[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 10335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5274]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information
Collection Activity Under OMB Review
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 3501, et seq.) the Department of Transportation has
submitted the following Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted
below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
clearance. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection
and its expected burden. In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that was
published on January 19, 1995 [FR 60, page 3778-3783], the Department
stated that the proposed rule did not contain information collection
requirements that required approval by OMB under the then current
Paperwork Reduction Act. However, the requirements under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 consider third party notifications as data
collections and thus subject to the regulations. A final rule is
expected to be published soon and submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget for review.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Schmidt, Office for Aviation and
International Economics (X-10), Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Aviation and International Affairs, Office of the Secretary, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC
20590, 202/366-5420 or 202/366-7638 (FAX).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before April 2,
1999.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Office of the Secretary
Title: Disclosure of Change-of-Gauge Services.
OMB Control Number: 2105-NEW.
Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
Affected Public: U.S. air carriers and foreign air carriers, travel
agents and the traveling public.
Abstract: The final rule will codify and strengthen the
Department's current consumer notification rules and policies to ensure
that consumers have pertinent information about airline change-of-gauge
services. Change-of-gauge service is scheduled passenger service for
which the operating airline uses one single flight number even though
passengers do not travel in the same aircraft from origin to
destination but must change planes at an intermediate stop. From an
operational perspective, there are several kinds of change-of-gauge
services. The simplest example is a one-flight-to-one-flight service
that uses the same flight number even though a plan change is required
en route. Change-of-gauge services can offer significant economic
benefits. However, these flights can confuse and mislead consumers.
Therefore, consumers will benefit from this regulation because, during
the process of selecting, purchasing and completing their trips, they
will be better informed of the fact that they will be required to
change aircraft at an intermediate point on their journey. The
requirements of the regulations apply to travel agents doing business
in the United States, U.S. air carriers and foreign air carriers, and
their implementation will result in increased costs on these groups.
The Department has considered other alternatives but has found that the
final rule that will be issued provides the best public benefit. In
this regulatory analysis, the Department has evaluated the benefits and
costs and has decided that the benefits justify the increased costs.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 102,954-308,861.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725--17th Street,
NW.,Washington, DC 20503, Attention OST Desk Officer.
Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of
information (third party notification) is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the
information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the
Department's estimate of the burden of the proposed information
collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the
information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments to OMB are best assured of having their full effect if OMB
receives them within 30 days of publication.
Issued in Washington, DC on February 26, 1999.
Vanester M. Williams,
Clearance Officer, Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 99-5274 Filed 3-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P