Class Distinction
Analysis of more than 68,000 premium class trips during fiscal 2001 and 2002 found 28 Defense Department travelers who most frequently flew premium class. Here are some examples:
| Traveler's grade/rank | GM-14 | General | Presidential appointee | GS-15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of premium-class trips | 14 | 16 | 15 | 11 |
| Cost of premium-class trips | $88,000 | $68,000 | $70,000 | $35,000 |
| Traveler's justification | Medical necessity | Blanket authorization | Mission essential | Medical necessity |
| GAO's concern | Traveler took 14 premium and 31 coach trips; many coach trips were similar in duration to the premium trips | Blanket authorization was used; premium travel was authorized by a subordinate; not all flights met criteria for premium class. | The Joint Travel Regulation does not list "mission essential" as justification for premium travel; most flights shorter than 14 hours; not all authorizations were accurate. | Official authorizing travelwasthe traveler, not the DoD undersecretary. |
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