[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 21717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9557]



[[Page 21717]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Innovative Technology Administration

[Docket ID Number RITA 2008-0002]


Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Report 
of Passengers Denied Confirmed Space--BTS Form 251

AGENCY: Research & 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 invites the general 
public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the 
continuing need for and usefulness of BTS collecting reports on the 
number of passengers holding confirmed reservations that voluntarily or 
involuntarily give up their seats when the airline oversells the 
flight. Comments are requested concerning whether (a) The collection is 
still needed by the Department of Transportation, (b) BTS accurately 
estimated the reporting burden; (c) there are other ways to enhance the 
quality, utility and clarity of the information collected; and (d) 
there are ways to minimize reporting burden, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by June 25, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline 
Information, RTS-42, Room E36-303, RITA, BTS, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone Number (202) 366-4387, Fax 
Number (202) 366-3383 or e-mail [email protected].
    Comments: Comments should identify the associated OMB approval 
2138-0018 and Docket ID Number RITA 2008-0002. Persons wishing 
the Department to acknowledge receipt of their comments must submit 
with those comments a self-addressed stamped postcard on which the 
following statement is made: Comments on OMB 2138-0018, 
Docket--RITA 2008-0002. The postcard will be date/time stamped and 
returned.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Approval No. 2138-0018.
    Title: Report of Passengers Denied Confirmed Space.
    Form No: BTS Form 251.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Large certificated and foreign air carriers.
    Number of Respondents: 18.
    Number of Responses: 72.
    Total Annual Burden: 960 hours.
    Needs and Uses: BTS Form 251 is a one-page report on the number of 
passengers denied seats either voluntarily or involuntarily, whether 
these bumped passengers were provided alternate transportation and/or 
compensation, and the amount of the payment. U.S. air carriers that 
account for at least 1 percent of domestic scheduled passenger service 
must report all operations with 30 seat or larger aircraft that depart 
a U.S. airport. Carriers do not report data from inbound international 
flights because the protections of 14 CFR part 250 Oversales do not 
apply to these flights. The report allows the Department to monitor the 
effectiveness of its oversales rule and take enforcement action when 
necessary. While the involuntarily denied-boarding rate has decreased 
from 4.38 per 10,000 passengers in 1980 to 1.09 for the quarter ended 
December 2009, the rate is up from the 0.89 attained for the nine month 
period that ended on September 30, 2005. The publishing of the 
carriers' individual denied boarding rates has negated the need for 
more intrusive regulation. The rate of denied boarding can be examined 
as a continuing fitness factor. This rate provides an insight into a 
carrier's customer service practices. A rapid sustained increase in the 
rate of denied boarding may indicate operational difficulties. Because 
the rate of denied boarding is released quarterly, travelers and travel 
agents can select carriers with lower incidences of bumping passengers. 
This information is available in the Air Travel Consumer Report at: 
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm. The Air Travel 
Consumer Report is also sent to newspapers, magazines, and trade 
journals. Without Form 251, determining the effectiveness of the 
Department's oversales rule would be impossible.
    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.

Anne Suissa,
Director, Office of Airline Information.
[FR Doc. 2010-9557 Filed 4-23-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-HY-P