Domestic Passenger Manifest Information

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

14 CFR Part 243

RIN 2105-AC62

[Docket No. OST-97-2198, Notice No. 97-6]

Domestic Passenger Manifest Information

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), DOT.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM); Reopening of

comment period.

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SUMMARY: At the request of the Air Transport Association, the

Department is reopening the comment period for the domestic passenger

manifest rulemaking to allow airlines to conduct passenger surveys on

some of the issues raised in the advance notice of rulemaking. The

comment period, which closed on May 12, 1997, is reopened and now

closes on June 20, 1997.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 20, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the advance notice of proposed rulemaking should

be filed with: Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room

PL-401, Docket No. OST-97-2198, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC

20590. Five copies are requested, but not required.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Marvich, Office of

International Transportation and Trade, DOT, (202) 366-4398; or, for

legal questions, Joanne Petrie, Office of the General Counsel, DOT,

(202) 366-9306.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 13, 1997, the Department issued an

advance notice of proposed rulemaking (62 FR 11789) concerning

passenger manifest information on domestic air flights. The ANPRM

requested information concerning operational and cost issues related to

U.S. air carriers collecting basic information (e.g., full name, date

of birth and/or social security number, emergency contact and telephone

number) from passengers traveling on flights within the United States.

The ANPRM provided 60 days for comments, and the comment period closed

on May 12, 1997.

On May 9, 1997, the Air Transport Association (ATA) requested an

extension of the comment period to June 20, 1997, in order to allow the

airlines to provide more responsive information to the issues and

questions posed in the ANPRM. In particular, a number of ATA's members

developed a passenger survey to help determine the likely impact

resulting from the collection of passenger manifest information. ATA

stated that some of the carriers that intend to participate in the

survey have not been able to conduct it because they have diverted

their in-house personnel who would be involved in the survey to the

ongoing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) domestic passenger

baggage match test. According to ATA, when that test is completed on

May 19, 1997, the affected air carriers will reassign personnel to

performing the survey and evaluating its results. ATA noted that,

``[i]n view of the importance of the issues raised in the ANPRM and the

current demands being placed on carrier resources because of the FAA

bag match test, we ask that the comment period in this docket be

extended until June 20. This will enable carriers to perform the

survey, and ATA and its members to analyze the results, and better

answer in joint comments the questions that the ANPRM poses.''

We agree that the ANPRM raises important issues and we are anxious

to examine real-world data concerning the impacts of such potential

requirements. The survey information should provide helpful information

both for the Department in its deliberations in this rulemaking, and

for the Task Force on Assistance to Families in Aviation Disasters. We

are, therefore, reopening the comment period for the time requested.

Comments are now due June 20, 1997.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 40101, 40113, 40114, 41708, 41709, 41711 ,

41702, 46301, 46310, 46316.

Issued in Washington, DC on 21, May 1997.

Rodney E. Slater,

Secretary of Transportation.

[FR Doc. 97-14158 Filed 5-29-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-62-P