OIG Documents Supporting Audit of Actions Needed to Minimize Long, On-Board Flight Delays

The following Office of Inspector General (OIG) documents supporting our September 25, 2007, audit report titled Actions Needed to Minimize Long, On-Board Flight Delays (AV-2007-077) are being made publically available as they have become the subject of three FOIA requests for substantially the same record. Some information was redacted or withheld pursuant to exemptions provided by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as described below.

5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(2) exempts from disclosure internal personnel rules and agency practices. Internal file names were withheld under Exemption 2.

5 U.S.C § 552(b)(4) exempts privileged or confidential trade secrets and commercial or financial information. Information was withheld to protect the commercial or financial interests of companies from the competitive disadvantages that could result from disclosure. This information is considered proprietary business information that would not ordinarily be disclosed to the public.

5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(5) exempts inter- or intra-agency memoranda or letters which would not be available to a party in litigation with OIG. These agency documents are predecisional and a direct part of the deliberative process. Records withheld under Exemption 5 were drafts, meeting discussions, interview notes and management oversight documents.

5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6) exempts personnel, medical and similar files, from disclosure of which would constitute a clear unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. The names of individuals and personnel data were withheld under Exemption 6.

We acknowledge that some documents may not be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794d). Section 508 requires that Federal agencies provide disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others. Information must be produced in a readable (preferably PDF) format accessible to programs designed for people with disabilities. Some documents were not provided to OIG in a format that was Section 508 compatible. Anyone unable to access these documents should contact Regina Raiford, FOIA Officer, at (202) 366-6131 or at Regina.Raiford@oig.dot.gov.