[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 237 (Wednesday, December 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65120-65121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32263]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary


Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements Agency Information 
Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 3501, et seq.) this notice announces that the 
Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been 
forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and 
it's expected cost and burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-
day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of 
information was published in 62 FR 41462, August 1, 1997.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before January 9, 
1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Schmidt, Office of Aviation and 
International Economics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aviation 
and International Affairs, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh St. SW, Washington, DC 20590 at (202) 366-
5420 or (202) 366-7638 (FAX).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Office of the Secretary

    Title: Information Collection of Data on Passenger Travel by Air.
    OMB Control Number: 2105-0535.
    Affected Public: All U.S. airlines providing scheduled passenger 
service and all computer reservations systems (CRSs) operating in the 
United States.
    Abstract: The requested extension of the information collection 
contained in approved control number 2105-0535 covers the data 
necessary to complete the Study of Rural Air Fares that was required by 
the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 1996 (Pub. 
L. 104-264). This study, among other things, was to analyze air fares 
paid between small communities and large hub airports with fares 
between large hub airports.

[[Page 65121]]

    Need: Currently, DOT collects air fare data from certain air 
carriers as part of the Passenger Origin and Destination Survey 
(``Survey''). This Survey is based on a ten percent sample of passenger 
tickets and is reported to the Department on a quarterly basis by the 
large certificated air carriers. In the course of analyzing these data 
with reference to the small communities, the Department has tentatively 
concluded that because of the small size of the sample and the absence 
of smaller carriers from the database, the current data are 
unrepresentative and inadequate for providing proper analysis. The 
Department is therefore developing an alternative database to meet its 
needs.
    The Department is requiring airlines and CRSs to provide these 
data. In order to minimize the burden of providing these data, the 
Department has suggested the use of the Ticket Control Number (TCN) 
files or similar data sources. In the process of making reservations 
and ticketing airline passengers, airlines and CRSs electronically 
record most transactions in TCN files for various accounting, 
reconciliation and control purposes. Each TCN file contains 
approximately 150 individual data items including the data elements of 
carrier identification, passenger itinerary and fare needed by the 
Department. Under a current data interchange program, most airlines and 
CRSs routinely submit the TCN data to the Airline Tariff Publishing 
Company (ATPCO). The Department believes that these files, as submitted 
to ATPCO, provide an ideal source of the type of comprehensive data 
that it is seeking. To the extent that airlines do not use CRSs for 
reservations, the Department is taking whatever steps are necessary to 
provide as complete a database as possible.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 888.
    Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer.
    Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 3, 1997.
Vanester M. Williams,
Clearance Officer, United States Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 97-32263 Filed 12-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P