Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees, 4922-4923 [2023-01517]

Download as PDF 4922 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 17 / Thursday, January 26, 2023 / Proposed Rules (d) Subject Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage. (e) Unsafe Condition This AD was prompted by the potential for cracks to start in hidden areas underneath the scuff plates in the fuselage skin and bear strap of certain doors. The FAA is issuing this AD to address cracks caused by higher fatigue stresses at the fuselage skin door cutout lower corners. This unsafe condition, if not addressed, could adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane. (f) Compliance Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, unless already done. lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1 (g) Required Actions Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD: At the applicable times specified in the ‘‘Compliance’’ paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757–53A0119 RB, dated October 12, 2022, do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757–53A0119 RB, dated October 12, 2022. Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 757–53A0119, dated October 12, 2022, which is referred to in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757–53A0119 RB, dated October 12, 2022. (h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications (1) Where the Compliance Time column and notes of the tables in the ‘‘Compliance’’ paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757–53A0119 RB, dated October 12, 2022, use the phrase ‘‘the original issue date of Requirements Bulletin 757–53A0119 RB,’’ this AD requires using ‘‘the effective date of this AD.’’ (2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757–53A0119RB, dated October 12, 2022, specifies ‘‘General Visual Inspection (GVI) or a maintenance records check for any existing repair’’, if only a Maintenance Records Check is accomplished with no GVI, then any directly follow-on condition actions that specify a compliance time ‘‘Before further flight’’ are required prior to the accumulation of 30,000 total flight cycles, or within 3,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later. (3) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757–53A0119 RB, dated October 12, 2022, specifies contacting Boeing for repair instructions or for alternative inspections: This AD requires doing the repair, or doing the alternative inspections and applicable oncondition actions, before further flight using a method approved in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this AD. (i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) (1) The Manager, Los Angeles ACO Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Jan 25, 2023 Jkt 259001 found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or responsible Flight Standards Office, as appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the certification office, send it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (j) of this AD. Information may be emailed to: 9-ANMLAACO-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the responsible Flight Standards Office. (3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be used for any repair, modification, or alteration required by this AD if it is approved by The Boeing Company Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) that has been authorized by the Manager, Los Angeles ACO Branch, FAA, to make those findings. To be approved, the repair method, modification deviation, or alteration deviation must meet the certification basis of the airplane, and the approval must specifically refer to this AD. (j) Related Information For more information about this AD, contact Peter Jarzomb, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712 4137; phone: 562–627– 5234; email: Peter.Jarzomb@faa.gov. (k) Material Incorporated by Reference (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. (i) Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757–53A0119 RB, dated October 12, 2022. (ii) [Reserved] (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services (C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110–SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740–5600; telephone 562–797–1717; website myboeingfleet.com. (4) You may view this service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. (5) You may view this service information that is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, fr.inspection@nara.gov, or go to: www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. Issued on January 11, 2023. Christina Underwood, Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification Service. [FR Doc. 2023–01463 Filed 1–25–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–P PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Office of the Secretary 14 CFR Part 399 [Docket No. DOT–OST–2022–0109] RIN 2105–AF10 Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of Transportation (DOT or the Department). ACTION: Denial of Request for Extension of Comment Period. AGENCY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) declines to extend the comment period beyond January 23, 2023 for its proposed rule on Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees. DATES: Comments on the rulemaking should be filed by January 23, 2023. Late-filed comments will be considered to the extent practicable. Petitions for a hearing pursuant to 14 CFR 399.75(b)(1) must also be filed by January 23, 2023. ADDRESSES: You may file comments identified by the docket number DOT– OST–2022–0109 by any of the following methods: • 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 W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001. • Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Commenters using this method of delivery should contact Docket Services at 202–366–9826 or 202–366–9317 before delivery to ensure staff is available to receive the delivery. • Fax: (202) 493–2251. Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number DOT– OST–2022–0109 or the Regulatory Identification Number (RIN 2105–AF10) for the rulemaking at the beginning of your comment. All comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received in any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\26JAP1.SGM 26JAP1 lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 17 / Thursday, January 26, 2023 / Proposed Rules submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). For information on DOT’s compliance with the Privacy Act, please visit https:// www.transportation.gov/privacy. Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents and comments received, go to https:// www.regulations.gov or to the street address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the docket. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Patanaphan or Blane Workie, Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590, 202–366–9342 (phone), ryan.patanaphan@dot.gov or blane.workie@dot.gov (email). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 26, 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT or Department) publicly announced and posted to its website a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed several disclosure requirements to enhance the transparency of ancillary service fees that consumers pay for when they purchase airline tickets. (See 87 FR 63718; October 20, 2022). In the NPRM, the Department proposed to require U.S. air carriers, foreign air carriers, and ticket agents to clearly disclose passenger-specific or itinerary-specific baggage fees, change fees, and cancellation fees to consumers whenever fare and schedule information is provided to consumers for flights to, within, and from the United States. The Department also proposed requiring similar disclosures for fees for a child 13 or under to be seated adjacent to an accompanying adult, as well as the transactability of such seating fees. The proposed rule would require carriers to provide useable, current, and accurate information regarding fees to ticket agents that sell or display the carrier’s fare and schedule information. The NPRM initially provided for a comment period of 60 days after publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register, i.e., December 19, 2022. During this time, the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC) met on December 8, 2022 and heard from Department staff and various stakeholders on the proposed rule. The ACPAC meeting was open to the public. The Department received requests for an extension of the comment period from several commenters.1 In response to those 1 Commenters requesting additional time for comment were Airlines for America, the International Air Transportation Association, the Travel Technology Association, the American VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Jan 25, 2023 Jkt 259001 requests, and to provide additional time for stakeholders to conduct a thorough review of the NPRM’s potential impacts, the Department extended the comment period by 35 days to January 23, 2023. (See 87 FR 77765 (Dec. 20, 2022). During the extended comment period, the ACPAC met again on January 12, 2023 to deliberate and vote on recommendations in connection with the NPRM’s proposals. The ACPAC meeting was again open to the public. On January 18, 2023, the Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) requested an extension to file comments on the NPRM, writing that commenters would not have a sufficient opportunity to review and respond to the ACPAC’s recommendations that resulted from its January 12 meeting.2 Travel Tech asserts that it and others were not able to view the meeting when it occurred, and that, at the time the organization requested an extension, the meeting materials had not yet been posted to the public docket. Travel Tech requested a two-week extension to February 6, 2023, to file comments. While materials from the ACPAC’s January 12 meeting, including a video recording of the full meeting, have been posted publicly and can be viewed on the Department’s website or on regulations.gov (Docket DOT–OST– 2018–0190), the meeting was publicly viewable on the date it was held. Stakeholders were provided sufficient notice of the meeting in advance, and the Federal Register notice announcing the meeting noted that the ACPAC intended to deliberate and decide on recommendations, if any, regarding ancillary fee transparency.3 Indeed, Travel Tech was aware that the ACPAC would meet on January 12 to deliberate and decide on recommendations, if any, regarding this rulemaking. Moreover, the Department believes members of the public have had sufficient time, nearly 4 months, to consider the proposed rule and to file comments. In light of the foregoing, the Department finds insufficient basis to extend further the comment period for the Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees NPRM. As such, the Department denies Travel Tech’s request for an extension to file comments in this rulemaking. The Society of Travel Advisors, and the Global Business Travel Association. 2 https://www.regulations.gov/comment/DOTOST-2022-0109-0068. 3 A meeting notice was published in late December 2022 both on the Department’s website and at regulations.gov. See https:// www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOTOST-2018-0190-0087. PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 4923 Department’s denial notwithstanding, commenters are reminded that late-filed comments will be considered to the extent practicable. Signed in Washington, DC, on or around this 20th day of January 2023, under authority delegated at 49 U.S.C. 1.27n. John E. Putnam, General Counsel. [FR Doc. 2023–01517 Filed 1–25–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 24 CFR Parts 214, 1000, and 1003 [Docket No. FR–6322–P–01] RIN 2502–AJ64 Certification of Tribal Housing Counselors Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, HUD. ACTION: Proposed rule. AGENCY: HUD’s Housing Counseling Program provides, through HUDapproved counseling agencies and State housing finance agencies, counseling to individuals seeking information about financing, maintaining, renting, or owning a home. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act amended the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 to improve the effectiveness of the housing counseling program by, among other things, requiring that entities and individual counselors be certified by HUD as competent to provide such counseling services. In 2016, HUD implemented these requirements for most HUD programs but agreed to conduct consultation with Tribes before implementing the new housing counselor certification requirement for Tribes. After consulting with Tribes, HUD proposes a housing counselor certification option for employees of Tribes, Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE), and other Tribal entities conducting housing counseling required or provided in connection with the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) and the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) programs. The proposed rule provides an alternative regulatory standard for compliance with the Dodd-Frank Act’s counselor certification requirement that recognizes Tribal sovereignty and selfdetermination, and accounts for the SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\26JAP1.SGM 26JAP1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 17 (Thursday, January 26, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 4922-4923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01517]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

14 CFR Part 399

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2022-0109]
RIN 2105-AF10


Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of Transportation 
(DOT or the Department).

ACTION: Denial of Request for Extension of Comment Period.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) 
declines to extend the comment period beyond January 23, 2023 for its 
proposed rule on Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service 
Fees.

DATES: Comments on the rulemaking should be filed by January 23, 2023. 
Late-filed comments will be considered to the extent practicable. 
Petitions for a hearing pursuant to 14 CFR 399.75(b)(1) must also be 
filed by January 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may file comments identified by the docket number DOT-
OST-2022-0109 by any of the following methods:
     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 W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Commenters 
using this method of delivery should contact Docket Services at 202-
366-9826 or 202-366-9317 before delivery to ensure staff is available 
to receive the delivery.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number 
DOT-OST-2022-0109 or the Regulatory Identification Number (RIN 2105-
AF10) for the rulemaking at the beginning of your comment. All comments 
received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, 
including any personal information provided.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received in any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if

[[Page 4923]]

submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
For information on DOT's compliance with the Privacy Act, please visit 
https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents and 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov or to the street 
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Patanaphan or Blane Workie, 
Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590, 202-366-
9342 (phone), [email protected] or [email protected] (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 26, 2022, the Department of 
Transportation (DOT or Department) publicly announced and posted to its 
website a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed several 
disclosure requirements to enhance the transparency of ancillary 
service fees that consumers pay for when they purchase airline tickets. 
(See 87 FR 63718; October 20, 2022). In the NPRM, the Department 
proposed to require U.S. air carriers, foreign air carriers, and ticket 
agents to clearly disclose passenger-specific or itinerary-specific 
baggage fees, change fees, and cancellation fees to consumers whenever 
fare and schedule information is provided to consumers for flights to, 
within, and from the United States. The Department also proposed 
requiring similar disclosures for fees for a child 13 or under to be 
seated adjacent to an accompanying adult, as well as the 
transactability of such seating fees. The proposed rule would require 
carriers to provide useable, current, and accurate information 
regarding fees to ticket agents that sell or display the carrier's fare 
and schedule information.
    The NPRM initially provided for a comment period of 60 days after 
publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register, i.e., December 19, 
2022. During this time, the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory 
Committee (ACPAC) met on December 8, 2022 and heard from Department 
staff and various stakeholders on the proposed rule. The ACPAC meeting 
was open to the public. The Department received requests for an 
extension of the comment period from several commenters.\1\ In response 
to those requests, and to provide additional time for stakeholders to 
conduct a thorough review of the NPRM's potential impacts, the 
Department extended the comment period by 35 days to January 23, 2023. 
(See 87 FR 77765 (Dec. 20, 2022). During the extended comment period, 
the ACPAC met again on January 12, 2023 to deliberate and vote on 
recommendations in connection with the NPRM's proposals. The ACPAC 
meeting was again open to the public.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Commenters requesting additional time for comment were 
Airlines for America, the International Air Transportation 
Association, the Travel Technology Association, the American Society 
of Travel Advisors, and the Global Business Travel Association.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On January 18, 2023, the Travel Technology Association (Travel 
Tech) requested an extension to file comments on the NPRM, writing that 
commenters would not have a sufficient opportunity to review and 
respond to the ACPAC's recommendations that resulted from its January 
12 meeting.\2\ Travel Tech asserts that it and others were not able to 
view the meeting when it occurred, and that, at the time the 
organization requested an extension, the meeting materials had not yet 
been posted to the public docket. Travel Tech requested a two-week 
extension to February 6, 2023, to file comments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ https://www.regulations.gov/comment/DOT-OST-2022-0109-0068.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    While materials from the ACPAC's January 12 meeting, including a 
video recording of the full meeting, have been posted publicly and can 
be viewed on the Department's website or on regulations.gov (Docket 
DOT-OST-2018-0190), the meeting was publicly viewable on the date it 
was held. Stakeholders were provided sufficient notice of the meeting 
in advance, and the Federal Register notice announcing the meeting 
noted that the ACPAC intended to deliberate and decide on 
recommendations, if any, regarding ancillary fee transparency.\3\ 
Indeed, Travel Tech was aware that the ACPAC would meet on January 12 
to deliberate and decide on recommendations, if any, regarding this 
rulemaking. Moreover, the Department believes members of the public 
have had sufficient time, nearly 4 months, to consider the proposed 
rule and to file comments. In light of the foregoing, the Department 
finds insufficient basis to extend further the comment period for the 
Enhancing Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees NPRM. As such, 
the Department denies Travel Tech's request for an extension to file 
comments in this rulemaking. The Department's denial notwithstanding, 
commenters are reminded that late-filed comments will be considered to 
the extent practicable.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ A meeting notice was published in late December 2022 both on 
the Department's website and at regulations.gov. See https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2018-0190-0087.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on or around this 20th day of January 
2023, under authority delegated at 49 U.S.C. 1.27n.
John E. Putnam,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2023-01517 Filed 1-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.