Notice2021-25886
Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Agency Request for Renewal of a Previously Approved Collection: Airline Service Quality Performance-Part 234
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Published
November 29, 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 that DOT is submitting a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal of 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). On August 11, 2021, the Director, Office of Airline Information (OAI), published a Federal Register notice announcing DOT's intent to renew the information collections and providing a 60-day comment period regarding the information collections. See 86 FR 44137. DOT did not receive any comments in response to the August 11, 2021 notice. This notice announces an additional 30 days of public comment.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 226 (Monday, November 29, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 226 (Monday, November 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67786-67788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25886]
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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.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended) this notice announces that DOT is
submitting a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
renewal of 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). On August 11, 2021, the
Director, Office of Airline Information (OAI), published a Federal
Register notice announcing DOT's intent to renew the information
collections and providing a 60-day comment period regarding the
information collections. See 86 FR 44137. DOT did not receive any
comments in response to the August 11, 2021 notice. This notice
announces an additional 30 days of public comment.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 29, 2021.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this
proposal.
ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the burden estimate, including
suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Office of Management and
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of the Secretary of
Transportation, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. Comments may
also be sent via email to OMB at the following address:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dcb3b5aebd83afa9beb1b5afafb5b3b2af9cb3b1bef2b9b3acf2bbb3aa"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="046b6d76655b777166696d77776d6b6a77446b69662a616b742a636b72">[email protected]</span></a>.
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#3f5c5a5c5a53565e114d505d56514c50517f5b504b11585049"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5b383e383e37323a7529343932352834351b3f342f753c342d">[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
OAI. 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 that is a U.S. air carrier. These codeshare partners
generally adopt the marketing carrier's branding and, thus, are
referred to as branded codeshare partners.
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\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>.
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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
[[Page 67787]]
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. Identifying
the reasons for delays allows the FAA, airport operators, and air
carriers to pinpoint delays under their control.
DOT is publishing this notice to announce that its request for
renewal of the previously approved information collections described
above under OMB Control Number 2138-0041 is being forwarded to OMB for
review and comments. 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. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR
1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 1320.12. A Federal agency generally may not
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, no person shall generally be subject
to monetary penalty for failing to comply with a collection of
information if the collection of information does not display a valid
OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. On August 11, 2021
the Department published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register
soliciting comment on ICRs for which the agency was seeking OMB
approval (86 FR at 44137). The Department did not receive any comments
on the 60-day notice. Accordingly, the Department announces that these
information collection activities have been re-evaluated and certified
under 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and forwarded to OMB for review and approval
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12(c).
Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C.
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to approve or
disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after the 30-day
notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also
60 FR 44978, 44983 (Aug. 29, 1995). The 30-day notice informs the
regulated community to file relevant comments to OMB and affords the
agency adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a
decision. 60 FR 44983 (Aug. 29, 1995). Therefore, respondents should
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication
to best ensure their full consideration. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60
FR 44983 (Aug. 29, 1995).
The title, a description of the respondents, and an estimate of the
annual recordkeeping and periodic reporting burden for each of the
information collections for which DOT seeks renewal 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 the covered 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 are required to report this information for the
covered flights marketed under the carrier's code as the only U.S.
carrier code that are operated by another U.S. carrier 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 its branded
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 branded 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 years 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Currently, 4 carriers report flight performance data to DOT for their
branded 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
branded 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 the covered 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 are required to report
this information for covered flights marketed under the carrier's code
as the only U.S. carrier code that are operated by another U.S. carrier
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 its branded
code-share partners.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,825 hours (17 air carriers
reporting the mishandled baggage and mishandled
[[Page 67788]]
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 branded 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 years 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 branded
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.
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\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-2011-0001-0287.
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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.
Public Comments Invited
You are invited to comment on any aspect of this information
collection, including: (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.
Issued this 17th day of November 2021 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. 2021-25886 Filed 11-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
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