OST-95-950 / Passenger Manifest Information / Comments of NACA / June 18, 1998

In re:

Passenger Manifest Information Final Rule / Docket No. OST-95-950

 

COMMENTS OF THE NATIONAL AIR CARRIER ASSOCIATION

ON

PASSENGER MANIFEST INFORMATION

 

Pursuant to 14 CFR Part 243.13 the following information is furnished on behalf of the carriers listed below 1/, with respect to the system to be used for soliciting and collecting the full name of each U.S. citizen passenger as well as the name and telephone number of a contact for each U.S. citizen passenger boarded for each flight segment operated to or from the United States.

It is the belief of the NACA carriers for whom this filing is made that mandating travel agents and tour operators in addition to the air carriers to solicit and collect the required

1/ American Trans Air, Miami Air International, Omni Air International, Tower Air, World Airways

 

information under 14 CFR 243.7 would assure that the information is obtained on a more personal contact basis (at the time of reservation or sale). The NACA carriers have filed simultaneously with this filing a petition for reconsideration of §. 243.7 of the final rule so that tour operators and/or travel agents as well as air carriers are mandated to solicit and collect the information to the extent that tour operators and travel agents sell the transportation and/or make reservations. Pending the disposition of that request. the NACA carriers will utilize one or a combination of three systems to solicit and collect that information. This information will be solicited and collected for U.S. citizen passengers on flights originating in the United States and in all foreign countries except in those countries where laws, rules and/or regulations preclude the collection of such information. Each carrier will, pursuant to §. 243.15, individually file for an exemption accompanied by the relevant documents when it encounters a problem in a foreign country. In the event that a NACA carrier (lessor) is wet leasing or subservicing to a U.S. or foreign carrier, the system used would be the approved system for that other carrier (lessee). In the order of preference, the three systems for collecting contact information are:

a. A manifest provided by either the travel agent, tour operator or prepared by the airline which lists the full name of the U S. passenger citizen and the name and telephone number of a contact obtained at time of reservation, sale, or check-in or;

b. A boarding card issued in advance or at the time of check-in at the airport requesting the full name of the U.S. citizen passenger and the name and telephone number of a contact similar to that which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1 and which would be collected by an agent at the boarding gate; or

c. A "3 x 5" card at check-in requesting the full name of the U.S. citizen passenger and the name and telephone number of a contact similar to that information set forth in Exhibit 1 and which would be deposited in a box at the boarding gate.

Manifests, "3 x 5" cards, boarding cards or computerized information will be maintained in a separate folder for each flight until the flight has successfully terminated or, in the case of a round-trip charter, the return leg is completed. In the event of an aviation disaster, information will be forwarded to the U.S. Department of State and the National Transportation Safety Board as appropriate. Lastly, attached as Exhibit 2 is the list of contact names for each airline participating in these comments.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Edward Driscoll

President and Chief Executive

NATIONAL AIR CARRIER ASSOCIATION