From: Papier, Joel (NIH/OD) [E]
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:30 AM
To: List ICTRAVELPOC-L
Cc: NIH Executive Officers;
Subject: OFM Transmittal No. 335 - Reimbursement of Airline Baggage
Charges - HHS Policy Guidance
Importance: High
All,
Many major airlines are now charging fees for a first-checked bag. At this time, only two airlines (United and US Airways) are charging the fee when the traveler purchases a government airfare, i.e., city-pair (YCA), capacity controlled (_CA), or discounted government (_DG). If a traveler is authorized to purchase a non-Government (commercial) airfare, the traveler will be charged this fee in all instances. In addition, most airline carriers are charging for any additional or excess baggage. Because these baggage charges are now becoming a more prominent issue, the following policy guidance is being provided:
1) First checked bag – It is HHS policy that this expense should be authorized on the Travel Authorization (TA) prior to travel. If the expense has not been authorized on the TA prior to travel, it is at the discretion of the IC to reimburse the traveler for the expense on the voucher claim.
2)
Excess baggage – It is HHS policy that this expense should be authorized on the TA
prior to travel. If the expense has not been authorized on the TA prior
to travel, it is at the discretion of the IC to
reimburse the traveler for the expense, on the voucher claim.
NOTE: It is HHS policy that if the
excess baggage was for the transporting of personal items as opposed to
official business items, it is at the discretion of
the IC to reimburse the traveler for the
expense. Such proposed expenses need to be carefully examined when
the traveler is combining personal business w/ official business. In this
scenario, the traveler should not be attempting to get reimbursed for excess
baggage that could be strictly linked to the personal portion of the trip.
Obviously, some discretion will have to be applied depending upon the
circumstances of the travel in each case.
EXAMPLE 1: If a traveler is going on personal travel for 7 days and has paid for the transportation and travel arrangements out-of-pocket – and has 1 day of official business coinciding at the temporary duty site, a request to authorize payment for, e.g., 2 excess bags should be questioned.
EXAMPLE 2: If a traveler is going on official business for 2 days and the request is to authorize payment for, e.g., 3 excess bags, the request should be questioned.
More
specifically, HHS Travel Manual in Section 3.1.1.2 (12) provides, to paraphrase
-- Every effort should be made to obtain authorization in advance of travel for
excess baggage or weight. When prior authorization is not possible or
practical, post-trip approval may be issued through an amended Travel
Authorization or on the Travel Voucher.
In the automated travel system, any baggage charge should be entered in the Expenses Screen as a “miscellaneous expense”. Any single baggage charge in excess of $75 will require a receipt.
For the applicable travel regulations, you can reference FTR 301-12.
Please refer to the GSA - Baggage Allowance Fact Sheet for the most up-to-date list of airlines that have instituted a charge for a first- checked bag and other related information.
Should we receive updated guidance from the Department that in any way changes the above policy, we will pass that information along to you in the form of a supplement to this transmittal.
Please make wide distribution of this guidance to your respective IC communities.
Thanks,
Joel