United States Department of Agriculture
Research, Education and Economics

ARS * CSREES * ERS * NASS

Bulletin

Title: Premium-Class Transportation
Number: 01-314
Date: December 13, 2001
Originating Office: Travel and Relocation Services Branch, Financial Management Division, ARS/AFM
Distribution: All REE Employees
Expires: December 13, 2002

 

 

This bulletin changes policy for obtaining approval for upgrades to First-Class and Business-Class air and train accommodations and supersedes Policy and Procedure 343.1, Premium-Class Air Travel, dated February 26, 2001.

 

The Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE) must approve all requests to upgrade to Premium-class (First-Class or Business-Class) air or train accommodations, except when Frequent Flyer Benefits (FTB) are used to offset the additional cost of business-class upgrade.

This bulletin modifies policy published in Policy and Procedure 343.1, Approval of Premium-Class Air Travel, when an employee's disability, medical condition, or special need is the primary reason for requesting an upgrade to premium-class.

All requests for upgrade must be submitted with a medical certificate that includes a description of the traveler's disability, medical condition or special need; approximate duration of the medical condition or special need; and a recommendation of a suitable means of transportation for the traveler based on their medical condition. Requests for approval should be received in the Financial Management Division at least three weeks in advance of travel.

Once the Under Secretary has approved the initial upgrade for a specific disability, medical condition, or special need (justified with a medical certificate), that approval will apply to subsequent requests for upgrades during the period specified in the medical certificate. Therefore, any additional requests (in writing) can be approved by the local travel approving official. The travel approving official must ensure that the medical condition and duration is still applicable.

The Financial Management Division is required to report all First-class accommodation upgrades, to the Department, on an annual basis. In order to facilitate this reporting, the following information must be submitted to the Financial Management Division, Travel and Relocation Services Branch, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Room 3-2176A, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-5114, each time a traveler is approved for any First-class accommodation:

  1. Name, address, grade, and position or title of traveler;
  2. Origin, destination, and dates of First-class travel. If only segment(s) of the trip were First-class, indicate the travel points of the segment(s);
  3. The difference in cost between First-class and coach-class accommodations;
  4. Justification for the First-class travel upgrade.

The changes announced in this bulletin will be incorporated into the P&P in the future. If you have questions concerning these changes you may contact Linda E. Mahoney, Chief, Travel and Relocation Services Branch, on 301-504-1307.

 

     -/Sd/-
S. M. HELMRICH
Director
Financial Management Division