Notice2021-17092
Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Agency Request for Renewal of a Previously Approved Collection: Airline Service Quality Performance-Part 234
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 11, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation Department
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended) this notice announces DOT's intention to renew Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 2138-0041 covering Airline Service Quality Performance On-time Performance and Mishandled Baggage reports that the largest U.S. air carriers file with DOT under Part 234 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 152 (Wednesday, August 11, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44137-44139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17092]
[[Page 44137]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
[Docket ID Number: DOT-OST-2014-0031]
Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB
Agency Request for Renewal of a Previously Approved Collection: Airline
Service Quality Performance--Part 234
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
(OST-R), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended) this notice announces DOT's intention to
renew Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 2138-0041
covering Airline Service Quality Performance On-time Performance and
Mishandled Baggage reports that the largest U.S. air carriers file with
DOT under Part 234 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 12, 2021.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this
proposal.
ADDRESSES: To ensure that you do duplicate your docket submissions,
please submit them by only one of the following means:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments. (You may access comments received for this notice at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> by searching docket DOT-OST-2014-0031.)
<bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, West Building Ground Floor
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001;
<bullet> Hand delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of DOT's dockets by the name of the
individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted
on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may
review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cecelia Robinson, Office of Airline
Information, RTS-42, Room E34-410, OST-R, BTS, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone Number (202) 366-4405 (voice),
Fax Number (202) 366-3383 or Email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8eedebedebe2e7efa0fce1ece7e0fde1e0ceeae1faa0e9e1f8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c5a6a0a6a0a9aca4ebb7aaa7acabb6aaab85a1aab1eba2aab3">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOT collects information regarding flight
performance and mishandled baggage, wheelchairs, and scooters from the
largest U.S. air carriers under 14 CFR part 234. The air carriers
required to provide this information to DOT consist of the U.S. air
carriers that accounted for at least 0.5 percent of domestic scheduled-
passenger revenues (Reporting Carriers) as most recently determined by
the DOT's Office of Airline Information. An air carrier that is not a
Reporting Carrier may voluntarily submit the flight performance and
mishandled baggage, wheelchairs, and scooters information to the
Department pursuant to 14 CFR 234.7.
Specifically, Reporting Carriers must submit Part 234 On-time
Performance reports to DOT with information on domestic flight
operations and performance as described in 14 CFR 234.4.\1\ In
addition, under 14 CFR 234.6, Reporting Carriers must submit Part 234
Mishandled Baggage reports to DOT that include the following
information for covered domestic flights: (1) The number of bags
mishandled in its custody, (2) the number of bags enplaned into the
aircraft cargo compartment, (3) the number of mishandled wheelchairs
and scooters mishandled in its custody, and (4) the number of
wheelchairs and scooters enplaned into the aircraft cargo
compartment.\2\ Each Reporting Carrier is required to report the flight
performance and mishandled baggage, wheelchair, and scooter information
to DOT on a monthly basis for the covered flights it operates and for
any covered flights held out under the Reporting Carrier's code (as the
only U.S. carrier code) and operated by a codeshare partner of the
Reporting Carrier.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The format and instructions for reporting this information
are in Technical Reporting Directive #27--On-Time Performance,
effective January 1, 2018, available at: <a href="https://cms7.bts.dot.gov/sites/bts.dot.gov/files/docs/explore-topics-and-geography/topics/airlines-and-airports/207741/technical-directive-no-27-time-2018.pdf">https://cms7.bts.dot.gov/sites/bts.dot.gov/files/docs/explore-topics-and-geography/topics/airlines-and-airports/207741/technical-directive-no-27-time-2018.pdf</a>.
\2\ The format and instructions for reporting mishandled baggage
and wheelchair and scooter information to DOT are in Technical
Reporting Directive #30A--Mishandled Baggage and Wheelchairs and
Scooters (Amended), effective January 1, 2019, available at: <a href="https://www.bts.dot.gov/sites/bts.dot.gov/files/docs/explore-topics-and-geography/topics/airlines-and-airports/224606/technicaldirective30abaggage2019amended.pdf">https://www.bts.dot.gov/sites/bts.dot.gov/files/docs/explore-topics-and-geography/topics/airlines-and-airports/224606/technicaldirective30abaggage2019amended.pdf</a>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOT uses the information reported by airlines to provide airline
performance information and statistics on the BTS website and in the
Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR), a monthly publication of DOT's
Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP). Air transportation
consumers and other stakeholders use the information DOT publishes to
understand and compare airlines' service quality performance, including
airlines' rates of on-time performance and cancellation and rates of
baggage and wheelchair and scooter mishandling.
DOT's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) uses data reported by
airlines in Part 234 On-time Performance reports to analyze air traffic
delays. Wheels-up and wheels-down times are used by the FAA in
conjunction with departure and arrival times to show the extent of
ground delays. Actual elapsed flight time (wheels-down minus wheels-up
time) is compared by the FAA to scheduled elapsed flight time to
identify airborne delays. The reporting of the aircraft tail number
allows the FAA to track an aircraft through the air network, which
enables the FAA to study the ripple effects of delays at hub airports.
The data can be analyzed by the FAA for airport design changes, new
equipment purchases, and the planning of new runways or airports based
on current and projected airport delays and traffic levels. The
identification of the reason for delays allows the FAA, airport
operators, and air carriers to pinpoint delays under their control.
DOT is publishing this notice to announce its intent to request
extension of the previously approved information collections described
above under OMB Control Number 2138-0041. Without further action, OMB
authorization of the information collections would expire December 31,
2021.
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing
regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to issue two
notices seeking public comment on information collection activities
before OMB may approve paperwork packages. A Federal agency generally
cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public
is generally not required to respond to an information collection,
unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently
valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other
provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to monetary
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information
[[Page 44138]]
if the collection of information does not display a valid OMB Control
Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
For each of these information collections, the title, a description
of the respondents, and an estimate of the annual recordkeeping and
periodic reporting burden are set forth below.
1. Airline Service Quality Performance Reports--Part 234 On-Time
Performance
Respondents: Certificated air carriers that account for at least
0.5 percent of the domestic scheduled-service passenger revenues are
required to report flight performance data for flights that they
operate as described in 14 CFR 234.4; Certificated air carriers that
account for at least 0.5 percent of domestic scheduled-service
passenger revenues that market code-share flights carrying the
carrier's code as the only U.S. carrier code are required to report
flight performance data for these code-share flights as described in 14
CFR 234.4; Air carriers may voluntarily report flight performance data
pursuant to 14 CFR 234.7.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 17 air carriers (4 of which market
codeshare flights).
Frequency: Monthly.
Estimated Average Burden per Response: 10 hours for each respondent
to report for the flights operated by the respondent plus an additional
16 hours if the respondent reports for flights operated by code-share
partners.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,808 hours (17 air carriers
reporting the flight performance information for the flights they
operate x 10 hours per response x 12 months = 2,040 hours) + (4 air
carriers reporting the flight performance information for flights
operated by their codeshare partners x 16 hours per response x 12
months = 768 hours). This estimate is based on the following
information: 17 carriers reported the flight performance data for the
flights they operated to DOT in calendar year 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Currently, 4 carriers report flight performance data to DOT for their
codeshare operations.
DOT estimates that respondents will encounter on average a 10-hour
burden per month to report flight performance data to DOT for the
flights they operate. DOT estimates the respondents that market
codeshare flights will encounter on average an additional burden of 16
hours per month to report flight performance data to DOT for their
codeshare operations. The burden estimates include staff time to manage
and process the data and to submit the report through DOT's electronic
submission system.
2. Airline Service Quality Performance Reports--Part 234 Mishandled
Baggage
Respondents: Certificated air carriers that account for at least
0.5 percent of the domestic scheduled-service passenger revenues are
required to report mishandled baggage and wheelchairs and scooters data
for flights that they operate as described in 14 CFR 234.6;
Certificated air carriers that account for at least 0.5 percent of
domestic scheduled-service passenger revenues that market code-share
flights carrying the carrier's code as the only U.S. carrier code are
required to report mishandled baggage and wheelchairs and scooters data
for these code-share flights as described in 14 CFR 234.6; Air carriers
may voluntarily report mishandled baggage and wheelchairs and scooters
data pursuant to 14 CFR 234.7.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 17 air carriers (4 that market
codeshare flights).
Frequency: Monthly.
Estimated Average Burden per Response: 10 hours for each respondent
to report for the flights operated by the respondent plus an additional
16 hours if the respondent reports for flights operated by code-share
partners.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,825 hours (17 air carriers
reporting the mishandled baggage and mishandled wheelchairs and
scooters information for flights they operate x 10 hours per response x
12 months = 2,040 hours) + (4 air carriers reporting the mishandled
baggage and mishandled wheelchairs and scooters information for flights
operated by their codeshare partners x 16 hours per response x 12
months = 768 hours) + (.00138 hours for manual data entry related to
wheelchair or scooters x 12,000 manual entries = 17 hours). This
estimate is based on the following information: 17 Carriers reported
mishandled baggage and wheelchair and scooter information to DOT in
calendar year 2019, 2020, and 2021. Currently, 4 carriers report
mishandled baggage and wheelchair and scooter information to DOT for
their codeshare operations.
DOT estimates that respondents will encounter on average 10-hours
burden per month to report the mishandled baggage and wheelchair and
scooter data to DOT for the flights they operate. DOT estimates that
respondents that market codeshare flights will encounter on average an
additional burden of 16 hours per month to report the mishandled
baggage and wheelchair and scooter data to DOT for their codeshare
operations. The burden estimates include staff time to manage and
process the data and to submit the report through DOT's electronic
submission system.
In addition, the estimated total annual burden is based on the
assumption that most respondents employ automated processes to record
that an item enplaned is a wheelchair or scooter for the purposes of
reporting data on wheelchairs and scooters to DOT. For a carrier that
manually records this information, such as by having their agent type
information describing a wheelchair or scooter into the airline's
system, DOT estimates that the airline would spend approximately 5
seconds (.00138 hours) per item to manually enter the data.\3\ DOT
estimates that 12,000 Wheelchairs and scooters total are recorded
manually per year.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ The Final Rule to Amend Rules Requiring Reporting of
Mishandled Baggage, Regulatory Impact Analysis, October 18, 2016,
estimated a data entry burden of 5 seconds per wheelchair or scooter
recorded manually. See Docket No. RITA-2011-0001.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrative Issues
The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency
Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501) 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.
Comments Invited
We invite comments on: (a) Whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of DOT, including
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy
of DOT's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection
of information on respondents.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record on the docket.
[[Page 44139]]
Issued at Washington, DC.
William A. Chadwick, Jr.,
Director, Office of Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation
Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and
Technology.
[FR Doc. 2021-17092 Filed 8-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 11, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.