B-95676, JULY 12, 1950, 30 COMP. GEN. 14
Highlights
1950: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF MAY 19. BREWSTER WAS AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM OFFICIAL TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPLANE AT THE RATE OF SEVEN CENTS PER MILE. IT HAVING BEEN DETERMINED THAT SUCH MODE OF TRANSPORTATION WAS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. YOU EXPRESS DOUBT WHETHER THE EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUCH ITEM IN ADDITION TO THE MILEAGE RATE OF SEVEN CENTS PER MILE. THE EMPLOYEE STATES ON THE VOUCHER THAT THE LANDING FEE IN SEATTLE IS AN ESTABLISHED CHARGE FOR ALL SMALL AIRCRAFT LANDING AT THE AIRPORT AND INDICATES THAT OTHER AIRPORTS MAKE A SIMILAR CHARGE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE LANDING FEE. IS ONE OF THE EXPENSES COVERED BY THE AUTHORIZED MILEAGE RATE AND IS NOT FOR REIMBURSEMENT IN ADDITION TO THE PAYMENT OF THE SPECIFIED RATE PER MILE FOR THE TRAVEL PERFORMED.
B-95676, JULY 12, 1950, 30 COMP. GEN. 14
TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPLANE - MILEAGE; AIRPORT LANDING FEES AN EMPLOYEE, AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM OFFICIAL TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPLANE ON A MILEAGE BASIS IN LIEU OF ACTUAL EXPENSES, UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE TRAVEL EXPENSE ACT OF 1949 AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED THEREUNDER, MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED, IN ADDITION TO MILEAGE, AN AIRPORT LANDING FEE PAID INCIDENT TO THE TRAVEL PERFORMED.
COMPTROLLER GENERAL WARREN TO W. H. BARRETT, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, JULY 12, 1950:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF MAY 19, 1950, FILE NO. A-3.32, SUBMITTING A VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF GEORGE F. BREWSTER, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE WEATHER BUREAU, FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN TRAVELING EXPENSES INCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OF A PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPLANE FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL DURING THE PERIOD JANUARY 11 TO FEBRUARY 26, 1950. YOU REQUEST A DECISION WHETHER THE VOUCHER MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IN THE LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES HEREINAFTER RELATED.
IT APPEARS THAT MR. BREWSTER WAS AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM OFFICIAL TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPLANE AT THE RATE OF SEVEN CENTS PER MILE, IT HAVING BEEN DETERMINED THAT SUCH MODE OF TRANSPORTATION WAS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. IN HIS REIMBURSEMENT VOUCHER, MR. BREWSTER HAS INCLUDED AN ITEM OF $3 REPRESENTING A LANDING FEE CHARGED BY AN AIRPORT IN SEATTLE, BUT YOU EXPRESS DOUBT WHETHER THE EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUCH ITEM IN ADDITION TO THE MILEAGE RATE OF SEVEN CENTS PER MILE.
THE EMPLOYEE STATES ON THE VOUCHER THAT THE LANDING FEE IN SEATTLE IS AN ESTABLISHED CHARGE FOR ALL SMALL AIRCRAFT LANDING AT THE AIRPORT AND INDICATES THAT OTHER AIRPORTS MAKE A SIMILAR CHARGE.
SECTION 4 OF THE TRAVEL EXPENSE ACT OF 1949, 63 STAT. 166, 5 U.S.C. 837, AND PARAGRAPH 12 (A) OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROMULGATED THEREUNDER, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 1949, PROVIDE THAT AN EMPLOYEE MAY BE PAID MILEAGE FOR THE USE OF A PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPLANE "IN LIEU OF ACTUAL EXPENSES OF TRANSPORTATION.' IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT A LANDING FEE FOR AN AIRPLANE WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE ITEMS FOR WHICH AN EMPLOYEE MAY BE REIMBURSED IF THE USE OF AN AIRPLANE BE AUTHORIZED ON AN ACTUAL EXPENSE BASIS AS DISTINGUISHED FROM A MILEAGE BASIS. HENCE, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE LANDING FEE, SUCH AS INVOLVED IN THE INSTANT CASE, IS ONE OF THE EXPENSES COVERED BY THE AUTHORIZED MILEAGE RATE AND IS NOT FOR REIMBURSEMENT IN ADDITION TO THE PAYMENT OF THE SPECIFIED RATE PER MILE FOR THE TRAVEL PERFORMED.
THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IN ITS PRESENT FORM.