60 Day Notice

[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]
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