[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 223 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63279-63280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30291]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

49 CFR Ch. I

Office of the Secretary
[Docket OST-1996-1880]


Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Air Travel

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: DOT is convening a public meeting to discuss whether the 
Department should commence a rulemaking to require certain additional 
accommodations for hearing-impaired passengers under the Air Carrier 
Access Act of 1986. This notice announces the date, time, location, and 
procedures for the public meeting.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for November 30, 1999, from 9 
a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 2101 at the 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sophy Chen, Office of the Assistant 
General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, telephone number (202) 
366-9353 or via email at [email protected]; or Robert Ashby, 
Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, 
telephone number (202) 366-9310 (voice) or (202) 755-7687 (TDD), or via 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In a November 1996 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), the 
Department proposed to amend the Department's Air Carrier Access Act 
(ACAA) rules regarding seating accommodations for individuals with 
disabilities and the stowage of collapsible electric wheelchairs (61 FR 
56481; November 1, 1996). In that NPRM, the Department also requested 
comments on the following four suggestions the Department had received 
regarding accommodations for persons with hearing impairments: (1) 
Captioning of video material (e.g., movies and other entertainment 
features) shown on the aircraft; (2) making telecommunications devices 
for the deaf (TDDs) available where air phone service is provided to 
other passengers; (3) providing assistive listening technology for 
public address announcements in the aircraft; and (4) providing 
electronic message or assistive listening technology in gate areas. The 
Department sought comments on the need for such accommodations, as well 
as their technical feasibility and cost.
    The Department received several comments, which are available in 
Docket OST-1996-1880. The Department's dockets are available at DOT 
Headquarters, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, in Room PL-104 
and can also be accessed at the Department's Docket Management

[[Page 63280]]

System Internet site (http://dms.dot.gov). In the preamble for the 
final rule that resulted from the November 1996 rulemaking, however, 
the Department deferred decision on whether to require these 
accommodations for hearing-impaired passengers. At this time, the 
Department seeks to reopen discussion about these suggestions.

Meeting Procedures

    1. To reserve a seat or to ensure that you have the opportunity to 
speak, please contact Sophy Chen (see information under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) as soon as possible. The meeting is otherwise open 
for observation without prior arrangement. Seating, however, will be 
restricted by room size and will be available on a first-come, first-
served basis.
    2. The meeting will be structured so that a balanced group of 
interested parties are the primary participants. However, opportunities 
for anyone in attendance to speak will be made available as well. For 
scheduling purposes, anyone wishing to make a short presentation 
highlighting technologies that are relevant to making air travel 
accessible for hearing-impaired individuals are encouraged to contact 
Sophy Chen (see information under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) as 
soon as possible.
    3. The purpose of the meeting is to solicit views and more complete 
information on the need, feasibility, and cost of the suggested 
accommodations for hearing-impaired air travelers. The meeting will be 
conducted, therefore, in an informal and non-adversarial manner. No 
individual will be subject to cross-examination by any other 
participant. Panel members may, however, ask questions to clarify 
statements and to ensure a complete and accurate record.

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 10, 1999.
Rosalind A. Knapp,
Deputy General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 99-30291 Filed 11-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P