[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 59328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23969]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary


Review Under 49 U.S.C. 41720 of United/US Airways Agreements

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Extension of waiting period.

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SUMMARY: United Air Lines and US Airways have submitted code-sharing 
and frequent flyer program reciprocity agreements to the Department for 
review under 49 U.S.C. 41720. That statute requires such agreements 
between major U.S. passenger airlines to be submitted to the Department 
at least thirty days before the agreements' proposed effective date and 
authorizes the Department to extend the waiting period for any such 
agreement. The Department has determined to extend the waiting period 
for the United/US Airways agreements for an additional thirty days.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Ray, Office of the General 
Counsel, 400 Seventh St. SW., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-4731.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 25 United and US Airways submitted 
code-sharing and frequent flyer program reciprocity agreements to the 
Department more than thirty days before the airlines planned to 
implement them, as required by 49 U.S.C. 41720. That statute authorizes 
us to extend the waiting period by 150 days for code-sharing agreements 
and 60 days for the other types of agreements covered by the advance-
filing requirement. We have extended the waiting period once by thirty 
days. 67 FR 54525 (August 22, 2002).
    As has been true for all agreements submitted under 49 U.S.C. 41720 
since its enactment, our review of the United/US Airways agreements has 
been informal, but we have given interested parties an opportunity to 
submit comments on the agreements. 67 FR 50745 (August 5, 2002). We 
have been reviewing the agreements, the comments submitted by outside 
parties, and other information in our possession, and we have been 
discussing the issues with the Justice Department.
    We have again concluded that we need additional time for analyzing 
the agreements. The agreements present important issues that demand 
careful examination. We have therefore determined to extend the waiting 
period by another thirty days, from September 23 to October 23. While 
we may extend the waiting period for the code-share agreement after 
this extension if necessary, this will be the last extension of the 
waiting period permitted by statute for the frequent-flyer reciprocity 
agreement.
    We are aware that the two airlines wish to be able to implement the 
agreements promptly, and we therefore intend to conclude our review as 
soon as reasonably possible.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 17, 2002.
Read C. Van de Water,
Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-23969 Filed 9-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P