Unused and Partially Unused Commercial Airline Tickets

1. PURPOSE: TO PROMULGATE GUIDANCE ON THE ISSUANCE
AND PROPER HANDLING OF COMMERCIAL AIRLINE TICKETS, AND TO REITERATE
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TRAVELERS, COMMANDERS AND AUTHORIZING
OFFICIALS. 
2. A RECENT GAO AUDIT REVEALED WEAKNESSES IN THE USE OF TRAVEL
DOLLARS WITHIN DOD AND A LACK OF POLICY ON PROCESSING UNUSED AND
PARTIALLY UNUSED COMMERCIAL AIRLINE TICKETS. 
3. THE AUDIT REVEALED THE MARINE CORPS LOST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS
IN UNUSED AND PARTIALLY UNUSED COMMERCIAL AIRLINE TICKETS IN FY03.
4. TO ELIMINATE FURTHER NEEDLESS WASTE OF SCARCE MARINE CORPS
RESOURCES, THE FOLLOWING POLICY AND GUIDANCE IS EFFECTIVE
IMMEDIATELY:
 A. TRAVELERS, COMMANDERS, APPROVING OFFICIALS AND RESOURCE
MANAGERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING UNUSED AND PARTIALLY UNUSED
TICKETS ARE PROCESSED FOR REFUND TO THE GOVERNMENT.
 B. UNUSED AND PARTIALLY UNUSED PAPER TICKETS ARE ACCOUNTABLE
DOCUMENTS AND MUST BE PHYSICALLY TURNED INTO THE CTO/TMO IN ORDER TO
OBTAIN APPROPRIATE CREDIT.
 C. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD UNUSED OR PARTIALLY UNUSED
TICKETS BE FILED, DESTROYED OR THROWN AWAY. 
 D. IF A PAPER TICKET IS LOST, THE TRAVELER MUST NOTIFY THE
TMO/CTO, PROCESS A LOST TICKET REFUND APPLICATION WITH THE CTO,
NOTIFY THE AIRLINE THAT ISSUED THE TICKET OF THE LOSS AND PROVIDE
DOCUMENTATION TO THE APPROVING OFFICIAL. THE TRAVELER'S APPROVING
OFFICIAL MUST ENSURE THE LOST TICKET IS CREDITED TO THE PROPER FUND
CITE.
 E. IF THE TRAVELER CANNOT PROVIDE THE PAPER TICKET FOR REFUND OR
DOES NOT FILE A LOST TICKET APPLICATION, THE APPROVING OFFICIAL MUST
TAKE ACTION TO HAVE THE TRAVELER REIMBURSE THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE
COST OF THE TICKET.
 F. UNUSED AND PARTIALLY UNUSED ELECTRONIC TICKETS ARE NOT
AUTOMATICALLY REFUNDED TO THE GOVERNMENT. THE TRAVELER MUST NOTIFY
TMO/CTO IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE TRIP OR PORTION OF THE TRIP WILL NOT BE
MADE AND ENSURE THE UNUSED PORTION IS IDENTIFIED, CANCELLED AND
PROCESSED FOR REFUND. TRAVELERS SHOULD OBTAIN CANCELLATION
VERIFICATION FROM THE CTO (TYPE OF VERIFICATION MAY VARY BY CTO) AND
PROVIDE IT TO THE APPROVING OFFICIAL AND/OR RESOURCE MANAGER. 
 G. TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS PROCESSED IN DEFENSE TRAVEL SYSTEM
(DTS) MUST ALSO BE CANCELLED IN DTS AND A REFUND REQUESTED.
 H. WHEN SUBMITTING A TRAVEL VOUCHER/CLAIM TO DISBURSING/FINANCE
OFFICE, TRAVELERS SHOULD NOT LIST NOR REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE
COST OF COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE CTO/TMO AND
PAID FOR BY THE GOVERNMENT. 
5. EVERY MARINE CORPS TRAVELER UNDER ORDERS MUST BE MADE AWARE OF
THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE TRAVEL ORDERS,
FILE A PROPER TRAVEL CLAIM AND PROPERLY ACCOUNT FOR USED OR
PARTIALLY UNUSED AIRLINE TICKETS.