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A. Background
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) -- which answers to both parties in Congress -- recently reported that the taxpayers paid $230 million last year for 53,000 premium travel tickets. At least $146 million of this was "improper first and business class travel."
Premium travel is allowed under some circumstances. Apparently, for example, we taxpayers totally don't want officials to fly coach for more than 14 hours. Federal guidelines spell out exceptions and justifications -- and require documentation. Some agencies add extra guidelines.
Let 'em eat coach like the rest of us, we say! Better yet, make 'em persuade Congress to pass laws prohibiting airlines from designing coach seats with with just enough room so average adults have to sit for hours with their elbows jammed into their sides and knees against their chest.
All examples below are of Executive Branch travelers -- and some were presidential appointees. Didn't think anyone was looking, did you, guys? Ha ha, caught you!
B. Group Travel
1. A group of 21 employees of the U.S. Trade Representative traveled premium class to Hong Kong for a meeting, where a good time was had by all (we're just guessing). None of these "transactions" were authorized. Number of travelers: 21. Cost for premium: $293,000. Cost for coach: $124,000. (GAO at 28)
2. A group of eight Agriculture Department employees traveled from various US cities to a conference in Geneva. The longest flight was 11 hours. The funding agency's guidelines prohibit business-class travel to Western Europe. Number of travelers: 8. Cost for premium: $50,000. Cost for coach: $8000. (GAO at 28)
3. The Justice Department allowed a family of five to travel premium class from St. Louis to Sydney, Australia as part of a permanent move. Cost for premium: $22,000. Cost for coach: $6000. (GAO at 28)
4. The State Department has authorized premium-class travel for whole families from DC to Eastern Europe as part of a "permanent change of station" move. The Department believed premium-class travel "improves employee morale." Regulations allow premium-class for flights over 14 hours without a rest period before employees start work. The GAO found no evidence that a rest period couldn't be scheduled. Number of travelers: 8. Cost for premium: $46,000. Cost for coach: $12,000. (GAO at 26, 27)
B. Individuals Repeatedly Traveleing Premium Class
5. A U.S. Department of Agriculture traveler had premium fares authorized by a subordinate (good one!). In 10 of the 25 trips, the traveler indicated that "exceptional circumstances" justified premium travel to Western Europe when flight time was less than 14 hours -- despite that agency's policy forbidding business-class to Western Europe. These trips cost "more than $62,000 in premium class compared to less than $9,000 in coach class." For 15 trips, this traveler didn't document exceptional circumstances. Total tickets: 25. Cost to taxpayers: $163,000. (GAO at 24)
6. A Treasury Department traveler made a subordinate authorize premium flights for 12 of 21 trips and didn't bother getting 7 trips authorized (i.e., 19 trips weren't justified). Total tickets: 21. Cost to taxpayers: $129,000.
7. A Defense Department traveler used a medical condition to justify premium-class travel. The traveler produced only "a note signed by a peer of the traveler, not a physician." Defense Department policy requires medial exceptions to be certified by a medical professional. Total tickets: 15. Cost to taxpayers: $105,000. (GAO at 24)
8. An Education Department traveler had multiple trips authorized after the trips. One trip was justified using the 14-hour rule, but the trip was under 14 hours. This traveler took other premium-class trips without authorization. Total tickets: 9. Cost to taxpayers: $42,000. (GAO at 24) [At least $42,000 is less than some schoolteachers make in a year, so let's cut this one some slack, yeah?]
9. A traveler from the African Development Foundation got proper authority for three of the seven trips the GAO lists. Yay! Unfortunately, two of them were justified by "special need" and the Foundation couldn't explain to the GAO what this "special need" was. Hey, we all have a special need not to travel with our knees pressed against our ribs. Total tickets constituting "abusive activity": 10. Cost to taxpayers: $56,000.
C. Single Instances of Abuse
10. An Agriculture Department traveler flew business class to Zurich and back. The travel orders were signed by the traveler's subordinate (not properly authorized). This traveler claimed "exceptional circumstances" that his agency recognized: a policy enabling “a senior policy/program official to more effectively carry out the agency mission involving critical trade negotiations... or sensitive meetings," despite agency prohibitions against business-class travel to Western Europe. This traveler also took a one-night stopover in London. Cost for premium: $7500. Cost for coach: $900. (GAO at 21)
11. A State Department traveler flew from DC to Sydney at a cost "more than five times as much as a comparable coach class ticket." This traveler got authorization -- but for a different trip. Oops. Despite repeated requests, the State Department did not give GAO investigators proper support for the premium class travel. Cost for premium: $12,200. Cost for coach: $2200. (GAO at 21)
12. A Transportation Department traveler flew premium class from DC to Seoul under a "blanket order" authorizing premium travel. The GAO found it unauthorized and unjustified. Cost for premium: $6200. Cost for coach: $1300. (GAO at 22)
13. An assistant general counsel from the "MCC" flew premium class to Tbilisi and back. It was unauthorized, and the GAO found no grounds for justification. Cost for premium: $7000. Cost for coach: $1200. (GAO at 22)
Source:
GAO Report #07-1268: Premium class Travel -- Internal Control Weaknesses Government-wide Led to Improper and Abuse Use of Premium Class Travel
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Other examples of Govt. Waste:
* Contractor Fraud: Driving Up Healthcare Costs?
* How the Energy Dept. Incinerated Tax Dollars
* Time for Pentagon to Get Serious about Contractor Fraud
* New Orleans Still Suffering after 2 Years and Billions of Tax Dollars
* Contractor UNISYS in Trouble Again
* Billions over Baghdad: Poor Accounting Allowed Waste & Fraud
* Officials Allowed Oil Companies to Underpay Royalties
* Defense Dept. Rewarding Bad Contractor Performance?
* How the Defense Dept. Flushes Dollars Down Latrine
* Gov. Contractors: Driving up War's Costs
* Justice Dept. Official Turned Blind Eye to Contractor Fraud?
Bonus
J. Lynne at D-3 posted a great piece last month about the Justice Department's conference spending.
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"Whoosh, right over my head!" :)
Your TT's are always so educational!
http://www.chelleyoung.com/index.php/archive/thursday-thirteen-79-thirteen-purchases-i-have-made-recently/
Posted by: Chelle Y. | October 10, 2007 at 08:52 PM
Wow. I don't know if I should laugh or cry.
Posted by: WorksForMom | October 10, 2007 at 08:53 PM
Oh my goodness, this hurt my head to read it! What a mess we have here...
Thanks for stopping by my T-13 :-)
Posted by: Jen | October 10, 2007 at 09:16 PM
That was interesting (I like the subordinates who authorize things, especially the one who was ORDERED to!), but got even more so with the note at the end. Hmm. Gotta think about those choices. Can I have neither?
Happy TT!
Posted by: Susan Helene Gottfried | October 10, 2007 at 09:16 PM
That always scares me, and up here in Canada, tonight we had our general election and referendum.
I wonder who you can trust.
Posted by: Amy R | October 10, 2007 at 09:35 PM
I'm stopping back over to say that my fictional band's grown up. They've done their share of damage in their day, have no fear!
Always glad to see you visit!
Posted by: Susan Helene Gottfried | October 10, 2007 at 09:50 PM
Wow.....that is a lot of waste!
Thanks for visiting my TT....though I might have to refer to you as Oatmeal Palmetto from now on! Happy Thursday
Posted by: tommiea | October 10, 2007 at 09:56 PM
Although it makes me angry, it's good to know things like this. You made a good point about what might happen if we didn't have to subsidize other peoples' luxury fares.
Posted by: Malcolm | October 10, 2007 at 10:29 PM
I'm feeling like a sucker for hoarding my measley American Airlines miles so I can fly first class for free. I guess if I were a government employee, I could fly first class just by saying, "please."
Posted by: The Gal Herself | October 10, 2007 at 10:42 PM
It makes me soo angry!!!! My TT is up if you want to visit!!!
Posted by: No Nonsense girl | October 10, 2007 at 10:43 PM
That was scary! I didn't know I was so generous!
Posted by: SandyCarlson | October 10, 2007 at 10:46 PM
Just goes to show, working for the government does have SOME perks ;-) Sorry, but I just have to laugh or else I'll get really pissed, and it's too late at night for that.
Posted by: Janet | October 10, 2007 at 11:08 PM
OK...now im pissed....AGAIN!! lol...thanks for the facts. Happy TT.
Posted by: Lori | October 10, 2007 at 11:20 PM
Great, informative TT. I am a public servant and am alway so conscious of how I spend taxpayers dollars. What you've reported on is truly disgusting!
Posted by: Xine | October 10, 2007 at 11:23 PM
Ok, so where do I go to apply for a government job?
The bastards.
Posted by: Nicholas | October 10, 2007 at 11:42 PM
OK first, this gets me whipped up. I am getting tired of Govt. spending. Second, I say "let 'em eat/fly coach"! Happy TT.
Posted by: Nap Warden | October 11, 2007 at 12:00 AM
I'm with you..."Let'em eat coach"...The whole thing just gets me whipped up!
Posted by: Nap Warden | October 11, 2007 at 12:02 AM
Hmmm... and here I thought these kind of things only happen in my country... thanks for the enlightenment :)
Happy TT!
Posted by: Coco | October 11, 2007 at 02:37 AM
Sadly the private sector is much better at this sort of thing - even on 12 hour transatlantic flights where I had to go straight into meetings I was still stuck in coach. I think I chose the wrong profession...
And I have to wonder, how many of the world's poor could we feed without all this waste.
Posted by: Robin | October 11, 2007 at 03:52 AM
It's the same the world over. I'm sure it's one of the UK news headlines today that they've uncovered the excessive expense claims in our government. Every time it's highlighted it comes as a surprise and as a disappointment. A very informative TT!
Thanks for visiting my TT, btw.
Posted by: amypalko | October 11, 2007 at 03:58 AM
At what point do politicians cease to see themselve as "the people"? When does the cult of personal celebrity begin to justify the excess they "need" in order to do their job? A job, by the by, that is suppose to be done on behalf of the very people they see themselves as too good to mingle with in coach.
I love coming here, and will continue to come here, but some days...some days I just don't have the room to take it in without wanting to rant about it. *Sigh*
~X
Posted by: Xakara | October 11, 2007 at 06:50 AM
#5 is a hot topic in my husband's current job. People on the East coast get slighted while those on the West fall under the 14 hour travel time. Eh, not our fault they live in DC. LOL
Posted by: mom not mum | October 11, 2007 at 07:46 AM
This is a hard read -- but oh, so, true.
Posted by: susiej | October 11, 2007 at 08:17 AM
How infurriating!!
Posted by: Secret Agent Mama | October 11, 2007 at 08:22 AM
Damn, I love what you do at this site, but it's so friggin' depressing.
Posted by: Carrie Lofty | October 11, 2007 at 09:14 AM