Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Airline Service Quality Performance-Part 234

AGENCY:

Research & Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for re-instatement of an expired collection. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on April 16, 2010 (75 FR 21716).

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted by August 18, 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 bernard.stankus@dot.gov.

Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: RITA/BTS Desk Officer.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

OMB Approval No. 2138-0041

Title: Airline Service Quality Performance—Part 234.

Form No.: BTS Form 234.

Type Of Review: Re-instatement of an expired collection.

Respondents: Large certificated air carriers that account for at least 1 percent of domestic scheduled passenger revenues.

Number of Respondents: 18.

Total Number of Annual Responses: 216.

Estimated Time per Response: 20 hours.

Total Annual Burden: 4320 hours.

Needs and Uses

Consumer Information

Part 234 gives air travelers information concerning their chances of on-time flights and the rate of mishandled baggage by the 18 largest scheduled domestic passenger carriers.

Reducing and Identifying Traffic Delays

The Federal Aviation Administration uses part 234 data to pinpoint and analyze air traffic delays. Wheels-up and wheels-down times are used in conjunction with departure and arrival times to show the extent of ground delays. Actual elapsed flight time, wheels-down minus wheels-up time, is compared to scheduled elapsed flight time to identify airborne delays. The reporting of aircraft tail number allows the FAA to track an aircraft through the air network, which enables the FAA to study the ripple effects of delays at hub airports. The data can be analyzed for airport design changes, new equipment purchases, the planning of new runways or airports based on current and projected airport delays, and traffic levels. The identification of the reason for delays allows the FAA, airport operators, and air carriers to pinpoint delays under their control.

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.