Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

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.) this notice announces that the

Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been

forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and

comment. 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 September 1, 1999 (64 FR 47775).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before December

23, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Torlanda Archer, Office of the

Secretary, Office of Aviation Analysis, Department of Transportation,

400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone Number: (202) 366-

2396. Copies of these collections can also be obtained.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Office of the Secretary

Title: Public Charters--14 CFR part 380.

OMB Control Number: 2106-0005.

Affected Public: Public Charter Operators.

Type of Request: Reinstatement, with changes of a previously

approved collection for which approval has expired.

Form(s): OMB 2106-0005.

Abstract: In 14 CFR 380 (adopted 1979) of its Special Regulations

the Department established the terms and conditions governing the

furnishing of public charters in air transportation by direct air

carriers and public charter operators. Public charter operators arrange

transportation for groups of persons on aircraft chartered from direct

air carriers. This arrangement is less expensive for the travelers than

individually buying a ticket. Further, the charter operator books hotel

rooms, tours, etc., at destination for the convenience of the traveler.

Part 380 exempts charter operators from certain provisions of the U.S.

Code in order that they may provide this service.

A primary goal of Part 380 is to seek protection for the consumer.

Accordingly, the rule stipulates that the charter operator must file

evidence (a prospectus) with the Department for each charter program

certifying that it has entered into a binding contract with a direct

carrier to provide air transportation and that it has also entered into

agreements with Department-approved financial institutions for the

protection of the charter participants' funds. The prospectus must be

approved by the Department prior to the operator's advertising, selling

or operating the charter. The forms (OST Forms 4532, 4533, 4534 and

4535) that comprise the operator's filing are the information

collection at issue here.

In September 1992, the Department issued a notice of proposed

rulemaking (NPRM) (57 FR 42864), 9-16-92 to propose, among other

revisions, that charter operators need no longer file prospectuses. The

NPRM was in response to comments that prospectus filings were

burdensome and unnecessary. However, the majority of respondents to the

NPRM have urged the Department to retain the existing prospectus

filing.

On May 22, 1998 the Department of Transportation published a Final

Rule amending its charter air transportation regulations to update the

rules, make changes reflecting current operating procedures and

including certain specific modifications.

With these exceptions, the Department decided not to adopt many of

the rule changes proposed in the NPRM. The Final Rule includes a full

discussion of comments offered to the NPRM and the reasons for adopting

or not adopting proposed changes in the rule. No comments have been

received on the Final Aviation Charter Rules.

Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 1,343 hours.

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 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 techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments to OMB are best assured of having their effect if OMB receives

them within 30 days of publication.

Issued in Washington, DC, on November 15, 1999.

Michael Robinson,

Information Resource Management, U.S. Department of Transportation.

[FR Doc. 99-30498 Filed 11-22-99; 8:45 am]

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