Cause of Airline Delay and Cancellation Categories Under Section 511(b) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024; Delay of Effective Date

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is delaying the effective date of its September 3, 2026 final rule, titled "Cause of Airline Delay and Cancellation Categories under Section 511(b) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024," until February 1, 2027.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 198 (Thursday, October 15, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 198 (Thursday, October 15, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 65456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21058]



[[Page 65456]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

14 CFR Part 234

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2026-1257]
RIN 2105-AF29


Cause of Airline Delay and Cancellation Categories Under Section 
511(b) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024; Delay of Effective Date

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is 
delaying the effective date of its September 3, 2026 final rule, titled 
``Cause of Airline Delay and Cancellation Categories under Section 
511(b) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024,'' until February 1, 
2027.

DATES: The effective date of the final rule published on September 3, 
2026 (91 FR 56588) is delayed until February 1, 2027.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Nazareth, Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, 202-934-2413, 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8ffde0edeafdfba1e1eef5eefdeafbe7cfebe0fba1e8e0f9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c5b7aaa7a0b7b1ebaba4bfa4b7a0b1ad85a1aab1eba2aab3">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> (email). You may also contact Blane Workie, 
Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, 202-
366-9342 (phone), 202-366-7152 (fax), <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#aeccc2cfc0cb80d9c1dcc5c7cbeecac1da80c9c1d8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d3b1bfb2bdb6fda4bca1b8bab693b7bca7fdb4bca5">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Delay of Effective Date

    On September 3, 2026, the Department published a final rule with an 
effective date of October 19, 2026 to implement the requirements of 
Section 511(b) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. That final rule 
amended an existing Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reporting 
regulation at 14 CFR 234.4. Under 14 CFR 234.4, reporting carriers must 
file a report of the causes of reportable flight cancellations and 
delays within 15 days of the end of the month for which data are 
reported.\1\
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    \1\ See 14 CFR 234.5.
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    The September 2026 final rule mandated that ten specific types of 
events be excluded from the BTS ``Air Carrier'' causal code for 
carriers to report delays and cancellations, consistent with statutory 
requirements. The air carrier code is reserved for circumstances that 
are within the carrier's control. The final rule created a new 
reporting category to capture these 10 specific events, ensuring that 
the data reported to the Department and shared with the traveling 
public accurately reflects the statutory distinction between carrier-
controllable events and the specific exclusions identified by Congress. 
In the final rule, the Department explained that the rule would require 
revisions to a BTS information collection under OMB Control No. 2138-
0041 and approval by OMB of those revisions.
    On September 21, 2026, Airlines for America (A4A) requested that 
the Department extend the effective date of the final rule, which sets 
forth when airlines must report under the revised cancellation and 
delay causal reporting categories, to February 1, 2027 so that the 
changes to reporting under the final rule would start for flights 
beginning January 1, 2027.\2\ A4A explained that the requested delay of 
the effective date would provide necessary additional time for the 
Department to update the BTS technical reporting directive, which 
provides reporting instructions to carriers; for industry stakeholders 
to update their systems to ensure that the data is collected, reported, 
and ingested properly; and for BTS to update its own systems. A4A also 
stated that a new calendar year would be the ``natural and logical'' 
date for the Department to begin applying the updated categories.
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    \2\ Letter from A4A Chief Legal Officer to DOT General Counsel 
dated September 21, 2026, available at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2026-1257-0001/comment">https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2026-1257-0001/comment</a>.
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    For the reasons requested by A4A, the Department agrees that it is 
appropriate to delay the effective date of the final rule until 
February 1, 2027. In particular, the Department agrees that applying 
the reporting requirement to cancellations and delays starting with the 
new calendar year will provide clearer information for consumers and 
industry. In addition, the delayed effective date will provide the 
Department with additional time to obtain necessary approvals for the 
revised information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
    As noted previously, carriers must submit reports on the causes of 
flight cancellations and delays to BTS within 15 days of the end of the 
month for which data are reported. Accordingly, the delay of the 
effective date for the reporting requirement to February 1, 2027 will 
apply to the reporting of delays and cancellations of flights occurring 
on or after January 1, 2027. Airlines must file their reports with BTS 
for the entire month of January 2027 in a manner reflecting the changes 
in causal reporting described in the final rule.

Good Cause for This Final Rule

    The Administrative Procedure Act provides an exception to its 
notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures when an agency for good cause 
finds that the requirement is impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary 
to the public interest.\3\ The Department's final rule titled ``Cause 
of Airline Delay and Cancellation Categories under Section 511(b) of 
the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024'' would be effective on October 19, 
2026 absent a delay of the rule's effective date. DOT only recently 
became aware of air carriers' need to delay the final rule. There is 
not sufficient time to propose and seek comment on the delayed 
effective date before the rule would have come into effect. 
Accordingly, notice-and-comment procedures are impracticable because 
they cannot be completed prior to the rule's scheduled effective date.
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    \3\ 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).

    Signed in Washington, DC.
Edward Strocko,
Acting Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
[FR Doc. 2026-21058 Filed 10-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P


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