[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6793-6794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02405]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket OST-2011-0022]


On-Line Complaint Form for Service-Related Issues in Air 
Transportation

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended) this notice announces the Department of 
Transportation's intention to renew an OMB control number for an on-
line complaint form by which a consumer can electronically submit a 
service-related complaint against an air carrier.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 7, 2015.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that you do not duplicate your docket submissions, 
please submit them by only one of the following means:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments;
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., West Building Ground Floor 
Room W-12/140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; or
     Hand delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W-12/140, 
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Blane Workie or Daeleen Chesley, 
Office of the Secretary, Office of the Assistant General Counsel for 
Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings (C-70), Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590, 202 
366-9342 (voice) or at [email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Renewal of Aviation Consumer Protection Division Webpage On-
Line Complaint Form.
    OMB Control Number: 2105-0568.
    Type of Request: Request to renew an OMB control number for a 
current information collection form.
    Abstract: The Department of Transportation's (Department) Office of 
the Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings 
(Enforcement Office) has broad authority under 49 U.S.C., Subtitle VII, 
to investigate and enforce consumer protection and civil rights laws 
and regulations related to air transportation. The Enforcement Office, 
including its Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD), monitors 
compliance with and investigates violations of the Department of 
Transportation's aviation economic, consumer protection, and civil 
rights requirements.
    Among other things, the office is responsible for receiving and 
investigating service-related consumer complaints filed against 
airlines and other travel-related companies. Once received, the 
complaints are reviewed by the office to determine the extent to which 
these entities are in compliance with federal aviation consumer 
protection and civil rights laws and what, if any, action should be 
taken.
    The key reason for this request is to enable consumers to continue 
to file their complaints (or comments) to the Department using an on-
line form, whether via their personal computer or on their mobile 
device. If the information collection form is not available, the 
Department may receive fewer complaints from consumers. The lack of 
consumer-driven information could inhibit the office's ability to 
effectively investigate both individual complaints against airlines and 
other air travel-related companies. It would also impact the 
Department's Enforcement Office's ability to become aware of patterns 
and practices that may develop in violation of our rules. The 
information collection continues to further the objectives of 49 U.S.C. 
41712, 40101, 40127, 41702, and 41705 to protect consumers from unfair 
or deceptive practices, to protect the civil rights of air travelers, 
and to ensure safe and adequate service in air transportation.
    Filing a complaint using a web-based form is voluntary and 
minimizes the burden on respondents. Based on CY14 information, 14,479 
of the 17,308 cases filed with the ACPD were filed electronically 
(83.7%). Consumers can also choose to file a complaint with the 
Department using regular mail or by phone message. The type of 
information requested on the form includes complainant's name, address, 
phone number (including area code), email address, and name of the 
airline or company about which she/he is complaining, as well as the 
flight date and flight itinerary (where applicable) of complainant's 
trip. A consumer may also use the form to give a description of a 
specific air-travel related problem or to ask for air-travel related 
information from the ACPD. The Department has limited its informational 
request to that necessary to meet its program and administrative 
monitoring and enforcement activities.
    Respondents: Consumers that Choose to File an On-Line Complaint 
with the Aviation Consumer Protection Division.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,479 (based on CY 2014 data).
    Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 3,619.75 hours, 217,185 
minutes (based on 15 minutes per respondent to fill out the on-line 
form).
    The information collection is available for inspection in 
regulations.gov, as noted in the ADDRESSES section of his document.
    Comments are Invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of

[[Page 6794]]

the functions of the Department, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's estimate 
of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record on the docket.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 30, 2015.
Blane Workie,
Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings.
[FR Doc. 2015-02405 Filed 2-5-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P