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<p>The number of air travel tickets purchased by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
is given in the table below. The data sets out the number of tickets booked through
the Government’s nominated travel agency from June 2016, when the contract with the
current travel agency began. Data on the number of tickets prior to June 2016 with
the previous travel agency is not held.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Economy
class</p></td><td><p>Premium Economy class</p></td><td><p>Business class</p></td><td><p>First
class</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Financial Year 2016-17</p></td><td><p>5930</p></td><td><p>461</p></td><td><p>1488</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Financial
Year 2017-18</p></td><td><p>8930</p></td><td><p>604</p></td><td><p>2071</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Financial
Year 2018-19</p></td><td><p>7754</p></td><td><p>431</p></td><td><p>1541</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>FCO
staff travelling by air are required to book the lowest standard fare possible, subject
to budget holder approval. As the FCO is present in over 170 countries there is a
need for long distance travel. FCO officials may fly business class only if the flight
is ten hours or longer, or on flights of more than five hours in exceptional circumstances.</p><p>On
occasion, it may be necessary for Ministers and FCO officials to travel first class,
for example where journeys need to be made at short notice and there is no availability
in any other class, or due to airline limitations when booking two or more sector
flights.</p>
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