Salary Council Recommends 2.5% Raises, Plus Premiums

As an example, the GAO said a senior executive in the Agriculture Department's foreign agricultural service took 10 premium-class trips from Washington to cities in Western Europe. The trips were authorized by a subordinate and cost more than $62,000, compared with about $9,000 for travel in coach, the GAO said.

Until a comprehensive, internal review can be conducted, the Agriculture Department has issued a directive that requires any exception to coach travel to be approved by the department's chief financial officer, said Terri Teuber, the department's director of communications.

"USDA discourages the use of premium travel. Period. Regardless of whether there are exemptions," she said.

The GAO analysis also suggested that travelers fare better at some agencies than others when flying for more than 14 hours.

More than 70 percent of the State Department's flights to Africa, the Middle East and Europe were in premium class for the long trips. In contrast, only 3 percent of the Defense Department and Department of Homeland Security travel to the same locations was in premium-class seats.

State Department spokesman Rob McInturff said officials are trying to encourage more coach travel and that the department adheres to federal travel regulations.

The GAO report was prepared at the request of Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.). He introduced a bill that would require agencies to file annual reports on their first-class and business-class travel.

Diary associate Eric Yoder contributed to this column.