[Federal Register: January 19, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 12)]
[Notices]               
[Page 2591]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19ja07-107]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research & Innovative Technology Administration

[Docket: OST--2007--26835]

 
Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Report 
of Passengers Denied Confirmed Space--BTS Form 251

AGENCY: Research & Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), Bureau 
of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general 
public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the 
continuing need for and usefulness of BTS collecting reports on the 
number of passengers holding confirmed reservations that voluntarily or 
involuntarily give up their seats when the airline oversells the 
flight. Comments are requested concerning whether (a) the collection is 
still needed by the Department of Transportation; (b) BTS accurately 
estimated the reporting burden; (c) there are other ways to enhance the 
quality, utility and clarity of the information collected; and (d) 
there are ways to minimize reporting burden, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by March 20, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline 
Information, RTS-42, Room 4125, RITA, BTS, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone Number (202) 366-4387, Fax Number 
(202) 366-3383 or E-Mail bernard.stankus@dot.gov.
    Comments: Comments should identify the associated OMB approval 
 2138-0018 and Docket OST--2007-26835. Persons wishing the 
Department to acknowledge receipt of their comments must submit with 
those comments a self-addressed stamped postcard on which the following 
statement is made: Comments on OMB  2138-0018, Docket OST--
26835. The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Approval No. 2138-0018

    Title: Report of Passengers Denied Confirmed Space.
    Form No: BTS Form 251.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Large certificated and foreign air carrier.
    Number of Respondents: 100.
    Number of Responses: 400.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,670 hours.
    Needs and Uses: BTS Form 251 is a one-page report on the number of 
passengers denied boarding (voluntarily and involuntarily), whether the 
bumped passengers were provided alternate transportation and/or 
compensation, and the amount of the payment. U.S. and foreign air 
carriers that operate scheduled passenger service with large aircraft 
(over 60-seats) must submit Form 251. In addition, carriers report data 
from inbound international flights because the protections of 14 CFR 
part 250 Oversales do not apply to these flights. The report allows the 
Department to monitor the effectiveness of its oversales rule and take 
enforcement action when necessary. While the involuntarily denied-
boarding rate has decrease from 4.38 per 10,000 passengers in 1980 to 
1.04 for the nine months ended September 2006, the rate is up from the 
0.89 attained for the nine months ended September 2005. The publishing 
of the carriers' individual denied boarding rates has negated the need 
for more intrusive regulation. The rate of denied boarding can be 
examined as a continuing fitness factor. This rate provides an insight 
into a carrier's customer service policy and its compliance 
disposition. A rapid sustained increase in the rate of denied boarding 
often in an indicator of operational difficulty. Because the rate of 
denied boarding is released quarterly, travelers and travel agents can 
select carriers with low bumping incidents when booking a trip. This 
information is available in the Air Travel Consumer Report at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm.
 The Air Travel Consumer 

Report is also sent to newspapers, magazines, and trade journals. 
Without Form 251, determining the effectiveness of the Department's 
oversales rule would be impossible.
    The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency 
Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note), requires a statistical agency to 
clearly identify information it collects for non-statistical purposes. 
BTS hereby notifies the respondents and the public that BTS uses the 
information it collects under this OMB approval for non-statistical 
purposes including, but not limited to, publication of both 
Respondent's identity and its data, submission of the information to 
agencies outside BTS for review, analysis and possible use in 
regulatory and other administrative matters.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 12, 2007.
Donald W. Bright,
Assistant Director, Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics.
 [FR Doc. E7-711 Filed 1-18-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-FE-P