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B-254858 1 (1995-11-22)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptabyb0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Comptroller General of the United States Washington, D.C. 20548 Decision Matter of: Southwest Airlines - Free Companion Ticket File: B-254858 Date: November 22, 1995 DIGEST An airline offers a free companion ticket when a round-trip ticket to specified cities is purchased. An agency asks whether the free companion ticket may be used by its employees for personal use when the ticket is obtained incident to official travel. Such use is not allowed under existing General Services Administration (GSA) regulations, 41 C.F.R. §§ 101-25.103-2(a) and 301-1.103(b) (1995), which provide that all promotional materials received by an employee incident to official travel are due the government and may not be retained by the employee. However, the General Accounting Office would not object if GSA, consistent with this decision, were to change its regulation to allow an employee to use a companion ticket, provided that an appropriate official of the agency approves the personal use based on a determination that (1) the ticket is of no use to the agency, and (2) the approval will not result in additional cost to the government. DECISION The Regional Counsel, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Southeast Region, asks whether a free companion airline ticket may be used by its employees for personal use (i.e., family member or friend) when the free ticket is obtained incident to official travel. As discussed below, such use is not allowed under the existing General Services Administration (GSA) regulations, but we would not object if GSA were to change its regulations to permit personal use of the ticket under certain conditions. BACKGROUND The Regional Counsel advises that Southwest Airlines offers a free companion ticket when a round-trip ticket is purchased. The promotion is offered for travel among various cities in the United States and Canada and requires that both travelers must fly on the same flight. In effect, Southwest is offering two tickets for the price of one. 94984