[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 178 (Friday, September 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 53034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21224]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY


Security of Aircraft and Safety of Passengers Departing From 
Airports From Venezuela to the United States

AGENCY: Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document informs the public that the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS) is unable to determine whether international 
airports in Venezuela that serve as the last point of departure for 
non-stop flights to the United States maintain and carry out effective 
aviation security measures. Since the Government of Venezuela has 
refused multiple requests to allow assessments of its airports by the 
Transportation Security Administration (TSA), DHS can no longer verify 
the security of its airports. As authorized by statute, DHS is 
directing all U.S. and foreign air carriers (and their agents) 
providing service between the United States and Venezuelan airports, to 
provide notice to any passenger purchasing a ticket for transportation 
between the United States and these airports that DHS is unable to 
determine whether such airports maintain and carry out effective 
security measures. DHS is also requiring that similar notices be posted 
at U.S. airports.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Stein, Office of Global 
Strategies, International Operations, TSA-38, Transportation Security 
Administration, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220, 
telephone: (571) 227-3239, e-mail: [email protected].

Notice

    Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 44907(a), the Secretary of Homeland Security 
(the Secretary) is required to assess periodically the effectiveness of 
the security measures maintained by foreign airports that are served by 
U.S carriers, from which foreign air carriers serve the United States, 
that may pose a ``high risk of introducing danger to international air 
travel,'' or other airports deemed appropriate by the Secretary. If the 
Secretary determines that a foreign airport does not maintain and carry 
out effective security measures, the Secretary is required to ``notify 
the appropriate authorities of the government of the foreign country of 
the decision and recommend the steps necessary to bring the security 
measures up to a standard used in making the assessment.'' 49 U.S.C. 
44907(c).
    Further, the Secretary must: (a) Publish the identity of the 
foreign airport in the Federal Register, (b) post the identity of such 
airport at all U.S. airports that regularly provide scheduled air 
carrier operations, and (c) notify the news media of the identity of 
the airport. 49 U.S.C. 44907(d). In addition, the statute requires all 
air carriers providing service between the United States and the 
airport to provide written notice of the determination, either on or 
with the ticket, to all passengers purchasing transportation between 
the United States and the airport. 49 U.S.C. 44907(d)(1)(B).
    On August 8, 2008, the Secretary notified the Government of 
Venezuela that DHS could not determine whether Venezuelan airports that 
serve as the last point of departure for non-stop flights to the United 
States maintain and carry out effective security measures. This 
notification was made because the Government of Venezuela has not 
permitted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct 
assessments of the security measures maintained and carried out at 
these airports, using the security standards and appropriate 
recommended practices established by the International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO) as the basis for analysis.
    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is issuing this document 
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 114, to inform the public that DHS is unable to 
determine whether such airports maintain and carry out effective 
security measures. DHS directs that all U.S. airports with regularly 
scheduled air carrier operations prominently post a notice displaying 
this information. Further, DHS is notifying the news media of this 
decision to provide public notification. In addition, DHS is requiring 
that each U.S. and foreign air carrier (and their agents) providing 
transportation between the United States and these Venezuelan airports 
provide notice of this information to each passenger buying a ticket 
for transportation between the United States and these airports, with 
such notice to be made by written material included on or with such 
ticket.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 8, 2008.
Michael Chertoff,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-21224 Filed 9-11-08; 8:45 am]
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