OMB Circular A-126

OMB Circular A-126, revised May 22, 1992, is a Government circular that introduces standards and policies to minimize the cost and improve the management and use of United States Government aircraft. Specifically, OMB Circular A-126 addresses the acquisition, management, usage, cost accounting, and disposal of government aircraft.

All policies presented by this circular apply to Executive Agencies, with special policy covering the travel by senior officials or non-Federal travelers on government aircraft that is government-owned, leased, chartered or rented and any related services that apply. The only exceptions are aircraft that is in use by or in support of the President or Vice President of the United States

The Office of Management and Budget was created in 1921 under the authority of the Budget and Accounting Act, revised in 1950 as the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act; again in 1970 as Reorganization Plan No. 2; as Executive Order 11541 and 31 U.S.C. § 1344.

Use and travel on government aircraft

Note: The sections below are intended only as a summary of government aircraft use policy. For specific concerns or questions about official government flight policy, refer to the official circular at the Office of Management and Budget

As stated in the circular, government aircraft are to be used for "defined official purposes", which is restricted to three categories:

"[T]ravel to meet mission requirements" i.e., travel to discharge an agency's official responsibilities

"[R]equired use travel" i.e., government aircraft are required to meet "bona fide communications or security needs" or as dictated by "exceptional scheduling requirements"

"[O]ther travel for the conduct of agency business"

There are outlined specifics that define "official travel" that must meet these specific criteria:

when no commercial airline or aircraft (including charter) service is reasonably available; specifically any schedule that does not meet the traveler's departure and/or arrival requirements within a 24-hour period

the cost of government aircraft usage is not more than the cost of using commercial airline or aircraft, including charter flights

aircraft may not be used on a "space available" basis unless:

the aircraft is already scheduled for an official purpose

the "space available" does not require a larger aircraft than needed

the "space available" use results in a minor additional cost to the government

Cost and reimbursement

The following conditions are not considered official business and require reimbursement to the government:

incidental private travel activities of an employee undertaken while on official travel that result in increased operating costs

wholly personal or political trips (reimbursement level set at "the full coach fare")

official trip during which political activities are attended and engaged in (the appropriate share of the full coach fare)

in which the employee flies to one or more locations for personal reasons (the excess of the full coach fare for all flights taken above the cost of the full coach fare to official business destinations)

The government is reimbursed for the cost or portion of the "full coach fare" applicable to the time not spent on required use travel. The "full coach fare" is defined as the cost of a ticket on a commercial airline available to the general public between the time the travel was planned and the day the travel was taken. For political travel, other laws and regulations may apply that require reimbursement in an amount greater than the "full coach fare".

Approval and documentation for government travel

Typically only an agency head or officials that are designated by the agency head may approve the use of agency aircraft, but government aircraft may also be used when it is also designated to transport senior Federal officials, members of their families or other non-Federal travelers on a "space available" basis but only when a written certification is presented by the agency.