[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14872-14873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5545]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Innovative Technology Administration

[DOCKET: RITA 2007-27185]


Bureau of Transportation Statistics; Agency Information 
Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Report of Financial and 
Operating Statistics for Large Certificated Air Carriers; Paperwork 
Reduction Notice

AGENCY: Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), 
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) invites the 
general public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on 
the continuing need for and usefulness of BTS collecting financial data 
from large certificated air carriers. Large certificated air carriers 
are carriers that operate aircraft with over 60 seats, aircraft with 
over 18,000 pounds of payload capacity, or operate international air 
services.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by May 19, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
RITA 2007-27185 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. 
Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one 
of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Identify docket number, RITA 2007-27185, at the 
beginning of your comments, and send two copies. To receive 
confirmation that DOT received your comments, include a self-addressed 
stamped postcard. Internet users may access all comments received by 
DOT at http://www.regulations.gov. All comments are posted 
electronically without charge or edits, including any personal 
information provided.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://DocketInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov, or the street 
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets.

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this Notice and copies of the comments may be 
downloaded at: http://www.regulations.gov, by searching docket RITA 
2007-27185.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline

[[Page 14873]]

Information, RTS-42, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, (202) 366-4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Approval No. 2138-0013.
    Title: Report of Financial and Operating Statistics for Large 
Certificated Air Carriers.
    Form No.: BTS Form 41.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Large certificated air carriers.
    Number of Respondents: 88.
    Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours per schedule, an average 
carrier may submit 90 schedules in one year.
    Total Annual Burden: 31,680 hours.
    Needs and Uses: Program uses for Form 41 data are as follows:

Mail Rates

    The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) sets and updates the 
international and mainline Alaska mail rates based on carrier aircraft 
operating expense, traffic and operational data. Form 41 cost data, 
especially fuel costs, terminal expenses, and line haul expenses are 
used in arriving at rate levels. DOT revises the established rates 
based on the percentage of unit cost changes in the carriers' 
operations. These updating procedures have resulted in the carriers 
receiving rates of compensation that more closely parallel their costs 
of providing mail service and contribute to the carriers' economic 
well-being.

Submission of U.S. Carrier Data to ICAO

    As a party to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the 
United States is obligated to provide the International Civil Aviation 
Organization with financial and statistical data on operations of U.S. 
air carriers. Over 99 percent of the data filed with ICAO is extracted 
from the carriers' Form 41 reports.

Standard Foreign Fare and Rate Levels

    DOT uses Form 41 cost data to calculate the Standard Foreign Fare 
Level (SFFL) for passengers and the Standard Foreign Rate Level (SFRL) 
for freight. Any international fare or rate set below this fare level 
are automatically approved. Separate passenger fare and rate levels are 
established for Canadian, Atlantic, Latin America, and Pacific areas. 
In markets where liberal bilateral or multilateral pricing agreements 
provide for more competitive open market pricing, such agreements may 
take precedence over the SFFL and SFRL.

Carrier Fitness

    Fitness determinations are made for both new entrants and 
established U.S. domestic carriers proposing a substantial change in 
operations. A portion of these applications consists of an operating 
plan for the first year (14 CFR Part 204) and an associated projection 
of revenues and expenses. The carrier's operating costs, included in 
these projections, are compared against the cost data in Form 41 for a 
carrier or carriers with the same aircraft type and similar operating 
characteristics. Such a review validates the reasonableness of the 
carrier's operating plan.
    Form 41 reports, particularly balance sheet reports and cash flow 
statements play a major role in the identification of vulnerable 
carriers. Data comparisons are made between current and past periods in 
order to assess the current financial position of the carrier. 
Financial trend lines are extended into the future to analyze the 
continued viability of the carrier. DOT reviews three areas of a 
carrier's operation: (1) The qualifications of its management team, (2) 
its disposition to comply with laws and regulations, and (3) its 
financial posture. DOT must determine whether or not a carrier has 
sufficient financial resources to conduct its operations without 
imposing undue risk on the traveling public. Moreover, once a carrier 
is operating, DOT is required to monitor its continuing fitness.
    Senior DOT officials must be kept fully informed as to all current 
and developing economic issues affecting the airline industry. In 
preparing financial conditions reports or status reports on a 
particular airline, financial and traffic data are analyzed. Briefing 
papers may use the same information.
    The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency 
Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note), requires a statistical agency to 
clearly identify information it collects for non-statistical purposes. 
BTS hereby notifies the respondents and the public that BTS uses the 
information it collects under this OMB approval for non-statistical 
purposes including, but not limited to, publication of both 
Respondent's identity and its data, submission of the information to 
agencies outside BTS for review, analysis and possible use in 
regulatory and other administrative matters.

M. Clay Moritz, Jr.,
Assistant Director, Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics.
 [FR Doc. E8-5545 Filed 3-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-HY-P