN PABLO, YOU RETURNED TO MADRID AND YOU AND YOUR WIFE TRAVELED FROM MADRID TO SEVILLE ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1960. YOU HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR THE FIRST TRIP FROM MADRID TO SEVILLE PERFORMED BY YOU AND YOUR TWO CHILDREN ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1960, AND YOU ARE NOW CLAIMING ADDITIONAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR YOUR RETURN TRIP FROM SEVILLE TO MADRID AND FOR TRAVEL OF YOURSELF AND WIFE FROM MADRID TO SEVILLE, ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1960.

"SECTION 2 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS IN EFFECT DURING THE PERIOD OF YOUR CLAIM PROVIDES IN PART THAT EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW, ALL TRAVEL SHALL BE EITHER AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY THE HEAD OF THE AGENCY OR AN OFFICIAL TO WHOM SUCH AUTHORITY HAS BEEN PROPERLY DELEGATED.

"THE TRAVEL ORDERS OF SEPTEMBER 1, 1960, AUTHORIZED ONLY ONE TRIP FOR YOU AND YOUR DEPENDENTS FROM MADRID TO SAN PABLO. THE PRESENT RECORD INDICATES THAT YOUR TRAVEL ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1960, WAS INCIDENT TO SUCH ORDERS. NO ORDERS WERE ISSUED DIRECTING YOUR RETURN TO MADRID OR A SECOND TRIP FROM MADRID TO SEVILLE ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1960, NOR HAS SUCH TRAVEL BEEN SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY PROPER AUTHORITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. THEREFORE, ON THE BASIS OF THE PRESENT RECORD, PAYMENT OF YOUR CLAIM IS NOT AUTHORIZED."

A CAREFUL REVIEW HAS BEEN MADE OF THE RECORD IN YOUR CLAIM. WE ARE DIRECTING OUR CLAIMS DIVISION TO AUTHORIZE REIMBURSEMENT OF YOUR WIFE'S TRAVEL FROM MADRID TO SEVILLE, SPAIN, NOT TO EXCEED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE USUAL MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. WE ARE INFORMALLY ADVISED THAT THE USUAL MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IN SEPTEMBER 1960 FOR THE TRIP FROM MADRID TO SEVILLE WAS BY AIR WITH FLIGHT TIME APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. THE MOST NEARLY RELATED AIR TRAFFIC TARIFF SCHEDULE DATA AVAILABLE TO US AT THIS TIME IS WORLD AIR TRAFFIC TARIFF ISSUED APRIL 1, 1962. THE AIR FARE SHOWN THEREIN FOR THE FLIGHT FROM MADRID TO SEVILLE (SAN PABLO) IS $10.50. YOU SHOULD RECEIVE A CLAIM SETTLEMENT IN THAT AMOUNT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

FOR THE REASONS SET FORTH IN OUR SETTLEMENT LETTER OF DECEMBER 12, 1969, THE DISALLOWANCE OF YOUR OWN TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR THE TRIP FROM SEVILLE TO MADRID AND RETURN IS SUSTAINED.