|CHAPTER��2�-�TRANSPORTATION�MODES,�ACCOMMODATIONS,�TRANSPORTATION�REQUESTS,�AND�BAGGAGE
    PART�E:�TRAVEL�BY�COMMON�CARRIER
        C2204��USE�OF�COMMERCIAL�AIRCRAFT
            A.��Accomodations�on�Commercial�Aircraft
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| | A.� Accomodations on Commercial Aircraft | 
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| | 1.� General. | 
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| | It is the policy of the Government that employees and/or dependents who use commercial air carriers for domestic and international travel on official business shall use coach-class airline accommodations.� Employees shall ascertain their travel requirements in sufficient time to book coach-class accommodations.� First-class airline accommodations may be used only as permitted in subpar. 5c.� Premium-class other than first-class airline accommodations may be used only as permitted in subpar. 5d.�� When an airline flight has only two classes of service, the higher class of service, regardless of the term used, is "first class." | 
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| | 2.� Authorization/Approval For Use of Premium-Class Accommodations. | 
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| | The officials listed in subpar. 3 may authorize/approve first-class airline accommodations if the criteria in subpar. 5c are met.� The local transportation officer or other appropriate authority, in conjunction with the order-approving authority, may authorize or approve the use of� premium-class airline other than first-class airline accommodations if the criteria in subpar. 5d are met.� Authorization for the use of premium-class airline accommodations shall be made in advance of the actual travel unless extenuating circumstances or emergency situations make advance authorization impossible.� If advance authorization can't be obtained, the employee shall obtain writen approval from the local transportation officer or other appropriate authority, at the earliest possible time.� | 
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| | 3.� Authorization/Approval for Use of First-Class Accommodations. | 
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| | Authority for authorizing/approving the use of first-class air accommodations shall be limited to the Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of Defense or other authority as designated by the SECDEF.� The delegation or redelegation of authority to authorize/approve first-class air travel shall be held to as high an administrative level as practical to ensure adequate consideration and review of the circumstances requiring the need for first-class air accommodations.� Authorization/approval may only be considered when the criteria in subpar. 5c are met. | 
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| | 4.� Requirements for Use of First-Class Accommodations. | 
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| | Authorization for the use of first-class air accommodations shall be made in advance of the actual travel unless extenuating circumstances or emergency situations make advance authorization impossible.� If advance authorization can't be obtained, the employee shall obtain written approval from the appropriate authority at the earliest possible time.� When travel orders authorize first-class air accommodations, the GTR issued to obtain this service is annotated "first-class authorized by (cite reference to travel order and date thereof)."� When the travel orders don't contain authority for the use of first-class air accommodations, a GTR may be issued for first-class service when the GTR issuing agent annotates in the Special Accommodations and Requirements box on the GTR and copies thereof that "1st class issued, only 1st class available between authorized origin and destination points." | 
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| | 5.� Employee Responsibility and Documentation in Connection With First-Class Accommodations. | 
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| | The employee shall certify on the travel voucher the reasons for the use of first-class air accommodations.� Specific authorization/approval shall be attached to, or stated on, the travel voucher and retained for the record.� In the absence of specific authorization/approval, the employee shall be responsible for all additional costs resulting from the use of first-class air accommodations.� The additional costs shall be the difference between the first-class accommodations used and the next lower class below first-class. | 
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| | a.� Use of First-Class Air Accommodations. | 
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| | Circumstances justifying the use of first-class air accommodations are limited to those listed in subpars. b and c. | 
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| | b.� Employee Certification Required. | 
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| | First-class accommodations may be used when regularly scheduled flights between the authorized origin and destination points (including connection points) provide only first-class accommodations, and the employee certifies this circumstances on the travel voucher. | 
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| | c.� Authorization/Approval Required. | 
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| | The appropriate authority as cited in subpar. 3 may authorize/approve first-class air accommodations when: | 
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| | (1)coach-class airline accommodations or premium-class other than first class airline accommodations aren't reasonably available. For purposes of this paragraph, "reasonably available" means a class of accommodations other than first-class airline accommodations available on an airline scheduled to leave within 24 hours of the employee's proposed departure time, or scheduled to arrive within 24 hours of the employee's proposed arrival time.� "Reasonably available" doesn't include any accommodations with a scheduled arrival time later than the employee's required reporting time at the duty site, or with a scheduled departure time earlier than the time the employee is scheduled to complete the duty. | 
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| | (2)first-class airline accommodations are necessary because the employee/dependent is so handicapped or otherwise physically impaired that other accommodations can't be used, and such condition is substantiated by competent medical authority.� The use of first-class airline accommodations also may be authorized for an attendant authorized under par. C6552, item 1, to accompany the employee/dependent, when the employee/dependent is authorized use of first-class airline accommodations and requires the attendant's service en route. | 
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| | (3)first-class airline accommodations are needed when exceptional security circumstances require such travel.� Exceptional security circumstances include, but aren't limited to travel by: | 
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| | (a)� an employee whose use of a class of accommodations other than first-class would endanger the employee's life or Government; | 
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| | (b)� agents in charge of protective details who are accompanying individuals authorized to use first-class accommodations; and | 
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| | (c)� couriers and control officers accompanying controlled pouches or packages and premium-class other than first-class airline accommodations aren't available. | 
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| | First-class accommodations may be used without authorization/approval only in one instant -- when regularly scheduled flights between the authorized origin and destination (including connection points) provide only first-class accommodations.� When that is the case, the transportation officer/agent must make the appropriate entry on the travel order, travel voucher, or GTR as appropriate.� | 
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| | d.� Use of Premium-Class other than First-Class. | 
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| | Circumstances justifying use of premium-class other than first-class airline accommodations are limited to those listed in items 1 through 9� The use of premium-class other than first-class accommodations may be authorized or approved when: | 
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| | (1)regularly scheduled flights between the authorized origin and destination points (including connection points) provide only premium-class airline accommodations, and the employee certifies this circumstance on the travel voucher. | 
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| | (2)space is not available in coach-class airline accommodations on any scheduled flight in time to accomplish the purpose of the official travel, which is so urgent it can't be postponed. | 
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| | (3)necessary to accommodate an employee's/dependent's disability or other physical impairment, and the employee's/dependent's condition is substantiated in writing by competent medical authority.� The use of premium-class other than first-class airline accommodations also may be authorized for an attendant, who is authorized under Chapter 4, Part Q, to accompany the employee, when the employee/dependent is authorized use of premium-class other than first-class airline accommodations and requires the attendant's service en route. | 
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| | (4)such accommodations are required for security purposes or because exceptional circumstances, as determined by the local transportation officer, or other appropriate authority, in conjunction with the order-approving authority, make their use essential to the successful performance of the DoD component's mission. | 
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| | (5)coach-class airline accommodations on foreign carriers don't provide adequate sanitation or health standards and the use of foreign flag air carrier service is approved in accordance with the Fly America Act. (See subpar. B for rules governing the use of U.S. Flag carriers.) | 
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| | (6)such accommodations would result in an overall savings to the Government based on economic considerations, such as the avoidance of additional subsistence costs, overtime, or lost productive time that would be incurred while awaiting availability of coach-class accommodations. | 
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| | (7)obtained as an accommodations upgrade through the redemption of frequent traveler benefits (see par. C1200-F). | 
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| | (8)the employee's transportation is paid in full through the DoD component's acceptance of payment from a non-Federal source in accordance with Chapter 4, Part Q. | 
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| | (9)travel is direct between authorized origin and destination points separated by several time zones, and either the origin or destination point is outside CONUS, and the scheduled flight time (including stopovers) is in excess of 14 hours.� Scheduled flight time is the time between the scheduled airline departure from the PDS/TDY point until the scheduled airline arrival at the TDY point/PDS.� A rest stop (see par. C1058-D) is prohibited when travel is authorized by premium-class accommodations. | 
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| | B.� U.S. Flag Air Carrier (Certificated Air Carrier) Use. | 
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| | 1.� Definition of U.S.� | 
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| | For the purposes of this subpar., U.S. means the 50 states, District of Columbia, territories, and possessions of the U.S. (49 U.S.C. �40102). | 
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| | 2.� Requirements.� | 
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| | Available U.S. flag air carriers shall be used for all commercial foreign air transportation of persons/property when air travel is funded by the U.S. Government (49 U.S.C. �40118 and B-138942, March 31, 1981).� Except as provided in subpar. 3, U.S. flag air carrier service is available if:� | 
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| | a.� the carrier performs the commercial foreign air transportation required, and� | 
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| | b.� the service accomplishes the mission, even though: | 
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| | (1)� a comparable/different kind of service by a noncertificated air carrier costs less,� | 
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| | (2)� noncertificated air carrier service is preferred by the service/traveler, | 
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| | (3)� noncertificated air carrier service is more convenient for the service/traveler, or | 
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| | (4)� the only U.S. flag air carrier service available between points in the U.S. and points outside the U.S. requires boarding/leaving the carrier between midnight and 6 a.m., or travel spanning those hours (the traveler may have a brief non-work period not to exceed 24 hours, for "acclimatization rest" at destination as well as per diem during the rest period when the destination is other than the traveler's PDS) (56 Comp. Gen 629(1977)). | 
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| | 3.� Exceptions.� | 
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| | When one of the following exceptions exists, U.S. flag air carrier service is not available. | 
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| | a.� Transportation is provided under a bilateral/multilateral air transportation agreement to which the U.S. Government and the government of a foreign country are parties, and which the Department of Transportation has determined meets the requirements of the Fly America Act. | 
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| | b.� No U.S. flag air carrier provides service on a particular leg of the route, in which case foreign air carrier service may be used, but only to or from the nearest interchange point on a usually traveled route to connect with U.S. flag air carrier service. | 
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| | c.� A U.S. flag air carrier involuntarily reroutes a traveler's travel on a foreign air carrier; (if the traveler is given a choice as to substitute service, a U.S. flag air carrier should be selected if it doesn't unduly delay the travel) (59 Comp. Gen. 223 (1980)). | 
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| | d.� Foreign air carrier service would be three hours or less, and U.S. flag air carrier use would at least double en route travel time. | 
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| | e.� Foreign air transportation is fully paid for directly, or later reimbursed by a foreign government, an international agency, or other organization. (B-138942, March 31, 1981 and 57 Comp. Gen. 546 (1978)); NOTE: See Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 2, par. 20202-C3e of the DoD 5105.38-M, when travel is on Security Assistance Business. | 
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| | f.� If a U.S. flag air carrier offers nonstop/direct service (no aircraft change) from origin to destination, U.S. flag air carrier service must be used unless such use would extend travel time, including delay at origin, by 24 hours or more. | 
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| | g.� If a U.S. flag air carrier doesn't offer nonstop/direct service (no aircraft change) between origin and destination, U.S. flag air carrier must be used on every portion of the route where it provides service unless, when compared to using a foreign air carrier, such use would:��� | 
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| | (1)� increase the number of foreign OCONUS aircraft changes made by 2 or more; or | 
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| | (2)� extend travel time by at least 6 hours or more; or | 
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| | (3)� require a connecting time of 4 hours or more at a foreign OCONUS interchange point. | 
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| | h.� The order-issuing authenticating official determines that a U.S. flag air carrier can't provide the needed air transportation, or can't accomplish the mission. | 
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| | i.� Foreign air carrier use is necessary for medical reasons, (including use to reduce the number of connections and possible delays when transporting persons needing medical treatment). | 
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