Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Air Travel

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

49 CFR Ch. I

Office of the Secretary

[Docket OST-1996-1880]

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Air Travel

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: DOT is convening a public meeting to discuss whether the

Department should commence a rulemaking to require certain additional

accommodations for hearing-impaired passengers under the Air Carrier

Access Act of 1986. This notice announces the date, time, location, and

procedures for the public meeting.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for November 30, 1999, from 9

a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 2101 at the

Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sophy Chen, Office of the Assistant

General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, telephone number (202)

366-9353 or via email at [email protected]; or Robert Ashby,

Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement,

telephone number (202) 366-9310 (voice) or (202) 755-7687 (TDD), or via

email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

In a November 1996 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), the

Department proposed to amend the Department's Air Carrier Access Act

(ACAA) rules regarding seating accommodations for individuals with

disabilities and the stowage of collapsible electric wheelchairs (61 FR

56481; November 1, 1996). In that NPRM, the Department also requested

comments on the following four suggestions the Department had received

regarding accommodations for persons with hearing impairments: (1)

Captioning of video material (e.g., movies and other entertainment

features) shown on the aircraft; (2) making telecommunications devices

for the deaf (TDDs) available where air phone service is provided to

other passengers; (3) providing assistive listening technology for

public address announcements in the aircraft; and (4) providing

electronic message or assistive listening technology in gate areas. The

Department sought comments on the need for such accommodations, as well

as their technical feasibility and cost.

The Department received several comments, which are available in

Docket OST-1996-1880. The Department's dockets are available at DOT

Headquarters, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, in Room PL-104

and can also be accessed at the Department's Docket Management

[[Page 63280]]

System Internet site (http://dms.dot.gov). In the preamble for the

final rule that resulted from the November 1996 rulemaking, however,

the Department deferred decision on whether to require these

accommodations for hearing-impaired passengers. At this time, the

Department seeks to reopen discussion about these suggestions.

Meeting Procedures

1. To reserve a seat or to ensure that you have the opportunity to

speak, please contact Sophy Chen (see information under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) as soon as possible. The meeting is otherwise open

for observation without prior arrangement. Seating, however, will be

restricted by room size and will be available on a first-come, first-

served basis.

2. The meeting will be structured so that a balanced group of

interested parties are the primary participants. However, opportunities

for anyone in attendance to speak will be made available as well. For

scheduling purposes, anyone wishing to make a short presentation

highlighting technologies that are relevant to making air travel

accessible for hearing-impaired individuals are encouraged to contact

Sophy Chen (see information under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) as

soon as possible.

3. The purpose of the meeting is to solicit views and more complete

information on the need, feasibility, and cost of the suggested

accommodations for hearing-impaired air travelers. The meeting will be

conducted, therefore, in an informal and non-adversarial manner. No

individual will be subject to cross-examination by any other

participant. Panel members may, however, ask questions to clarify

statements and to ensure a complete and accurate record.

Issued in Washington, DC on November 10, 1999.

Rosalind A. Knapp,

Deputy General Counsel.

[FR Doc. 99-30291 Filed 11-18-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-62-P