82 FR 50483 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Agency Request for Renewal of a Previously Approved Collection: On-Line Complaint Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 209 (October 31, 2017)

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Department of Transportation's intention to renew an OMB control number for an on-line complaint form by which a consumer can electronically submit a service-related complaint against an airline and other travel-related companies.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 31, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50483-50484]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23631]


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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: On-Line 
Complaint 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 accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Department of Transportation's intention to renew 
an OMB control number for an on-line complaint form by which a consumer 
can electronically submit a service-related complaint against an 
airline and other travel-related companies.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 2, 2018.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that you do not duplicate your docket submissions, 
please submit them by only one of the following means:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://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 W-12/140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; or
     Hand delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W-12/140, 
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daeleen Chesley, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Aviation 
Enforcement and Proceedings (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: Renewal of Aviation Consumer Protection Division Web page 
On-Line Complaint Form.
    Abstract: The Department of Transportation's (Department) Office of 
the Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings 
(Enforcement Office) 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. The Enforcement Office, 
including its Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD), monitors 
compliance with and investigates violations of the Department of 
Transportation's aviation economic, consumer protection, and civil 
rights requirements.
    Among other things, the licensing office is responsible for 
receiving and investigating service-related consumer complaints filed 
against airlines and other 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.
    The key reason for this request is to enable consumers to continue 
to file their complaints (or comments) to the Department using an on-
line form, whether via their personal computer or on a mobile/
electronic device. If the information collection form is not available, 
the Department may receive fewer complaints from consumers. The lack of 
consumer-driven information

[[Page 50484]]

could inhibit the office's ability to effectively investigate both 
individual complaints against airlines and other air travel-related 
companies. It would also impact the Department's Enforcement Office's 
ability to become aware of patterns and practices that may develop in 
violation of our rules. The information collection continues to further 
the objectives of 49 U.S.C. 41712, 40101, 40127, 41702, and 41705 to 
protect consumers from unfair or deceptive practices, to protect the 
civil rights of air travelers, and to ensure safe and adequate service 
in air transportation.
    Filing a complaint using a web-based form is voluntary and 
minimizes the burden on respondents. Based on CY16 information, 17,162 
of the 17,909 cases received by ACPD were filed using the web-based 
form (95.8%). 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. 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 ACPD. The Department has limited its informational 
request to that necessary to meet its program and administrative 
monitoring and enforcement activities.
    Respondents: Consumers that Choose to File an On-Line Complaint 
with the Aviation Consumer Protection Division.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 17,162 (based on CY 2016 data).
    Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 4,290.5 hours, (257,430 
minutes). The estimate was calculated by multiplying the number of 
cases filed using the on-line form in CY16 (17,162) by the time needed 
to fill out the on-line form (15 minutes).
    The information collection is available for inspection in 
regulations.gov, as noted in the ADDRESSES section of his 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 October 25, 2017.
Jonathan Dols,
Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and 
Proceedings.
[FR Doc. 2017-23631 Filed 10-30-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P