Defense Department employees booked more than 68,000 premium airline tickets, in business class or first class.(Washington Insider)(Brief Article)

Set-Aside Alert, November, 2003

Defense Department employees booked more than 68,000 premium airline tickets, in business class or first class, during 2001 and 2002, paying an extra $30 million above the cost of flying coach, the General Accounting Office reported.

GAO estimated that high-ranking civilian employees and military officers accounted for nearly half of the premium travel. Its report was presented to the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Oct. 6.

DOD said it has appointed a task force to look into the problem. Assistant secretary Charles Abell told the committee that the department has begun implementing a new travel management system that will provide additional controls.