Airline additional charge

[boll...@morris.umn.edu]

Project manager paid for airfare with his p-card (to be reconciled to grant account) for a presenter to come to campus.  Airfare charge was $217 with an additional Main Cabin Extra charge of $91.  Airlines said that the charge was for a more comfortable seat and priority boarding.  When I asked the PM for a justification, his response was--

Initially, Mr. X had requested First Class.  I talked him down to Business Class.  

It's cheaper to buy standard fair and upgrade with some airlines than it is to buy directly for Business Class.  Is the extra charge allowable?

--

[kert...@umn.edu]

Airline seat fees are allowed so it would depend on how it is listed on the receipt.  So if this isn't billed as "business class" it should be allowed.  If it is listed as business class the flight would have to exceed 8 hours to qualify. https://policy.umn.edu/finance/travel-appi

[march016]

Hi Rita,

I think what Matt is referencing is potentially ok on non-sponsored.  But for sponsored we would not consider upgrading your seat for greater comfort as a valid justification to charge the grant.  One scenario we might be ok with it is if all the other coach seats are booked.  We would also be open to it if it was based on medical needs.  But we would not be comfortable with it otherwise.

[dhit...@umn.edu]

Hi all,

I have a situation where a traveler paid $11 to be able to pick their seat in economy as part of some sort of pre-check in.

From what I can tell, the fee is not an upgrade, per se, but rather a way to ensure one actually gets a seat assignment when flights are being routinely overbooked.

My instinct is to charge the fee to non-sponsored to be safe, but I could see it going either way, since: a. it's not a class upgrade; and b. the amount is arguably immaterial.

[Heidi Huff]

I agree that the amount is small, but UG does state reasons in which "costs in excess of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class" cannot be charged to the grant unless specific circumstances have occurred.  A seat reservation fee for non-medical reasons is not one of the circumstances listed.  I would put it on non-sponsored.

[surb...@umn.edu]

I am currently working with someone where the person purchased standard economy one direction and comfort economy on the return.  I am afraid that the UM policy, excerpted below, was interpreted to mean that travelers are free to choose, if it better meets their needs, selections within the "economy" class of tickets.

Air Transportation

Travel by air is limited to the lowest, non-refundable, coach/economy class fare available at time of booking. Travelers may select their seat to another seat within coach/economy (exit row, aisle seats or "extra leg room") on any flight, when no other coach/economy seats are available or it better meets the traveler's needs.

Based on UG and in my situation NSF, I think it's clear that upgrades, seat selection and comfort economy, might be allowable in very specific well documented circumstances.  A concern I have is it's all at the travelers word that nothing else was available.  While I have zero interest in being the morality police, I see a pattern of minor upgrades that seems awfully coincidental.

[Heidi Huff]

There is no problem with non-sponsored based on policy, but according to UG here are the acceptable reasons to pay for additional accommodations (upgrades or fees):

(i) Require circuitous routing;

(ii) Require travel during unreasonable hours;

(iii) Excessively prolong travel;

(iv) Result in additional costs that would offset the transportation savings; or

(v) Offer accommodations not reasonably adequate for the traveler's medical needs. The non-Federal entity must justify and document these conditions on a case-by-case basis in order for the use of first-class or business-class airfare to be allowable in such cases.

Now, if the PI has a strong enough justification for the comfort seating upgrade and you are comfortable defending it, for example:  the comfort seating upgrade was due to something medical, than you could approve.