GSA Revamps Federal Travel Regulation Policies

The GSA has issued a final rule revamping many Federal Travel Regulation policies to take into account changes in guidance of recent years and adding a new “premium economy airline accommodations” as a class of service and setting policies for it.

A notice in the September 12 Federal Register also consolidates some duplicative policies and removes others that have become obsolete. It also updates definitions of terms important to travel policies such as “coach class”, “other than coach class,” “scheduled flight time,” and “usually traveled route.”

“Including “premium economy class” as its own class of service aligns with current commercial airline industry practice and acknowledges a potentially cost-saving alternative to business class accommodations for federal travelers when an exception to using coach class accommodation applies,” the notice says.

“This exception for using premium economy class is aimed at reducing the use of first class and business class transportation with the anticipation that agencies will authorize premium economy class where offered, instead of business or first class, when eligible,” it says.

The notice also addresses issues such as waiting periods and agency reporting requirements for different classes of travel.