[Federal Register: March 3, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 41)]
[Notices]               
[Page 10335]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03mr99-131]

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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]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P