Document ID: DOT-OST-2011-0022-0011
Agency: dot
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Online Complaint/Comment Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation
Posted Date: 2022-02-11T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8084-8085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02790]

[[Page 8084]]

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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 Renewal of a Previously Approved Collection: Online 
Complaint/Comment Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces that the request for reinstatement of an OMB Control 
Number for the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is 
being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and comment. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on the following information collection was 
published on November 29, 2021.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 14, 2022.

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: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daeleen Chesley, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (C-70), 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 the Office of Aviation Consumer 
Protection's web page Online Complaint/Comment 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.
    Among other things, OACP is responsible for receiving and 
investigating service-related consumer complaints filed against 
airlines and other air travel-related companies. Once received, the 
complaints are reviewed by the office to determine the extent to which 
these entities are in compliance with federal aviation consumer 
protection and civil rights laws and what, if any, action should be 
taken regarding consumer complaints. Consumer complaints and comments 
are also used by the office to identify opportunities to help improve 
airline consumer satisfaction. The information submitted via the online 
form can also serve as a basis for rulemaking, legislation and 
research.
    The key reason for this request is to enable consumers to continue 
to file their complaints and comments to the Department using an online 
form, whether via their personal computer or on a mobile/electronic 
device. If the online complaint form is not available, the Department 
may receive fewer complaints, comments, and inquiries from consumers. 
The lack of consumer input could inhibit OACP's ability to effectively 
investigate individual complaints against both airlines and other air 
travel-related companies. It would also impact OACP's ability to become 
aware of patterns and practices that may develop in violation of the 
Department's rules. The information collection continues to further the 
objective of 49 U.S.C. 41712 to protect consumers from unfair or 
deceptive practices, the objective of Sec.  41705 and Sec.  40127 to 
ensure the civil rights of air travelers are respected, and the 
objective of Sec.  41702 to ensure safe and adequate service in air 
transportation.
    Filing a complaint or comment using a web-based form is voluntary 
and minimizes the burden on respondents. Based on the table below, 
approximately ninety percent of the submissions (complaints, comments, 
and inquiries) received by OACP during calendar years (CYs) 2017 
through 2019 were filed using the web-based form as shown in the table 
below.\1\
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    \1\ In CYs 2020/21, OACP received an unusually high number 
(100,613/48,015, respectively) of online submissions, 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 online submissions received by OACP.

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                                                                                                   Percentage of
                                                                   Total number    Total number     complaints
                          Calendar year                            of complaints   of complaints   filed online
                                                                       filed       filed online         (%)
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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
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    Most of the submissions are complaints that are filed using the 
electronic web-based form. At times, consumers may also choose to file 
a complaint with the Department using regular mail or by phone message. 
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. In addition, 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 
aviation consumer protection responsibilities.
    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing 
regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to issue two 
notices seeking public comment on information collection activities 
before OMB may approve paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 
1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 1320.12. On November 29, 2021, OST published a 
60-day notice in the Federal Register soliciting comment on the ICR for 
which the agency is seeking reinstatement from OMB. 86 FR 67785. The 
comment period ended on January 28, 2022. OST received no comments 
after issuing this notice. Accordingly, the Department announces that 
this

[[Page 8085]]

information collection activity has been re-evaluated and certified 
under 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and forwarded to OMB for review and approval 
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12(c).
    Before OMB decides whether to reinstate this proposed collection of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to approve or 
disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after the 30-day 
notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also 
60 FR 44978, 44983 (Aug. 29, 1995). The 30-day notice informs the 
regulated community to file relevant comments to OMB and affords the 
agency adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a 
decision. 60 FR 44983 (Aug. 29, 1995). Therefore, respondents should 
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication 
to best ensure their full consideration. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 
FR 44983 (Aug. 29, 1995).
    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 February 4, 2022.
Kimberly Graber,
Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Office of Aviation Consumer 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 2022-02790 Filed 2-10-22; 8:45 am]
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