[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 104 (Friday, May 30, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 29313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14158]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
14 CFR Part 243
RIN 2105-AC62
[Docket No. OST-97-2198, Notice No. 97-6]
Domestic Passenger Manifest Information
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), DOT.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM); Reopening of
comment period.
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SUMMARY: At the request of the Air Transport Association, the
Department is reopening the comment period for the domestic passenger
manifest rulemaking to allow airlines to conduct passenger surveys on
some of the issues raised in the advance notice of rulemaking. The
comment period, which closed on May 12, 1997, is reopened and now
closes on June 20, 1997.
DATES: Comments must be received by June 20, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the advance notice of proposed rulemaking should
be filed with: Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room
PL-401, Docket No. OST-97-2198, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20590. Five copies are requested, but not required.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Marvich, Office of
International Transportation and Trade, DOT, (202) 366-4398; or, for
legal questions, Joanne Petrie, Office of the General Counsel, DOT,
(202) 366-9306.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 13, 1997, the Department issued an
advance notice of proposed rulemaking (62 FR 11789) concerning
passenger manifest information on domestic air flights. The ANPRM
requested information concerning operational and cost issues related to
U.S. air carriers collecting basic information (e.g., full name, date
of birth and/or social security number, emergency contact and telephone
number) from passengers traveling on flights within the United States.
The ANPRM provided 60 days for comments, and the comment period closed
on May 12, 1997.
On May 9, 1997, the Air Transport Association (ATA) requested an
extension of the comment period to June 20, 1997, in order to allow the
airlines to provide more responsive information to the issues and
questions posed in the ANPRM. In particular, a number of ATA's members
developed a passenger survey to help determine the likely impact
resulting from the collection of passenger manifest information. ATA
stated that some of the carriers that intend to participate in the
survey have not been able to conduct it because they have diverted
their in-house personnel who would be involved in the survey to the
ongoing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) domestic passenger
baggage match test. According to ATA, when that test is completed on
May 19, 1997, the affected air carriers will reassign personnel to
performing the survey and evaluating its results. ATA noted that,
``[i]n view of the importance of the issues raised in the ANPRM and the
current demands being placed on carrier resources because of the FAA
bag match test, we ask that the comment period in this docket be
extended until June 20. This will enable carriers to perform the
survey, and ATA and its members to analyze the results, and better
answer in joint comments the questions that the ANPRM poses.''
We agree that the ANPRM raises important issues and we are anxious
to examine real-world data concerning the impacts of such potential
requirements. The survey information should provide helpful information
both for the Department in its deliberations in this rulemaking, and
for the Task Force on Assistance to Families in Aviation Disasters. We
are, therefore, reopening the comment period for the time requested.
Comments are now due June 20, 1997.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 40101, 40113, 40114, 41708, 41709, 41711 ,
41702, 46301, 46310, 46316.
Issued in Washington, DC on 21, May 1997.
Rodney E. Slater,
Secretary of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 97-14158 Filed 5-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P
