Computer Reservations System (CRS) Regulations (Part 255)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

14 CFR Part 255

[Docket No. OST-97-2881]

RIN 2105-AC65

Computer Reservations System (CRS) Regulations (Part 255)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (DOT).

ACTION: Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking; notice extending reply

comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Department began a rulemaking to determine whether it

should continue or modify its existing rules governing airline computer

reservations systems (CRSs). On September 10, 1997, the Department

published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking asking for comments

on that matter. The Department is now extending the due date for reply

comments on the advance notice to February 3, 1998, from the current

due date, January 23. The Department is acting due to a party's request

for an extension based on the complexity of the issues and the large

number of comments.

DATES: Comments are due by February 3, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Reply comments must be filed in Room PL-401, Docket OST-97-

2881, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 7th St. SW., Washington ,

DC 20590. Late filed comments will be considered to the extent

possible. To facilitate consideration of comments, each commenter

should file six copies of its comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Ray, Office of the General

Counsel, 400 Seventh St. SW., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-4731.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department's rules governing CRS

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operations--14 CFR part 255--will expire on March 31, 1999, unless the

Department readopts them or changes the rules' termination date to a

later date. 62 FR 66272, December 18, 1997. We published an advance

notice of proposed rulemaking to begin a proceeding for reexamining the

rules and determining whether they should be readopted and, if so,

whether they should be changed. 62 FR 47606, September 10, 1997. Under

our modified schedule, the reply comments are due January 23 (the

comments were due December 9). 62 FR 58700, October 30, 1997.

American Airlines, the principal owner of Sabre, the largest system

and a major user of every system's services, has asked us to change the

due date for reply comments to February 3, 1998 (as requested by our

staff, American served its request on every commenter, so that all

parties will be aware of its request). American notes that many

comments were filed in response to our advance notice, that those

comments raised a number of complex issues, and that some parties did

not file their comments until well after the due date for comments.

American contends that an extension of time for the reply comments is

needed to ensure that all interested persons have a reasonable

opportunity to review the initial comments and to prepare their reply

comments. We intend to complete our rulemaking as soon as reasonably

possible, given the impact of computer reservations system practices on

airline competition, the public's ability to obtain accurate and

complete information on airline services, and the airline and travel

agency businesses. We have nonetheless decided to grant the short

extension requested by American. Many parties filed comments, and those

comments dealt with a number of difficult issues. We are likely to have

a better record for preparing a notice of proposed rulemaking if we

enable the parties to prepare reply comments that discuss in depth all

of the issues. We will therefore extend the due date for reply comments

to February 3.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on January 16, 1998.

Nancy E. McFadden,

General Counsel.

[FR Doc. 98-1595 Filed 1-22-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-62-P