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[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 185 (Friday, September 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57425-57426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24385]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

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

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general 
public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the 
continuing need for and usefulness of DOT collecting data on the 
timeliness of scheduled domestic passenger flights and the incidence of 
lost and damaged baggage. The 10 largest domestic passenger carriers 
report the data on a monthly basis.
    Commenters should address whether BTS accurately estimated the 
reporting burden and if there are other ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collected.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by November 21, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to: Office of Airline 
Information, K-25, Room 4125, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001, FAX NO. 366-3383 or 
EMAIL [email protected].

COMMENTS:  Comments should identify the OMB # 2138-0041. Persons 
wishing the Department to acknowledge receipt of their comments must 
submit with those comments a self-addressed stamped postcard on which 
the following statement is made: Comments on OMB # 2138-0041. The 
postcard will be date/time stamped and returned.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernie Stankus Office of Airline 
Information, K-25, Room 4125, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001, (202) 366-4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Approval No. 2138-0041.
    Title: Airline Service Quality Performance.
    Type Of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Large air carriers that account for at least one 
percent of domestic scheduled passenger revenues.
    Number of Respondents: 10.
    Number of Responses: 120.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,280 hours.
    Needs and Uses: Since September 1987, carriers' quality of service 
has been measured by BTS, resulting in the overall improvement of 
service. The Department discloses the air carriers' on-time 
performances and mishandled-baggage rates to the public. Airline 
passengers are able to make more informed carrier selection decisions 
based on the quality of service provided by individual air carriers.
    While overall air carrier delays have increased in the year 2000, 
the majority of the increase is associated with an increase in the 
number of aircraft departures at congested airports. Because air 
carriers report gate-departure time, wheels-off time, wheels-on time 
and gate-arrival time, the FAA can use the data to identify bottle 
necks in the national air transport system. Since the FAA can identify 
aircraft types from the tail number reported by the air carriers, the 
FAA can also calculate the system capacity impacted by air traffic 
congestion and track the ripple effects of delays at hub airports. The 
data can be used for airport design change analysis, new equipment 
purchases, and the planning of new runways or airports based on current 
or

[[Page 57426]]

projected airport delays and traffic levels.

Donald W. Bright,
Director, Office of Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics.
[FR Doc. 00-24385 Filed 9-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-FE-P
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