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.) 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]

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