air travel guidelines for central government employees

Subscribe Now! Get features like

• Latest News
• Entertainment
• Real Estate
• UK Board Result 2024
• Crick-it: Catch The Game
• Lok Sabha Election 2024
• Election Schedule 2024
• KKR vs DC Live Score
• IPL 2024 Schedule
• IPL Points Table
• IPL Purple Cap
• IPL Orange Cap
• AP Board Results 2024
• The Interview
• Web Stories
• Virat Kohli
• Mumbai News
• Bengaluru News
• Daily Digest

Govt employee and want to travel by air? Here are some LTC rules you should know

The guidelines have been issued by the department of post under the ministry of communications..

The Union government has announced Leave Travel Concession (LTC) rules for central government employees for air ticket booking. The guidelines, issued by the Department of Post under the Ministry of Communications, explain rules in regard to air ticket booking agents, ticket fare etc.

Therefore, if you are a central government employee, you should be aware of the following LTC rules for air travel:

(1.) Tickets can be purchased only from the three authorised travel agents: M/s Balmer & Lawrie Company Limited (BLCL), M/s Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT), and M/s Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Limited.

(2.) Within their entitled travel class, employees should choose a flight, preferably non-stop, with cheapest possible fare, in a given slot. A screenshot/print-out of this booking should be retained for LTC settlement claims.

(3.) To avail the most competitive fare and minimise burden on the exchequer, tickets should be booked at least 21 days before the intended journey date.

(4.) In unavoidable circumstances, where the booking is done through an external travel agent, relaxation can be given only by financial advisors of the ministry/department, and heads of department not below the rank of Joint Secretary in subordinate/attached office.

(5.) For LTC advance, staffers should apply at least 30 days prior to the intended date of journey, with the print-out of booking.

(6.) After receiving advance, if you see a different fare, then this is because there was a time gap between applying for and grant of advance; the said difference will be adjusted while settling LTC claim.

(7.) Employees not entitled for air travel but wish to travel by air, and are not under the Special Dispensation Scheme, should also get their tickets from the three agents irrespective of booking time limit.

(8.) Cancellations made before less than 24 hours before the journey will require submission of a self-declared justification by the staffer. No cancellation charges will be provided by the three ATAs.

(9.) Preferable, one ticket should be booked for each leg of travel, and holding multiple tickets is prohibited.

(10.) Employees are encouraged to generate tickets digitally through the portal of the three ATAs only. For this, they should submit their official email IDs with these agencies.

Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered. ...view detail

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like.

• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Weather Today
• HT Newsletters
• Subscription
• Print Ad Rates
• Code of Ethics

• IPL Match Today
• T20 World Cup 2024 Schedule
• IPL Live Score
• IPL 2024 Auctions
• T20 World Cup 2024
• Cricket Teams
• Cricket Players
• ICC Rankings
• Cricket Schedule
• Other Cities
• Income Tax Calculator
• Budget 2024
• Petrol Prices
• Diesel Prices
• Silver Rate
• Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Taylor Swift: A Primer
• Telugu Cinema
• Tamil Cinema
• Board Exams
• Exam Results
• Competitive Exams
• BBA Colleges
• Engineering Colleges
• Medical Colleges
• BCA Colleges
• Medical Exams
• Engineering Exams
• Horoscope 2024
• Festive Calendar 2024
• Compatibility Calculator
• The Economist Articles
• Lok Sabha States
• Lok Sabha Parties
• Lok Sabha Candidates
• Explainer Video
• On The Record
• Vikram Chandra Daily Wrap
• DC vs SRH Live Score
• KKR vs SRH Live Score
• EPL 2023-24
• ISL 2023-24
• Asian Games 2023
• Public Health
• Economic Policy
• International Affairs
• Climate Change
• Gender Equality
• future tech
• Daily Sudoku
• Daily Crossword
• Daily Word Jumble
• HT Friday Finance
• Explore Hindustan Times
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Subscription - Terms of Use

Latest DoPT order on LTC Air Ticket Booking Rules for Central Govt Employees – OM No dated 20.10.2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of government regulations, it’s essential for Central Government employees to stay up to date with the latest developments. One such crucial update is the latest Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) order on LTC (Leave Travel Concession) Air Ticket Booking Rules, issued on the 20th of October, 2023. This order carries significant implications for Central Government employees, affecting the way they plan and book air travel for their LTC entitlements. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the specifics of this latest order, breaking down the key aspects, changes, and implications.

Latest DoPT order on LTC

Understanding the latest dopt order on ltc air ticket booking rules for central govt employees.

The Latest DoPT Order on LTC Air Ticket Booking Rules for Central Govt Employees – OM dated 20.10.2023 has introduced several noteworthy changes, all aimed at simplifying the process and ensuring transparency. Let’s dive into the heart of these changes:

1. Introduction to the Latest DoPT Order The Latest DoPT Order, effective from October 20, 2023, is a pivotal document that central government employees must acquaint themselves with. It is designed to streamline and clarify the procedures regarding LTC and air ticket bookings.

2. Key Highlights of the Order of LTC Air Ticket Booking Rules for Central Govt Employees

a . Online Booking Mandatory Under the new order, all LTC air ticket bookings must be made online. This digital shift aims to make the process more efficient and user-friendly. Employees can now conveniently book their air tickets through the Authorised online portals, eliminating the need for physical visits to booking counters.

b. Authorized Booking Portals Central Government employees are only permitted to book their LTC air tickets through three authorized travel agents, viz. M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL), M/s Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT), and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC). This measure ensures that bookings are made through trusted platforms, safeguarding the interests of the employees.

c. Airline Selection-Flight having the cheapest fare The order provides clarity on airline selection, three ATTs are to display the details of the flight having the cheapest fare and the flight(s) having the fare 10% more than the cheapest fare only, in the desired time slot, at the time of booking the air tickets by the Government employees for the purpose of LTC journey.

DoPT OM dated 20.10.2023 regarding LTC Air Ticket Booking Rules for Central Govt Employees

F. No. 31011/11/2023 – Pers. Policy A-IV Government of India Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions Department of Personnel & Training Pers. Policy A-IV Desk

North Block, New Delhi. Dated: October, 2023

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: M odifications in instructions on booking of Air Tickets on Government Account in respect of Leave Travel Concession (LTC) — reg.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s OM No.31011/12/2022-Estt.A-IV dated 29.08.2022 regarding instructions on booking of Air Tickets in respect of Leave Travel Concession (LTC). The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has been receiving a number of representations seeking clarifications on issues relating to the settlement of claims, particularly of those government employees who have not retained the screenshot of the concerned webpage of the authorised travel Agents (ATAs) during the booking of air tickets, as provided under the OM dated 29.8.2022 referred to above.

2. In view of the above, the matter has been examined and with the approval of competent authority, the following changes/modifications in the prescribed procedure are made for the convenience of Government employees: –

(i) All three authorized travel agents, viz. M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL), M/s Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT), and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) are to display the details of the flight having the cheapest fare and the flight(s) having the fare 10% more than the cheapest fare only, in the desired time slot, at the time of booking the air tickets by the Government employees for the purpose of LTC journey . Therefore, the booking of air ticket for the purpose of LTC on the website of these three authorized travel agents shall itself be a proof that the ticket booked by the individual government employee was of the cheapest fare as provided under the guidelines.

(ii) All three authorized agents shall indicate the word ‘LTC’ on tickets issued for the LTC journey ; and

(iii) In all cases wherein the non-entitled Government employees are to travel by air under Special Dispensation Scheme directly from their Headquarters/place of posting to the place of visit in NER/J&K/A&N/Ladakh,the Government employees shall continue to take the print-out of the concerned webpage having flight and fare details of the flight for relevant railhead viz. Kolkata/ Guwahati/ Delhi/Amritsar/ Chennai/ Vishakhapatnam to the place of visit viz. NER or UT of J&K or UT of Ladakh or UT of A&N within the same time-slot where the direct flight has been booked for the purpose of reimbursement.

In case the flight tickets are not available in the same slot, the print out of the details of the flights available in the next slot may be retained for the purpose of settlement of claims, as provided under Point (ii) of the title

“Provisions for Reimbursement” in OM dated 29.8.2022 , referred to above.

3. Further, all the three AlAs have also been directed to allow the registration of those employees who do not have official email accounts provided their administrative office sends their details depicting their names, employee code no., private email IDs and mobile numbers, etc . to the travel agents for the purpose of booking the air tickets in respect of LTC journey.

4. For the sake of convenience, the links of the three authorized travel agents are as below:

(i) ‘M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited’,BLCL ( https://govemp.balmerlawrietravelapp.com ), (ii) ‘M/s Ashok Travels & Tours’, ‘ATT’ ( https://www.attitdc.in ) and (iii) Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd., ‘IRCTC’ ( https://www.air.irctc.co.in ).

5. All the Ministries/Departments are once again advised to bring it to the notice of all their employees that any misuse of LTC shall be viewed seriously and appropriate action as deemed fit under the relevant rules will be taken against the defaulting employees. In order to keep a check on any kind of misuse of LTC, Ministries/Departments are advised to randomly get some of the air tickets submitted by the officials verified by the airlines concerned with regard to the actual cost of air travel vis-a-vis the cost indicated on the air tickets submitted by the officials.

6. Hindi version will follow.

(Satish Kumar) Under Secretary to the Government of India

View the Order pdf

Get Free Email Updates

Type your email…

Follow us on  Telegram  Channel ,  Twitter   &  Facebook  and Whatsapp Channel for all Latest News and Updates

About The Author

G. buvaneswari, related posts.

Yoga Training Sessions for Central Government Employees

Read More »

Yoga Training Sessions are beneficial to the Central Government employees

Yoga Training Sessions are beneficial to the Central Government employees Stress Management The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) under the administrative control of Department of Personnel and…

Yoga reduces job burnout and stress: Study

Making yoga a part of the daily lifestyle significantly reduces job burnout and stress, a study conducted on industry executives has found

Yoga can help Government Servants in managing the stress

Yoga can help Government Servants in managing the stress Practice of Yoga best for health: Dr. Jitendra Singh The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development…

Working Hours in Government Offices

No proposal for the process of increasing the man hour work from 8 hours to 12 hours a day in all Government establishments

Work Related Illness and Injury Leave (WRIIL) Order issued

DoPT has issued order for granting new Leave named Work Related Illness and Injury Leave (WRIIL) vide Notification dated 11.12.2018. [ Read ] Despite this some employees have been seeking…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar

CENTRAL GOVT EMPLOYEES NEWS

Quick updates for CG Staff and CG Pensioners

LTC – Relaxation to Travel by Air to visit NER, Jammu Kashmir, Ladakh and Andaman Nicobar extended for 2 Years

October 9, 2020

LTC – Relaxation to Travel by Air to visit NER, Jammu Kashmir, Ladakh and Andaman Nicobar extended for 2 Years – Dopt Orders 2020

• LTC Facility for Central Government Employees to Travel by Air Extended up to 25th September 2022

CCS (LTC) Rules 1988 – Relaxation to travel by air to visit North East Region, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Union Territory of Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands

No. 31011/3/2018-Estt.(A-IV) Government of India Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Department of Personnel and Training Establishment A-IV Desk

North Block, New Delhi-110 001 Dated: October 8, 2020

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- Central Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 1988 – Relaxation to travel by air to visit North East Region, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Union Territory of Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands–extension beyond 25.09.2020.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s O.M. No. 31011/3/2018- Estt.A-IV dated 20.09.2018 regarding relaxation to travel by air to visit North East Region, Jammu & Kashmir and Andaman & Nicobar and to say that in relaxation to CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988, the scheme allowing Government servants to travel by air to North East Region (NER), Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Union Territory of Ladakh and Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands (A&N) is extended for a further period of two years, w.e.f. 26th September, 2020 till 25th September, 2022 as under:

(i) LTC for visiting NER, J&K, Ladakh and A&N in lieu of a Home Town LTC. (ii) Facility of air journey to non-entitled Government servants for visiting NER, J&K, Ladakh and A&N. (iii) Permission to undertake journey to J&K, Ladakh, NER and A&N by private airlines.

READ ALSO: LTC Facility for Central Government Employees to Travel by Air Extended up to 25th September 2022 – PIB NEWS

2. The above special dispensation is subject to the following terms & conditions:

(i) All eligible Government servants may avail LTC to visit any place in NER/ A&N/ J&K/ Ladakh against the conversion of their one Home Town LTC in a four year block

(ii) Government servants, whose Home Town and Headquarters/ place of posting is the same, are not allowed the conversion.

(iii) Fresh Recruits are allowed conversion of one of the three Home Town LTCs in a block of four years, applicable to them to visit NER/ A&N/ J&K/ Ladakh. They are also allowed one additional conversion of Home Town LTC to visit UT of J&K/ UT of Ladakh in a block of four years.

Central Government Holiday List 2024 PDF

(iv) Government servants entitled to travel by air may avail this concession from their Headquarters in their entitled class of air by any airlines subject to the maximum fare limit of LTC-80.

(v) Government servants not entitled to travel by air are allowed to travel by air in Economy class by any airlines subject to the maximum fare limit of LTC-80 in the following sectors.

(a) Between Kolkata/Guwahati and any place in NER. (b) Between Kolkata/ChennaiNisakhapatnam and Port Blair. (c) Between Delhi/Amritsar and any place in J&K/Ladakh.

Journey for these non-entitled employees from their Headquarters up to Kolkata/ Guwahati/ Chennai/ Visakhapatnam/ Delhi/ Amritsar shall be undertaken as per their entitlement.

READ ALSO: Air India LTC-80 Domestic Fare Chart w.e.f. Nov 2020

(vi) Air travel by Government employees to NER, J&K, Ladakh and A&N as mentioned in para (iv) and (v) above is allowed whether they avail the concession against Anywhere in India LTC or in lieu of the Home Town LTC, as permitted.

(vii) As regards the settlement of LTC cases where a non-entitled Government employee travels directly by air from his Headquarters to the destination in NER/ J&K/ Ladakh/ A&N, the clarification issued vide DoPT’s O.M. No. 31011/3/2018- Estt.A-IV dated 20.06.2019 may also be referred to.

(viii) Air tickets are to be purchased directly from the airlines (Booking counters, website of airlines) or by utilizing the service of Authorized Travel Agents viz. ‘M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company’, ‘M/s Ashok Travels & Tours’ and ‘IRCTC’ [to the extent IRCTC is authorized as per DoPT’s O.M. No. 31011/6/2002- Estt.(A) dated 02.12.2009] while undertaking LTC journey. Booking of tickets through other agencies is not permitted and no request for relaxation of rules for booking the tickets through such agencies shall be considered by this Department.

3. Efforts should be made by the Government servants to book air tickets at the cheapest fare possible. All the Ministries/ Departments are advised to bring it to the notice of all their employees that any misuse of LTC will be viewed seriously and the employees will be liable for appropriate action under the rules. In order to keep a check on any kind of misuse of LTC, Ministries/ Departments are advised to randomly get some of the air tickets submitted by the officials verified from the airlines concerned with regard to the actual cost of air travel vis-a-vis the cost indicated on the air tickets submitted by the officials.

4. In their application to the persons belonging to Indian Audit and Accounts Department, these orders are issued under Article 148(5) of the Constitution and after consultation with the Comptroller & Auditor General of India.

(Surya Narayan Jha) Under Secretary to the Government of India

Click to View: Relaxation to travel by air to visit North East Region, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Union Territory of Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands – Dopt order dated 08-10-2020

Related posts:

• LTC Relaxation for Travel by Air to North Eastern Region, J&K, Ladakh and A&N Islands Extended for 2 more Years till 25.9.2024
• DOPT 2016 : Relaxation extended for a further period of two years to travel by air to visit NER, J&K and A&N
• Relaxation to travel by private airlines to visit Jammu & Kashmir – Extension orders issued by Dopt on 01.06.2016
• CCS LTC Rules – Relaxation to travel by private airlines to visit Jammu & Kashmir
• Clarification orders on travel by private airlines to visit Jammu & Kashmir
• To boost the tourism in the State of Jammu & Kashmir , the Government has decided to extend the facility to travel by any airlines to visit Jammu & Kashmir on LTC
• Relaxation to travel by air to visit J&K, NER and A&N for further two years on LTC – Dopt Order
• LTC Special Dispensation Scheme for Government Employees to Visit Kashmir
• LTC Rules – Relaxation to travel by air to visit NER, J&K and A&N – DoPT Order dt. 20.9.2018

• Tata Steel share price
• 167.40 0.93%
• State Bank Of India share price
• 826.15 3.09%
• ICICI Bank share price
• 1,158.80 4.67%
• NTPC share price
• 363.10 2.07%
• HDFC Bank share price
• 1,528.80 1.26%

LTC rules for govt employees on flight ticket booking explained

Ltc rules: central government has authorised three air ticket booking agents — irctc, balmer lawrie & company limited and ashok travels & tours.

LTC rules for central government employees: The central government has issued guidelines on air ticket booking. The Department of Post under the Ministry of Communications has issued office memorandum (OM) in this regard and explained the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) rules in regard to air ticket booking agents, flight ticket fare, time band, etc. The central government has asked central government employees to book air ticket from three booking agents — Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC), Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL) and Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT).

Here we list out LTC rules for central government employees in 10 points:

1] In all cases of air travel in respect of LTC, air tickets shall be purchased only from the three Authorized Travel Agents (ATAs), namely: (a) M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL), (b) M/s Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT), and (c) Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC).

2] Government employees have to choose flight having the Best Available Fare on their entitled travel class which is the Cheapest Fare available, preferably for Non-stop flight in a given slot, mentioned below, at the time of booking. They are to retain the print-out of the concerned webpage of the ATAs having flight and fare details for the purpose of the settlement of the LTC claims.

3] Central government employees are encouraged to book flight tickets at least 21 days prior to the intended date of travel on LTC, to avail the most competitive fares and minimize burden on the exchequer.

4] In case of unavoidable circumstances, where the booking of ticket is done from unauthorized travel agent/website, the Financial Advisors of the Ministry/Department and Head of Department not below the rank of Joint Secretary in subordinate/attached offices are authorized to grant relaxation.

5] Government employees entitled for air travel, may apply for LTC advance with the print-out of the concerned webpage of authorized travel agency having suitable flight and fare details while tracking the fare of the flight under the three hour time slot, as mentioned at Para 1 (iii) (a) above, at least 30 days prior to the intended date of journey.

6] In case, at the time of actual booking of the ticket after receiving the advance, there is any difference in fare owing to the time gap between request for advance and grant of advance, the difference in fare will be adjusted at the time of settlement of LTC claim.

7] Government employees not entitled for air travel and wish to travel by air but not under the Special Dispensation Scheme, are also required to book their air ticket through only the three ATAs mentioned above irrespective of booking time limit. However, the reimbursement will be restricted to the actual air fare or the entitled train/bus fare for the shortest route, whichever is less.

8] Employees are encouraged to avoid unnecessary cancellations. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before intended travel on LTC, will require the submission of a self-declared justification by the employee. All the three ATAs have been directed to provide zero/nil cancellation charges. Till then, cancellation charges are to be reimbursed for all cases where cancellation was due to the circumstances/reasons beyond the control of Government employee.

9] Employees should preferably book only one ticket for each leg of intended travel on LTC. Holding of more than one ticket is not allowed.

10] While tickets may be arranged by the office through the travel agent, employees are encouraged to make ticket booking digitally through the Self Booking Tool/online booking website/portal of the 3 ATAs only. Employees must register their official Government Email-Id with these three agencies to book their air tickets digitally through above modes for travel by any airlines.

Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Wait for it…

Log in to our website to save your bookmarks. It'll just take a moment.

You are just one step away from creating your watchlist!

Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.

Your session has expired, please login again.

Congratulations!

You are now subscribed to our newsletters. In case you can’t find any email from our side, please check the spam folder.

Subscribe to continue

This is a subscriber only feature Subscribe Now to get daily updates on WhatsApp

The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

Ltc rule changed: central govt employees must know these new instructions to claim ltc.

7th Pay Commission rules for Central Govt employees: In an Office Memorandum dated October 20, 2023, DoPT has modified instructions for booking air tickets in respect of Leave Travel Concession (LTC). DoPT said that it has been receiving several representations seeking clarifications on issues relating to the settlement of claims. What are the new rules? What has changed? Here are the new instructions and the links of three authorised travel agents.

Read More News on

(Your legal guide on estate planning, inheritance, will and more.)

Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

Why Indians would rather eat restaurant food than buy ready-to-cook

As more EVs roll out, here’s what can spoil the party

Google 1-startups 0: This INR2,000 crore ad war is set for a new twist

A treasure trove of renewable energy is hiding beneath Ladakh’s cold deserts

Three reasons why an uptick in Bandhan Bank shares will take time

With spruced-up dives, classy cocktail bars and bigger-than-ever microbreweries, Bengaluru’s drinking scene gets even more spirited

Find this comment offensive?

Choose your reason below and click on the Report button. This will alert our moderators to take action

Reason for reporting:

Your Reason has been Reported to the admin.

To post this comment you must

Log In/Connect with:

Fill in your details:

Will be displayed

Will not be displayed

Share this Comment:

Uh-oh this is an exclusive story available for selected readers only..

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Login using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

To read full story, subscribe to ET Prime

₹34 per week

Billed annually at ₹2499 ₹1749

Super Saver Sale - Flat 30% Off

On ET Prime Membership

Unlock this story and enjoy all members-only benefits.

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Stay Ahead in the New Financial Year

Get flat 20% off on ETPrime

90 Days Prime access worth Rs999 unlocked for you

Exclusive Economic Times Stories, Editorials & Expert opinion across 20+ sectors

Stock analysis. Market Research. Industry Trends on 4000+ Stocks

​Get 1 Year Complimentary Subscription of TOI+ worth Rs.799/-​

Stories you might be interested in

• Personal Finance
• Today's Paper
• Partner Content
• Entertainment
• Social Viral
• Pro Kabaddi League

Govt employees can now avail air travel on LTC, Centre issues notice

The central government has issued new guidelines for the leave travel concession (ltc) availed by employees, which will now include air tickets.

Rajasthan relaxes minor minerals concession rules to promote legal mining

Luxury curated travel back with a bang post coronavirus-induced lull, makemytrip-owned redbus plans integrated end-to-end online travel solutions, budget session: accountancy bill approval, vehicle safety norms, and more, labour pain for pvt domestic airlines as staff threaten mass leave over pay, denmark's economy expands faster than estimated in second quarter, can india's gdp grow 7% annually over 25 yrs data suggests it's tough, firms preparing highway plan reports have to take govt training: ministry, centre proposes amendment in export policy for certain types of drones, coking coal price rise likely to delay margin recovery of steelmakers.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Aug 31 2022 | 1:43 PM IST

Explore News

Key stories on business-standard.com are available only to BS Premium subscribers.

• Suzlon Energy Share Price Adani Enterprises Share Price Adani Power Share Price IRFC Share Price Tata Motors Share Price Tata Steel Share Price Yes Bank Share Price Infosys Share Price SBI Share Price Tata Power Share Price HDFC Bank Share Price
• Latest News Company News Market News India News Politics News Cricket News Personal Finance Technology News World News Industry News Education News Opinion Shows Economy News Lifestyle News Health News
• Today's Paper About Us T&C Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Disclaimer Investor Communication GST registration number List Compliance Contact Us Advertise with Us Sitemap Subscribe Careers BS Apps
• Budget 2024 Lok Sabha Election 2024 IPL 2024 Pro Kabaddi League IPL Points Table 2024

• DOPT Orders 2023
• DOPT Orders 2022
• DOPT Orders 2021
• DOPT Orders 2020
• DOPT Orders 2019
• DOPT Orders 2018
• DOPT Orders on LTC
• DOPT Order on Stepping up of Pay
• 7th CPC Pay Matrix revised for Central Government Employees
• 7th CPC Pay Matrix Table for Defence Personnel
• DA / DR Orders
• DA from July 2024 Calculator
• DA Calculation Sheet for Bank Employees
• Expected DA Calculator for Bank Employees from May 2024
• One Rank One Pension (OROP)
• Forms & Downloads

CCS LTC Rules : Relaxation to travel by air to visit NER, JK, Ladakh and A&N – extension beyond 25.09.2022

Ccs ltc rules : relaxation to travel by air to visit ner, jk, ladakh and a&n – extension beyond 25.09.2022.

F.No. 31011/15/2022-Estt-A-IV Government of India Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions Department of Personnel & Training (Establishment A-IV)

North Block, New Delhi Dated 11th October, 2022

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject : Central Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 1988 – Relaxation to travel by air to visit North East Region, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar – extension beyond 25.09.2022 – reg.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s OM No.31011/3/2018-Estt.A-IV dated 08.10.2020 regarding relaxation to travel by air to visit North East Region, Jammu & Kashmir, and Andaman & Nicobar, and to say that in relaxation to CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988, the scheme allowing Government servants to travel by air to North East Region (NER), Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Union Territory of Ladakh and Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands (A&N) is extended for a further period of two years, w.e.f. 26th September, 2022 till 25th September, 2024.

2. The above Special Dispensation Concession is subject to the following terms & conditions:

(i) All eligible Government servants may avail LTC to visit any place in NER/A&N/J&K/Ladakh against the conversion of their one Home Town LTC in a four years’ block period.

(ii) Government servants, whose Home Town and Headquarters/ place of posting are same, they are not allowed the conversion of any Home Town LTC as they are not eligible for the Home Town LTC facility.

(iii) The Government servant whose Home Town is situated in NER/A&N/J&K/Ladakh will also be allowed conversion of Home Town LTC for availing this Scheme to visit any place in any one of the three regions out of the above mentioned four regions except the region wherein his/her Hometown is situated.

(iv) Fresh Recruits are also allowed conversion of one of the three Home Town LTCs in a block of four years, applicable to them to visit NER/A&N/ J&K/Ladakh. In addition, they are allowed one additional conversion of Home Town LTC to visit UT of J&K/ UT of Ladakh in a block of four years.

(v) Government servants entitled to travel by air may avail this concession from their Headquarters in their entitled class of air by any airlines subject to the terms and conditions as enumerated in DoPT’s OM. No. 31011/12/2022-Estt.A-IV dated 29.08.2022 (copy enclosed).

(vi) Government servants not entitled to travel by air are allowed to travel by air in Economy class by any airlines subject to the terms and conditions as enumerated in DoPT’s OM dated 29.08.2022 in the following sectors:-

(a) Between Kolkata/Guwahati and any place in NER. (b) Between Kolkata/Chennai/Visakhapatnam and Port Blair. (c) Between Delhi/Amritsar and any place in J&K/Ladakh.

Journey for these non-entitled employees from their Headquarters upto Kolkata/ Guwahati/Chennai/Visakhapatnam/Delhi/ Amritsar shall be undertaken as per their entitlement.

(vii) Air travel by Government employees to NER, J&K, Ladakh and A&N as mentioned in para (v) and (vi) above is allowed whether they avail the concession against Anywhere in India LTC or in lieu of the Home Town LTC, as permitted.

(viii) Government servants not entitled to travel by air are also allowed to travel by air in Economy class by any airlines to any place in NER/A&N/J&K/Ladakh from their Headquarters directly, however, the reimbursement will be subject to the conditions as enumerated in DoPT’s OM. No. 31011/12/2022-Estt.A-IV dated 29.08.2022.

(1x) The instructions regarding booking of air tickets through authorized travel agents, best available fares, slots, booking time, advances, reimbursement, etc., as mentioned in DoPT’s OM. No. 31011/12/2022-Estt.A-IV dated 29.08.2022 will also be applicable for this Special Dispensation Scheme.

3. All the Ministries/Departments are advised to bring it to the notice of all their employees that any misuse of LTC will be viewed seriously and the employees will be liable for appropriate action under the rules. In order to keep a check on any kind of misuse of LTC, Ministries/Departments are advised to randomly get some of the air tickets submitted by the officials verified from the airlines concerned with regard to the actual cost of air travel vis-a-vis the cost indicated on the air tickets submitted by the officials.

4. In so far as applicability of this extended scheme to the persons belonging to Indian Audit and Accounts Department is concerned, a separate communication will be issued after the comments/concurrence from the O/o C&AG is received as mandated under Article 148(5) of the Constitution of India.

(Satish Kumar) Under Secretary to the Government of India Tel 23040341

To The Secretaries All Ministries /Departments of the Government of India (As per the standard list)

Follow us on  Telegram  Channel,  Twitter  and  Facebook  for all the latest updates

33rd SCOVA Meeting – February 22, 2024: Minutes – DOPPW

Cghs extended the date for abha id creation & linking with cghs card, kendriya vidyalaya to open new school on iit tirupati, yerpedu-venkatagiri road, tnpsc group 2/2a services (non-interview posts) results released, postal departmental exam schedule 2024: dept of posts released calendar, central government offices closed on lok sabha election day (paid holiday): dopt order, leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

IGECORNER is a trusted online platform dedicated to empowering Central Government Employees with up-to-date information, valuable resources, government orders, latest news and insightful discussions.

© Copyright 2010–2024 All Rights Reserved | igecorner.com

• Privacy Policy

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Explore sell to government
• Ways you can sell to government
• How to access contract opportunities
• Conduct market research
• Register your business
• Certify as a small business
• Become a schedule holder
• Market your business
• Research active solicitations
• Respond to a solicitation
• What to expect during the award process
• Comply with contractual requirements
• Handle contract modifications
• Monitor past performance evaluations
• Explore real estate
• 3D-4D building information modeling
• Art in architecture | Fine arts
• Computer-aided design standards
• Commissioning
• Design excellence
• Engineering
• Project management information system
• Spatial data management
• Facilities operations
• Smart buildings
• Tenant services
• Utility services
• Water quality management
• Explore historic buildings
• Heritage tourism
• Historic preservation policy, tools and resources
• Historic building stewardship
• Videos, pictures, posters and more
• NEPA implementation
• Courthouse program
• Land ports of entry
• Prospectus library
• Regional buildings
• Renting property
• Visiting public buildings
• Real property disposal
• Reimbursable services (RWA)
• Rental policy and procedures
• Site selection and relocation
• For businesses seeking opportunities
• For federal customers
• For workers in federal buildings
• Explore policy and regulations
• Acquisition management policy
• Aviation management policy
• Information technology policy
• Real property management policy
• Relocation management policy
• Travel management policy
• Vehicle management policy
• Federal acquisition regulations
• Federal management regulations
• Federal travel regulations
• GSA acquisition manual
• Managing the federal rulemaking process
• Explore small business
• Explore business models
• Research the federal market
• Forecast of contracting opportunities
• Events and contacts
• Explore travel
• Per diem rates
• Transportation (airfare rates, POV rates, etc.)
• State tax exemption
• Travel charge card
• Conferences and meetings
• E-gov travel service (ETS)
• Travel category schedule

Federal travel regulation

• Travel policy
• Explore technology
• Cloud computing services
• Cybersecurity products and services
• Data center services
• Hardware products and services
• Professional IT services
• Software products and services
• Telecommunications and network services
• Work with small businesses
• Governmentwide acquisition contracts
• MAS information technology
• Software purchase agreements
• Cybersecurity
• Digital strategy
• Emerging citizen technology
• Federal identity, credentials, and access management
• Mobile government
• Technology modernization fund
• Explore about us
• Annual reports
• Mission and strategic goals
• Role in presidential transitions
• Get an internship
• Launch your career
• Elevate your professional career
• Discover special hiring paths
• Events and training
• Agency blog
• Congressional testimony
• GSA does that podcast
• News releases
• Leadership directory
• Staff directory
• Office of the administrator
• Federal Acquisition Service
• Public Buildings Service
• Staff offices
• Board of Contract Appeals
• Office of Inspector General
• Region 1 | New England
• Region 2 | Northeast and Caribbean
• Region 3 | Mid-Atlantic
• Region 4 | Southeast Sunbelt
• Region 5 | Great Lakes
• Region 6 | Heartland
• Region 7 | Greater Southwest
• Region 8 | Rocky Mountain
• Region 9 | Pacific Rim
• Region 10 | Northwest/Arctic
• Region 11 | National Capital Region
• Per Diem Lookup

To eliminate the confusion caused by a duplicate regulation, we discontinued hosting the FTR. Follow the link below to view the official copy.

Access the federal travel regulation on eCFR.gov

Explore the official regulation publications on the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.

Explore eCFR

The eCFR allows you to:

• Browse the Code of Federal Regulations as it existed at any point in time.
• Compare the regulations as they existed on any two dates.
• View a timeline of how the eCFR content has changed.
• Search for specific terms.
• Subscribe to changes in the regulations.

The Federal Travel Regulation summarizes the travel and relocation policy for all federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at the government’s expense. Federal employees and agencies may use the FTR as a reference to ensure official travel and relocation is conducted in a responsible and cost effective manner.

Download the FTR (41 CFR) [PDF]

Last annual edition updated July 1, 2021. Prior years may be found at Code of Federal Regulations (Annual Edition) . Contents may be out of date. Refer to eCFR.gov for the most up-to-date regulation information.

Explore bulletins and other documents .

PER DIEM LOOK-UP

1 choose a location.

Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.

No results could be found for the location you've entered.

Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense .

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department .

2 Choose a date

Rates are available between 10/1/2021 and 09/30/2024.

The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS

All about Central Government Employees News. Get the central govt employees latest news, DoPT Orders, 7th Pay Commission, DA Hike, latest notification for pensioners, MACP latest order, da for central government employees, and more.

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT HOLIDAY LIST 2024

Modification of instructions regarding booking of air tickets on government account.

June 18, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

Air Tickets on Govt account

No. 19024/03/2021-E.IV Government of India Ministry of Finance Department of Expenditure

North Block, New Delhi. Dated the 16th June, 2022

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Modification of instructions regarding Booking of Air Tickets on Government account.

In view of the decision of the Government for disinvestment of Air India, it has already been decided that in all cases of air travel where the Government of India bears the cost of air passage, air tickets shall be purchased only from the three Authorized Travel Agents viz.

(i) M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL), (ii) M/s Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT). (iii) Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC),

2. The choice of the travel agent for booking of ticket for tour and LTC from those in Para 1 is left open to the Ministry/Department and to the official in case of self booking, based on convenience and service quality. Tickets for all employees for a single tour should be done through one selected travel agent only. No agency charges/convenience fees will be paid to these three booking agencies.

3. Employees are to choose flight having the  Best Available Fare  on their entitled travel class which is the  Cheapest Fare  available, preferably for Non-stop flight in a given slot at the time of booking :-

• (a) On the day of travel in the desired 3 hours slot of following time band – 00.00 to 03.00, 03.00 to 06.00, 06.00 to 09.00, 09.00 to 12.00, 12.00 to 15.00, 15.00 to 18.00, 18.00 to 21.00, 21.00 to 24.00
• (b) With provision of optimizing within a 10% price band, for convenience and comfort,

4. Employees are encouraged to book flight tickets at least 21 days prior to the intended date of travel on tour and LTC, to avail the most competitive fares and minimize burden on the exchequer. Bookings may be made even if the approval of the tour programme is still under process.

9. Any bookings made within less than 72 hours of intended travel on Tour, will require the submission of self-declared justification by the employee.

6. Employees are also encouraged to avoid unnecessary cancellations. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before intended travel, will require the submission of a self-declared justification by the employee.

7. Employees should preferably book only one ticket for each leg of intended travel. Holding of more than one ticket is not allowed. However, in case of special exigencies or exceptional circumstances, a maximum of two tickets for the alternative flights for different time-slot may be booked for same leg of travel with the self-declared justification for the same.

8. (a) While tickets may be arranged by the office through the travel agent, employees are encouraged to make ticket booking digitally through the Self Booking Tool/online booking website/portal of these 3 authorized agencies only.

(b) Employees must register their official Government Email-Id with these 3 agencies to book their air tickets digitally through above modes for travel by any airlines.

9. Ministries/Departments should ensure the availability of sanctioned Budget for Domestic and Foreign travel for their employees.

10. In case of unavoidable circumstances, where the booking of ticket is done from unauthorized travel agent/website, the Financial Advisors of the Ministry/Department and Head of Department not below the rank of Joint Secretary in subordinate /attached offices are authorized to grant relaxation.

11. All Ministries/Departments are to clear their dues on account of air ticket to the concerned travel agent within a maximum of 30 days from completion of journey.

12. To ensure timely payment of air ticket to the travel agents, to confirm the performance of journey, the employee has to submit a certificate/undertaking in prescribed proforma (enclosed as Annexure-1) within 72 hours of completion of journey. TA bill may be submitted later as per the existing rules.

13. Ministries/Departments must clear all previous outstanding dues to the travel agents by 31st August, 2022.

14. No Mileage Points will be generated against travel on Government account.

15. All Ministries/Departments are directed to ensure strict compliance of the order and to widely circulate this O.M. in all offices including Attached/ Subordinate Offices/ Autonomous Bodies under their control.

16. This O.M. is issued in supersession of all existing instructions on the subject.

17. This is issued with the approval of the Finance Secretary & Secretary (Expenditure).

(Nirmala Dev) Director

Download Air ticket booking instructions dated 16.06.2022 PDF – DoE

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest DoPT Orders 2023

Central govt holiday list 2023.

Indian Railway Holiday List 2023 PDF | Postal Holidays List 2023 India Post | Bank Holidays List 2023 India | LIC Office Holiday List 2023 PDF Download | EPFO Holiday List 2023 PDF Download | ESIC Holiday List 2023 PDF Download | CGHS Holiday Calendar List 2023 | Post Office Holidays 2023 | Railway Holidays CG Office Holidays 2023 | TN Govt Holidays 2023 | KVS Holiday List 2023-2024 PDF

Central Government News App for Android Users – Free!! Download Now

7th CPC | CGDA | CGHS | CPSE | CSD | CSS | Dearness Allowance | Dearness Relief | Defence | DOPT Orders | EPFO | ESIC | Expected DA | GST | Holidays | HRA | Income Tax | KVS | Leave Rules | LTC | MACP | Maternity Leave | NPS | OROP | Pension | Postal Department | Promotion | Railways | Rank Pay | Reservation | Retirement Age

• Elections 2024
• Entertainment
• Andhra Pradesh
• Mobile Phones
• Product Review
• Board Results
• Entrance Exams
• Exam Results
• Health Conditions
• Mental Health
• Health News
• Other Sports
• Personal Finance
• Movie Reviews
• Regional Cinema
• Telugu cinema
• Kannada cinema
• Malayalam cinema
• Tamil cinema
• Book Review
• Food & Drink
• Relationships
• Spirituality
• Home & Garden
• Education and Career
• Latest News
• Opinion / Analysis
• Short Videos
• Photo Gallery
• Home Utility

Modi government issues guidelines for central employees booking air tickets: Check details here

Booking made within less than 72 hours of intended travel on tour or any cancellation made less than 24 hours before intended travel will require the submission of self-declared justification by the employee..

The Finance Ministry has asked government employees to choose the cheapest fare available on their entitled travel class. (Photo credit: PTI)

• Employees have been directed to book only one ticket for each leg of intended travel.
• Ministries must clear all previous outstanding dues to travel agents by August 31, 2022.
• They have been asked to book flight tickets at least 21 days prior to the intended travel on tour.

New Delhi: In an effort to cut down on unnecessary expenditure, the Finance Ministry has asked government employees to choose the ‘cheapest fare available’ in their entitled travel class and book air tickets at least three weeks prior to their date of travel for tours and Leave Travel Concession (LTC). LTC is conferred on Central Government employees for travel to various parts of the nation and home as well. Employees can enjoy a maximum of two home trips, out of which one of the hometown visits can be substituted with an ‘All India visit’, if needed.

Where to book tickets

Government employees are required to purchase air tickets only from three authorised travel agents — Balmer Lawrie & Co, Ashok Travel & Tours, and IRCTC.

As per the modified instructions regarding the booking of air tickets on the government account, the employees will have to submit a self-declared justification if they are booking a ticket within less than 72 hours of intended travel on tour or cancelling a ticket less than 24 hours before intended travel.

The modified instruction also nudged employees to make ticket bookings digitally through the self-booking tool/online booking website/portal of the three authorised travel agents.

Numbers of tickets to be booked

The Finance Ministry has directed the employees to book only one ticket for each leg of intended travel, make bookings even if approval of the tour programme is in process, and also avoid unnecessary cancellations.

According to the memorandum, the holding of more than one ticket is not allowed. However, in the event of special exigencies or exceptional circumstances, a maximum of two tickets for alternative flights for different time-slots may be booked for the same leg of travel with the self-declared justification for the same.

In unavoidable situations where the ticket is purchased from an unlicensed travel agency or website, the relaxation must only be given by an officer with the rank of Joint Secretary or higher.

Tickets for all employees on a single tour should be done through one selected travel agent only and no charges/fees should be paid to these booking agents, as per the instruction.

When to book a ticket

Employees are encouraged to book flight tickets at least 21 days prior to the intended travel on tour and LTC, to avail of the most competitive fares and minimise the burden on the exchequer.

Ministries must clear previous dues

The expenditure department has also directed all ministries and departments to clear their dues to the travel agents within 30 days of the completion of the journey. Within 72 hours of the journey, officers will have to submit a certificate or undertaking confirming their travel.

It said ministries must clear all previous outstanding dues to the travel agents by August 31, 2022, and no mileage points will be generated against travel on government accounts.

The ministry is looking to cut down on unnecessary expenditure as fiscal expenses are already high on account of excise duty cuts on petrol and diesel, customs duty reductions on some commodities, higher fertiliser subsidies and free food schemes for the poor.

LTC and Official Tour in Private Airlines – Guidelines issued and Powers delgated

Ltc and official tour in private airlines – ministry of finance issues guidelines for all central government employees to travel by private airlines other than air india – powers for relaxation has been delegated to financial advisers of ministry.

Department of Expenditure has published an OM regarding procedure to be followed by Govt Officials for travelling through private airlines.

No.  19024/1/2009-E.IV

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Expenditure

New  Delhi,   dated the 7th   June,  2016 .

        OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub:- Delegation  of powers  to Financial Advisers  to accord exemption for air travel  in  airlines other than Air India  in individual cases – reg.

Reference   is  invited  to  Department   of Expenditure’s O.M. of even number  dated  13th July 2009 which  provides  that  in all cases  of air  travel,   both domestic and   international, wherein the Government  of India bears  the cost of air   passage,  officials have to travel  in Air  India only. For cases of air travel  by Airlines  other than Air India  because of operational  or other reasons or on account of non-availability,   the  powers  were  vested  with    Ministry of Civil Aviation  to accord exemption  in individual cases.

2.          The  matter   has  been  examined   in  consultation   with the   Ministry   of  Civil Aviation. Accordingly,      powers      are    hereby     delegated     to     the     Financial     Advisers    of     the Ministries/Departments to accord  exemption  for  air travel,  both Domestic  and International,  by airlines other  than  Air  India.  In respect of individual  cases of Autonomous Bodies, the  Financial Advisers of the concerned Ministry/  Department  will  accord exemption  for Air travel  by Airlines other than Air India. The individual   cases   of Financial Advisers  for  air travel  in airlines other  than Air India,  will  be approved  by the  administrative   Secretary  of the concerned  Ministry.

3.    To regulate   the   individual  claims,    guidelines and proforma for  seeking relaxation for travel by airlines  other than Air  India, are enclosed at Annexure – A & B.

(Nirmala Dev)

Deputy  Secretary  to the Government  of India

                                                                                  Tel.23093276

Annexure- “A”

GUIDELINES  FOR RELAXATION   TO ‘ TRAVEL  BY AIRLINES OTHER THAN AIR INDIA

1.      Request for seeking relaxation  is  required   to be submitted  in the  Proforma  (Annex.   B)

2.      The request for  relaxation  must be submitted to Integrated Finance Division at  least 7  working  days in advance from  date  of travel.

3.     There is  no requirement    to seek relaxation   for  those Sectors on which  General/blanket relaxation    has been accorded  by Ministry of Civil Aviation.

4.      Those seeking  relaxation   on ground of Non-Availability    of Seats  (NAS)  must enclose NAS Certificate  issued by authorized travel agents  or a copy of the sector  specific  snapshot of Air India website.

5.      As per Ministry of  Finance, Department of Expenditure OM No.19024/1/2009-E.IV dated  13th July, 2009 for  sectors which  are not connected  directly  by any of the airlines, an employee  must  travel  by Air India upto  the  nearest hub. Relaxation will  be granted for the remaining  segment.

6.   Relaxation to  travel  by airlines  other  than  Air  India while availing  LTC  will  be granted only  in  exceptional   circumstances. Non  availability   of  AI flight/seats on  a particular day/time  would not be considered as a valid ground for seeking relaxation.

7.      Availability  of lower  fare is no criteria for seeking relaxation.

8.     Those seeking relaxation  on the ground  of attending  meeting at a  particular  time,  must attach meeting notice and approved tour programme.

9.     For foreign  travel  cases, where  full  or partial  grants  are received, journey  has to  be performed   on  Air  India  upto  the  place  upto  which  Air  India  is  available  and  seek relaxation  for  the  remaining  sector.   On international   routes  where  Air India  has  code share partner, the same must be utilised.

10.     For invitees  from  abroad   travelling  on Government  of India funding,  efforts  should  be made to book them  on Air India and Air India code share  flights  to the  extent possible.

11.  Non-receipt  of approval   by the stipulated date does not  entitle  one to claim,  relaxation as a matter  of right.

PROFORMA FOR RELAXATION   TO TRAVEL BY AIRLINES OTHER THAN AIR INDIA

(Signature  of the individual travelling)    (Signature  of the Head  of the Office)

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION/  MINISTRY

*(Signature  of Joint Secretary)

*Note:In  case  the  individual   travelling  is holding  the  appointment of JS or  above  in  the  Ministry,  no separate  approval of Head of the Organization and approval of the Administrative  Division/Ministry  is required.   In.  such   cases,  self-certification by the  travelling   officer  GS  &above)  will be  sufficient  for submitting  their proposal  for grant  of the said permission.

Download Ministry of Finance OM No.19024/1/2009-E.IV dated 07.06.2016

Airlines must cough up cancellation cash and can no longer hide fees under new federal rule

A federal rule announced Wednesday will require airlines to quickly give cash refunds — without lengthy arguments — to passengers whose flights have been canceled or seriously delayed, the Biden administration said.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

The rule from the Transportation Department says passengers who decline other reimbursement like travel credits are to get cash refunds.

It applies when a flight is canceled or has a “significant change,” the administration said.A “significant change” includes when departure or arrival times are three or more hours different from the scheduled times for domestic flights or six hours for international flights, and when the airport is changed or connections are added, it said.

Passengers are also to get refunds when their baggage is 12 hours late in delivery for domestic flights.

The new rule comes after promises to hold airlines accountable after major disruptions that made travel hell for passengers, including the 2022 Southwest Airlines meltdown , which resulted in almost 17,000 significantly delayed or canceled flights and a missing baggage nightmare.

The Transportation Department said that the new rule means refunds are automatic and that "airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops."

Also announced Wednesday was a rule requiring airlines to more clearly disclose so-called junk fees upfront, such as surprise baggage or other fees, the department said.

It said that rule is expected to save fliers around $500 million a year.

The surprise fees are used so tickets look cheaper than they really are, and then fliers get the unwelcome surprise of fees on checked bags, carry-on bags or reservation changes — or even discounts that are advertised but apply to only part of the ticket price, officials said.

Airlines will also have to tell fliers clearly that their seats are guaranteed and that they don't have to pay extra to ensure they have seats for flights, according to the Transportation Department.

Airlines for America, an industry trade group, said that its member airlines “offer transparency and vast choice to consumers from first search to touchdown” and that they do offer cash refunds.

The 11 largest U.S. airlines returned $10.9 billion in cash refunds last year, an increase over $7.5 billion in 2019 but slightly down from $11.2 billion in 2022, the group said.

“U.S. airlines are providing more options and better services while ticket prices, including ancillary revenues, are at historic lows,” Airlines for America said.

Left out of the federal changes announced Wednesday are those involving "family seating fees," but the Transportation Department said in a statement that "DOT is planning to propose a separate rule that bans airlines from charging these junk fees."

Travelers have complained to the Transportation Department that children weren’t seated next to accompanying adults, including in some cases young children, department officials said last year.

Fees on bags specifically have made up an increasing amount of airline revenues, the Transportation Department said Wednesday in announcing the new rules.

A Transportation Department analysis found that airline revenue from baggage fees increased 30% from 2018 to 2022, while operating revenue — which is from the flights themselves — increased by only half that amount, the department said.

Jay Blackman is an NBC News producer covering such areas as transportation, space, medical and consumer issues.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.