[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21344-21346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08399]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[Docket ID Number RITA 2008-0002]
Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Report
of Traffic and Capacity Statistics--The T-100 System
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
(OST-R), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for extension of currently
approved collection. The ICR describes the nature of the information
collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a
60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection
of information was published on February 06, 2014 (79 FR 7278). The
Bureau of Economic Analysis at the Department of Commerce submitted
comments in support of the continuation of the data collection.
DATES: Written comments should be submitted by May 15, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Rodes, Office of Airline
Information, RTS-42, Room E34-420, OST-R, BTS, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone Number (202) 366-8513, Fax
Number (202) 366-3383 or EMAIL [email protected].
Comments: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, Attention: OST-R/BTS Desk Officer.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Approval No.: 2138-0040.
Title: Report of Traffic and Capacity Statistics--The T-100 System.
Form No.: Schedules T-100 and T-100(f).
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Certificated, commuter and foreign air carriers that
operate to, from or within the United States.
T100 Form
Number of Respondents: 130.
Number of Annual responses 1,560.
Total Burden per Response: 6 hours.
Total Annual Burden: 9360 hours.
T100F Form
Number of Respondents: 175.
Number of Annual responses 2,100.
Total Burden per Response: 2 hours.
Total Annual Burden: 4,200 hours.
Needs and Uses:
Airport Improvement
The Federal Aviation Administration uses enplanement data for U.S.
airports to distribute the annual Airport Improvement Program (AIP)
entitlement funds to eligible primary airports, i.e., airports which
account for more than 0.01 percent of the total passengers enplaned at
U.S. airports. Enplanement data contained in Schedule T-100/T-100(f)
are the sole data base used by the FAA in determining airport funding.
U.S. airports receiving significant service from foreign air carriers
operating small aircraft could be receiving less than their fair share
of AIP entitlement funds. Collecting Schedule T-100(f) data for small
aircraft operations will enable the FAA to more fairly distribute these
funds.
Air Carrier Safety
The FAA uses traffic, operational and capacity data as important
safety indicators and to prepare the air carrier traffic and operation
forecasts that are used in developing its budget and staffing plans,
facility and equipment funding levels, and environmental impact and
policy studies. The FAA monitors changes in the number of air carrier
operations as a way to allocate inspection resources and in making
decisions as to increased safety surveillance. Similarly, airport
activity statistics are used by the FAA to develop airport profiles and
establish priorities for airport inspections.
Acquisitions and Mergers
While the Justice Department has the primary responsibility over
air carrier acquisitions and mergers, the Department reviews the
transfer of international routes involved to determine if they would
substantially reduce competition, or determine if the transaction would
be inconsistent with the public interest. In making these
determinations, the proposed transaction's effect on competition in the
markets served by the affected air carriers is analyzed. This analysis
includes, among other things, a consideration of the volume of traffic
and available capacity, the flight segments and origins-destinations
involved, and the existence of entry barriers, such as limited airport
slots or gate capacity. Also included is a review of the volume of
traffic handled by each air carrier at specific airports and in
specific markets which would be affected by the proposed acquisition or
merger. The Justice Department uses T-100 data in carrying out its
responsibilities relating to airline competition and consolidation.
Traffic Forecasting
The FAA uses traffic, operational and capacity data as important
safety indicators and to prepare the air carrier traffic and operation
forecasts. These forecast as used by the FAA, airport managers, the
airlines and others in the air travel industry as planning and
budgeting tools.
Airport Capacity Analysis
The mix of aircraft type are used in determining the practical
annual capacity (PANCAP) at airports as prescribed in the FAA Advisory
Circular Airport Capacity Criteria Used in Preparing the National
Airport Plan. The PANCAP is a safety-related measure of the annual
airport capacity or level of operations. It is a predictive measure
which indicates potential capacity problems, delays, and possible
airport expansions or runway construction needs. If the level of
operations at an airport exceeds PANCAP significantly, the frequency
and length of delays will increase, with a potential concurrent risk of
accidents. Under this program, the FAA develops ways of increasing
airport capacity at congested airports.
Airline Industry Status Evaluations
The Department apprises Congress, the Administration and others of
the effect major changes or innovations are having on the air
transportation industry. For this purpose, summary traffic and capacity
data as well as the detailed segment and market data are essential.
These data must be timely and inclusive to be relevant for analyzing
emerging issues and must be based upon uniform and reliable data
submissions that are consistent with the Department's regulatory
requirements.
Mail Rates
The Department is responsible for establishing intra-Alaska mail
rates. Separate rates are set for mainline and bush Alaskan operations.
The rates are updated every six months to reflect changes in unit costs
in each rate-making entity. Traffic and capacity data are used in
conjunction with cost data to develop the required unit cost data.
Essential Air Service
The Department reassesses service levels at small domestic
communities to assure that capacity levels are adequate to accommodate
current demand.
System Planning at Airports
The FAA is charged with administering a series of grants that are
designed to accomplish the necessary airport planning for future
development and growth. These grants are made to state metropolitan and
regional aviation authorities to fund needed airport systems planning
work. Individual airport activity statistics, nonstop market data, and
service segment data are used to prepare airport activity level
forecasts.
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Review of IATA Agreements
The Department reviews all of the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) agreements that relate to fares, rates, and rules
for international air transportation to ensure that the agreements meet
the public interest criteria. Current and historic summary traffic and
capacity data, such as revenue ton-miles and available ton-miles, by
aircraft type, type of service, and length of haul are needed to
conduct these analyses to:
(1) Develop the volume elements for passenger/cargo cost
allocations, (2) evaluate fluctuations in volume of scheduled and
charter services, (3) assess the competitive impact of different
operations such as charter versus scheduled, (4) calculate load factors
by aircraft type, and (5) monitor traffic in specific markets.
Foreign Air Carriers Applications
Foreign air carriers are required to submit applications for
authority to operate to the United States. In reviewing these
applications the Department must find that the requested authority is
encompassed in a bilateral agreement, other intergovernmental
understanding, or that granting the application is in the public
interest. In the latter cases, T-100 data are used in assessing the
level of benefits that carriers of the applicant's homeland presently
are receiving from their U.S. operations. These benefits are compared
and balanced against the benefits U.S. carriers receive from their
operations to the applicant's homeland.
Air Carrier Fitness
The Department determines whether U.S. air carriers are and
continue to be fit, willing and able to conduct air service operations
without undue risk to passengers and shippers.
The Department monitors a carrier's load factor, operational, and
enplanement data to compare with other carriers with similar operating
characteristics. Carriers that expand operations at a high rate are
monitored more closely for safety reasons.
International Civil Aviation Organization
Pursuant to an international agreement, the United States is
obligated to report certain air carrier data to the International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO). The traffic data supplied to ICAO are
extracted from the U.S. air carriers' Schedule T-100 submissions.
The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency
Act of 2002 (44 USC 3501 note), 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.
Issued on April 9, 2014.
Rolf R. Schmitt,
Deputy Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
[FR Doc. 2014-08399 Filed 4-14-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P