The agency will resubmit as an emergency extension request.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
10/31/2025
6 Months From Approved
06/30/2026
390
0
390
570
0
570
0
0
0
Part 249 applies to all certificated air carriers, public charter operators, and overseas military personnel charter operators. This part requires the retention of general and subsidiary ledgers, journals and journal vouchers, voucher distribution registers, accounts receivable and payable journals and ledgers, subsidy records that document financial and statistical reports to the Department, funds reports, consumer records, sales reports, auditorsâ and flight coupons, air waybills, etc. DOT needs to ensure the availability of financial and traffic data for reviews and audits to support:
Carrier fitness Appraisals
International negotiations of routes and services
The Standard Industry Fare Level
The Standard Foreign Fare and Rate Levels
Consumer protection
Community air service needs
Air carrier and charter operator compliance to statutory regulations
Airport development
Forecasting
Cost/benefit analysis
BTSâ general law division, which covers fiscal law issues, has been consulted for guidance. BTS is operating as usual. BTS is fully funded, does not rely upon appropriations, and has contract authority to obligate the agency. Therefore, it is not needed to show the information collection fits into an excepted activity; all our activities are currently operating normally.
BTS was scheduled to submit the 30-day FR for the âPreservation of Air Carrier Recordsâ ICR on October 15, 2025. Ordinarily, this would have been plenty of time for the notice to publish and for BTS to submit the renewal package to OMB prior to its October 31, 2025, expiration date. However, due to the OFR not accepting IC notices for publication during the government shutdown, BTS was unable to complete this step in the renewal process. ICR FR notices do not fall into the category of allowable publications at the OFR during a lapse in appropriations.
If the ICR expires without an extension, BTS would be legally prohibited from processing any records for preservation, which means that audit and/or validation would not be relevant, and the submission would be impaired since the data could not be verified.
This would have significant operational and industry-wide impacts.
US Code:
49 USC 41709
Name of Law: Records Of Air Carriers
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.