[Reimbursement of BLM Employee for Travel Expenses]

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requested a decision regarding an employee's claim for reimbursement for airline expenses incident to official travel. The claimant contended that BLM should reimburse him for the cost of round-trip government coach fare for the official travel, since he: (1) combined the official travel and a personal trip; (2) used an airline ticket his wife won to cover most of the costs; and (3) paid for the balance with his own funds. GAO held that the claimant was: (1) not entitled to reimbursement for the ticket, since he did not incur an actual expense; and (2) entitled to reimbursement of his out-of-pocket expenses incident to the official travel. Accordingly, BLM should reimburse the claimant for his out-of-pocket expenses only.