Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Agency Request for Reinstatement of a Previously Approved Collection: Online Complaint Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation, 67785-67786 [2021-25891]

Download as PDF 67785 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 226 / Monday, November 29, 2021 / Notices FHWA also requests comments to inform the implementation of the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program to provide discretionary grants for corridor and community charging. Specifically: 10. Please provide examples of best practices relating to project development of EV charging infrastructure and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure at the State, Tribal, and local levels. 11. What topics do you suggest that we address in guidance on project development of EV charging infrastructure and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure at the State, Tribal, and local levels to allow for the predictable deployment of that infrastructure? 12. Please provide any suggestions to inform the administration of competitive grants under the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program for corridor and community charging. Authority: Public Law 117–58; 49 CFR 1.81. Signed in Washington, DC. Stephanie Pollack, Deputy Administrator, Federal Highway Administration. [FR Doc. 2021–25868 Filed 11–26–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–22–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Office of the Secretary notice announces the Department of Transportation’s intention to reinstate an OMB control number for an online complaint form by which a consumer can electronically submit a servicerelated complaint against an airline and other sellers of air transportation. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 28, 2022. 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 https://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: Daeleen Chesley, Office of the Secretary, Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (C–70), U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590, 202 366– 6792 (voice) or at Daeleen.Chesley@ dot.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: [OST Docket No. DOT–OST–2011–0022] Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Agency Request for Reinstatement of a Previously Approved Collection: Online Complaint Form for ServiceRelated Issues in Air Transportation Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation. ACTION: Notice and request for comments; reinstatement of an OMB control number. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 this SUMMARY: OMB Control Number: 2105–0568. Title: Reinstatement of Office of Aviation Consumer Protection Online Complaint Form. Abstract: The Department of Transportation’s (Department) Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP, formerly the Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings) 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. OACP monitors compliance with and investigates violations of the Department of Transportation’s aviation Total number of complaints filed Calendar year khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES 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 sellers of air transportation. Once received, the complaints are reviewed by the office to determine the extent to which these entities comply with federal aviation consumer protection and civil rights laws and what, if any, action should be taken. This request is to enable consumers to continue to submit comments, including complaints, to the Department using an online form, whether via their personal computer or on a mobile/electronic device. If the online comment form is not available, the Department may receive fewer complaints/comments from consumers. The lack of consumerdriven information could inhibit the office’s ability to effectively investigate both individual complaints against airlines and other sellers of air transportation. It would also impact OACP’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 when compared with other methods of submitting complaints. In recent years, consumers have submitted the vast majority of complaints online versus contacting the Department using regular mail or telephone. Approximately ninety percent of the submissions received by OACP during calendar years (CYs) 2017 through 2019 were filed using the webbased form as shown in the table below.1 Total number of complaints filed online Percentage of complaints filed online 2017 ............................................................................................................................................. 2018 ............................................................................................................................................. 2019 ............................................................................................................................................. 18,155 15,546 15,342 16,067 13,964 14,107 89 90 92 Average Total per Year (above) ........................................................................................... 16,348 14,713 90 1 In 2020, the Department received an unusually high number (100,613) of online submissions to our office, primarily complaints, largely due to flight VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:55 Nov 26, 2021 Jkt 256001 cancellations and refund issues that resulted from the Covid–19 pandemic. Using the average number of submissions from the three previous CYs more PO 00000 Frm 00112 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 accurately reflects the annual number of submissions received by our office historically. E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM 29NON1 67786 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 226 / Monday, November 29, 2021 / Notices khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES 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 a 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 OACP. 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 Online Complaint/Comment with the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection. Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,713 (based on averaging data from CYs 2017–19). Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 3,678.25 hours (220,695 minutes). The estimate was calculated by multiplying the average number of cases filed using the online form in CYs17–19 (14,713) by the time needed to fill out the online form (15 minutes). The information collection is available for inspection in regulations.gov, as noted in the ADDRESSES section of this document. Comments are Invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 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. Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48. Issued in Washington, DC, on November 23, 2021. Kimberly Graber, Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Office of Aviation Consumer Protection. [FR Doc. 2021–25891 Filed 11–26–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:55 Nov 26, 2021 Jkt 256001 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Office of the Secretary [Docket ID Number: DOT–OST–2014–0031] Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Agency Request for Renewal of a Previously Approved Collection: Airline Service Quality Performance—Part 234 Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST–R), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended) this notice announces that DOT is submitting a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal of OMB Control Number 2138– 0041 covering Airline Service Quality Performance, On-time Performance, and Mishandled Baggage reports that the largest U.S. air carriers file with DOT under part 234 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). On August 11, 2021, the Director, Office of Airline Information (OAI), published a Federal Register notice announcing DOT’s intent to renew the information collections and providing a 60-day comment period regarding the information collections. See 86 FR 44137. DOT did not receive any comments in response to the August 11, 2021 notice. This notice announces an additional 30 days of public comment. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 29, 2021. Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the burden estimate, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. Comments may also be sent via email to OMB at the following address: oira_ submissions@omb.eop.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cecelia Robinson, Office of Airline Information, RTS–42, Room E34–410, OST–R, BTS, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590–0001, Telephone Number (202) 366–4405 (voice), Fax Number (202) 366–3383 or Email cecelia.robinson@dot.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOT collects information regarding flight performance and mishandled baggage, SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00113 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 wheelchairs, and scooters from the largest U.S. air carriers under 14 CFR part 234. The air carriers required to provide this information to DOT consist of the U.S. air carriers that accounted for at least 0.5 percent of domestic scheduled-passenger revenues (Reporting Carriers) as most recently determined by OAI. An air carrier that is not a Reporting Carrier may voluntarily submit the flight performance and mishandled baggage, wheelchairs, and scooters information to the Department pursuant to 14 CFR 234.7. Specifically, Reporting Carriers must submit Part 234 On-time Performance reports to DOT with information on domestic flight operations and performance as described in 14 CFR 234.4.1 In addition, under 14 CFR 234.6, Reporting Carriers must submit Part 234 Mishandled Baggage reports to DOT that include the following information for covered domestic flights: (1) The number of bags mishandled in its custody, (2) the number of bags enplaned into the aircraft cargo compartment, (3) the number of mishandled wheelchairs and scooters mishandled in its custody, and (4) the number of wheelchairs and scooters enplaned into the aircraft cargo compartment.2 Each Reporting Carrier is required to report the flight performance and mishandled baggage, wheelchair, and scooter information to DOT on a monthly basis for the covered flights it operates and for any covered flights held out under the Reporting Carrier’s code (as the only U.S. carrier code) and operated by a codeshare partner of the Reporting Carrier that is a U.S. air carrier. These codeshare partners generally adopt the marketing carrier’s branding and, thus, are referred to as branded codeshare partners. DOT uses the information reported by airlines to provide airline performance information and statistics on the BTS website and in the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR), a monthly publication of DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP). Air transportation 1 The format and instructions for reporting this information are in Technical Reporting Directive #27—On-Time Performance, effective January 1, 2018, available at: https://cms7.bts.dot.gov/sites/ bts.dot.gov/files/docs/explore-topics-andgeography/topics/airlines-and-airports/207741/ technical-directive-no-27-time-2018.pdf. 2 The format and instructions for reporting mishandled baggage and wheelchair and scooter information to DOT are in Technical Reporting Directive #30A—Mishandled Baggage and Wheelchairs and Scooters (Amended), effective January 1, 2019, available at: https:// www.bts.dot.gov/sites/bts.dot.gov/files/docs/ explore-topics-and-geography/topics/airlines-andairports/224606/technicaldirective30abaggage2019 amended.pdf. E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM 29NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 226 (Monday, November 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67785-67786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25891]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[OST Docket No. DOT-OST-2011-0022]


Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB 
Agency Request for Reinstatement of a Previously Approved Collection: 
Online Complaint Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments; reinstatement of an OMB 
control number.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 this 
notice announces the Department of Transportation's intention to 
reinstate an OMB control number for an online complaint form by which a 
consumer can electronically submit a service-related complaint against 
an airline and other sellers of air transportation.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 28, 2022.

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 https://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: Daeleen Chesley, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (C-70), U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 
20590, 202 366-6792 (voice) or at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 2105-0568.
    Title: Reinstatement of Office of Aviation Consumer Protection 
Online Complaint Form.
    Abstract: The Department of Transportation's (Department) Office of 
Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP, formerly the Office of Aviation 
Enforcement and Proceedings) 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. OACP 
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 sellers of air transportation. Once received, the 
complaints are reviewed by the office to determine the extent to which 
these entities comply with federal aviation consumer protection and 
civil rights laws and what, if any, action should be taken.
    This request is to enable consumers to continue to submit comments, 
including complaints, to the Department using an online form, whether 
via their personal computer or on a mobile/electronic device. If the 
online comment form is not available, the Department may receive fewer 
complaints/comments from consumers. The lack of consumer-driven 
information could inhibit the office's ability to effectively 
investigate both individual complaints against airlines and other 
sellers of air transportation. It would also impact OACP'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 when compared with other methods of 
submitting complaints. In recent years, consumers have submitted the 
vast majority of complaints online versus contacting the Department 
using regular mail or telephone. Approximately ninety percent of the 
submissions received by OACP during calendar years (CYs) 2017 through 
2019 were filed using the web-based form as shown in the table 
below.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ In 2020, the Department received an unusually high number 
(100,613) of online submissions to our office, primarily complaints, 
largely due to flight cancellations and refund issues that resulted 
from the Covid-19 pandemic. Using the average number of submissions 
from the three previous CYs more accurately reflects the annual 
number of submissions received by our office historically.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Total number    Total number    Percentage of
                          Calendar year                            of complaints   of complaints    complaints
                                                                       filed       filed online    filed online
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2017............................................................          18,155          16,067              89
2018............................................................          15,546          13,964              90
2019............................................................          15,342          14,107              92
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Average Total per Year (above)..............................          16,348          14,713              90
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 67786]]

    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 a 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 OACP. 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 Online Complaint/
Comment with the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,713 (based on averaging data 
from CYs 2017-19).
    Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 3,678.25 hours (220,695 
minutes). The estimate was calculated by multiplying the average number 
of cases filed using the online form in CYs17-19 (14,713) by the time 
needed to fill out the online form (15 minutes).
    The information collection is available for inspection in 
regulations.gov, as noted in the Addresses section of this document.
    Comments are Invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of 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.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 
35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 23, 2021.
Kimberly Graber,
Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Office of Aviation Consumer 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 2021-25891 Filed 11-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P


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