Notice2022-02790
Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Agency Request for Renewal of a Previously Approved Collection: Online Complaint/Comment Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation
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
February 11, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation Department
Abstract
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the request for reinstatement of an OMB Control Number for the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on November 29, 2021.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 29 (Friday, February 11, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8084-8085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02790]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
[OST Docket No. DOT-OST-2011-0022]
Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB
Agency Request for Renewal of a Previously Approved Collection: Online
Complaint/Comment Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces that the request for reinstatement of an OMB Control
Number for the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is
being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review
and comment. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period
soliciting comments on the following information collection was
published on November 29, 2021.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 14, 2022.
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#06696f7467597573646b6f75756f69687546696b642863697628616970"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d7b8bea5b688a4a2b5babea4a4beb8b9a497b8bab5f9b2b8a7f9b0b8a1">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daeleen Chesley, Office of the
Secretary, Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (C-70), Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590, 202 366-
6792 (voice) or at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c98da8aca5acaca7e78aa1acbaa5acb089ada6bde7aea6bf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0a4e6b6f666f6f642449626f79666f734a6e657e246d657c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 2105-0568.
Title: Reinstatement of the Office of Aviation Consumer
Protection's web page Online Complaint/Comment Form.
Abstract: The Department of Transportation's (Department) Office of
Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP, formerly the Office of Aviation
Enforcement and Proceedings) has broad authority under 49 U.S.C.,
subtitle VII, to investigate and enforce consumer protection and civil
rights laws and regulations related to air transportation.
Among other things, OACP is responsible for receiving and
investigating service-related consumer complaints filed against
airlines and other air travel-related companies. Once received, the
complaints are reviewed by the office to determine the extent to which
these entities are in compliance with federal aviation consumer
protection and civil rights laws and what, if any, action should be
taken regarding consumer complaints. Consumer complaints and comments
are also used by the office to identify opportunities to help improve
airline consumer satisfaction. The information submitted via the online
form can also serve as a basis for rulemaking, legislation and
research.
The key reason for this request is to enable consumers to continue
to file their complaints and comments to the Department using an online
form, whether via their personal computer or on a mobile/electronic
device. If the online complaint form is not available, the Department
may receive fewer complaints, comments, and inquiries from consumers.
The lack of consumer input could inhibit OACP's ability to effectively
investigate individual complaints against both airlines and other air
travel-related companies. It would also impact OACP's ability to become
aware of patterns and practices that may develop in violation of the
Department's rules. The information collection continues to further the
objective of 49 U.S.C. 41712 to protect consumers from unfair or
deceptive practices, the objective of Sec. 41705 and Sec. 40127 to
ensure the civil rights of air travelers are respected, and the
objective of Sec. 41702 to ensure safe and adequate service in air
transportation.
Filing a complaint or comment using a web-based form is voluntary
and minimizes the burden on respondents. Based on the table below,
approximately ninety percent of the submissions (complaints, comments,
and inquiries) received by OACP during calendar years (CYs) 2017
through 2019 were filed using the web-based form as shown in the table
below.\1\
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\1\ In CYs 2020/21, OACP received an unusually high number
(100,613/48,015, respectively) of online submissions, primarily
complaints, largely due to flight cancellations and refund issues
that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the average number
of submissions from the three previous CYs more accurately reflects
the annual number of online submissions received by OACP.
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Percentage of
Total number Total number complaints
Calendar year of complaints of complaints filed online
filed filed online (%)
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2017............................................................ 18,155 16,067 89
2018............................................................ 15,546 13,964 90
2019............................................................ 15,342 14,107 92
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Average Total per Year (above).............................. 16,348 14,713 90
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Most of the submissions are complaints that are filed using the
electronic web-based form. At times, consumers may also choose to file
a complaint with the Department using regular mail or by phone message.
The type of information requested on the form includes complainant's
name, address, phone number (including area code), email address, and
name of the airline or company about which she/he is complaining, as
well as the flight date and flight itinerary (where applicable) of a
complainant's trip. In addition, a consumer may also use the form to
give a description of a specific air-travel related problem or to ask
for air-travel related information from the OACP. The Department has
limited its informational request to that necessary to meet its
aviation consumer protection responsibilities.
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. On November 29, 2021, OST published a
60-day notice in the Federal Register soliciting comment on the ICR for
which the agency is seeking reinstatement from OMB. 86 FR 67785. The
comment period ended on January 28, 2022. OST received no comments
after issuing this notice. Accordingly, the Department announces that
this
[[Page 8085]]
information collection activity has 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 reinstate this proposed collection 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).
Respondents: Consumers that Choose to File an Online Complaint/
Comment with the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,713 (based on averaging data
from CYs 2017-19).
Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 3,678.25 hours (220,695
minutes). The estimate was calculated by multiplying the average number
of cases filed using the online form in CYs17-19 (14,713) by the time
needed to fill out the online form (15 minutes).
The information collection is available for inspection in
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, as noted in the
``Addresses'' section of this document.
Comments are Invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the
Department, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department'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.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter
35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1:48.
Issued in Washington, DC on February 4, 2022.
Kimberly Graber,
Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Office of Aviation Consumer
Protection.
[FR Doc. 2022-02790 Filed 2-10-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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