[Federal Register: May 9, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 90)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 24896]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09my03-29]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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[[Page 24896]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
14 CFR Parts 255 and 399
[Dockets Nos. OST-97-2881, OST-97-3014, OST-98-4775, and OST-99-5888]
RIN 2105-AC65
Computer Reservations System (CRS) Regulations (Part 255);
Statements of General Policy (Part 399)
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice extending comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Department has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that
proposes to readopt and amend its existing rules governing airline
computer reservations systems (CRSs) and to clarify the requirements of
its Statements of General Policy on travel agency disclosure of any
agency service fees. The Department is now extending the due date for
reply comments on this notice of proposed rulemaking to June 9, 2003,
from the current date of May 15, 2003.
ADDRESSES: To make sure your comments and related material are not
entered more than once in the docket, please submit them (marked with
docket number OST-97-2881) by only one of the following means:
(1) By mail to the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC
20590-0001.
(2) By hand delivery to room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The
telephone number is (202) 366-9329.
(3) Electronically through the Web Site for the Docket Management
System at http://dms.dot.gov. Comments must be filed in Dockets OST-97-
2881, OST-97-3014, and OST-98-4775, U.S. Department of Transportation,
400 7th St. SW., Washington, DC 20590. Late filed comments will be
considered to the extent possible.
Due to security procedures in effect since October 2001 on mail
deliveries, mail received through the Postal Service may be subject to
delays. Commenters should consider using an express mail firm to ensure
the timely filing of any comments not submitted electronically or by
hand.
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 has begun a rulemaking to
reexamine whether it should maintain its existing rules governing CRS
operations. We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that set forth
our tentative conclusions on whether the rules should be readopted,
whether we should extend the rules to cover the sale of airline tickets
through the Internet, and whether we should clarify our full-fare
advertising policy insofar as it concerns the disclosure of travel
agency service fees. (67 FR 69366, November 15, 2002). We have stated
that we intend to hold a public hearing in this rulemaking between the
March 17 due date for comments and the due date for reply comments,
currently May 15. (68 FR 12883, March 18, 2003).
Several firms and organizations have filed comments in response to
our stated intent to hold a public hearing. They have made various
suggestions on how the hearing should be structured and when it should
be scheduled, including proposals to hold the hearing after the filing
of reply comments and requests that we take into account the
commenters' need for adequate time to prepare both reply comments and a
hearing presentation. We continue to believe that we will obtain a more
useful record if we hold the hearing before the submission of reply
comments. We are currently planning to schedule the hearing, which will
last one day, on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, May 20, 21, or 22, in
the Washington, DC, area, and are in the process of arranging for a
room for the hearing. We will provide notice as soon as possible on the
time and place of the hearing.
To enable the commenters to respond in their reply comments to
arguments made at the hearing, we are extending the due date for reply
comments to June 9. This extension will also give commenters a better
opportunity to prepare for a hearing and write thorough reply comments
without significantly delaying our completion of this proceeding.
Issued in Washington, DC on May 6, 2003.
Kirk K. Van Tine,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 03-11634 Filed 5-6-03; 2:53 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P