Travel Practices

Use of Airline Bonus Coupons and Privately Funded Travel by AID Employees Gao ID: NSIAD-86-26 November 29, 1985

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Agency for International Development's (AID) procedures for: (1) controlling and using promotional materials such as bonus flight coupons in conjunction with official travel; and (2) avoiding conflicts of interest in connection with official travel funded by private sources.

The major U.S. airlines have instituted frequent-flyer programs which entitle a person who travels regularly to obtain coupons or accumulate points for bonus travel. However, in a 1981 decision, GAO held that bonus flight promotional awards, which federal employees receive while travelling on official business, cannot be retained since they belong to the government. GAO found that there has been confusion and controversy surrounding the earning, ownership, and use of these awards, and agencies have been slow in developing guidelines and communicating the requirements to their employees. Since the airlines do not provide government agencies with information on what federal employees earn while on official travel, it is difficult to verify that all of the promotional materials earned are turned in to the agencies. Federal employees may accept payment from private sources for travel expenses incurred in carrying out official duties when: (1) it is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization; and (2) it is paid from a nonfederal source on the agency's behalf. However, under both circumstances, payment of travel expenses should not be accepted if it would pose conflict-of-interest problems. AID recently issued guidelines which require prior written approval for such a trip from the employee's manager and a General Counsel determination that acceptance would not create an apparent conflict of interest. However, since over half of recent privately funded AID trips were not submitted to the General Counsel, GAO believes there is a need to further emphasize its importance.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Team: Phone:


The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.