[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 51 (Friday, March 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9586-9587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04865]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
Notice Regarding U.S. Carrier Authority To Serve Samoa
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of Transportation
(DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises U.S. carriers holding blanket open-skies
route authority that effective July 9, 2019, Samoa will be removed from
the Department of Transportation's list of Open Skies Agreements
Currently Being Applied. This notice invites carriers seeking to
provide scheduled foreign air transportation to Samoa after that date
to file applications for exemption authority.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brett Kruger, Chief, U.S. Carrier
Licensing/Special Authorities Division (202) 366-8025, 1200 New Jersey
Ave. SE, Washington, DC, 20590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A number of U.S. carriers hold blanket open-
skies route authority by certificate or exemption, to provide scheduled
foreign air transportation to all of our foreign aviation partners that
have entered into
[[Page 9587]]
an open-skies agreement with the United States where that agreement is
being applied. In this regard, the Department's Office of International
Aviation maintains a list on its website of Open Skies Agreements
Currently Being Applied between the United States and its open-skies
partners, and updates the list as partners are added or removed.\1\ The
Department has stated that it will issue a Notice if an open-skies
partner is removed from the list, and allow U.S. carriers holding
blanket open-skies certificate authority 120 days to seek exemption
authority to serve that foreign aviation partner, as the certificate
authority to serve that foreign partner will no longer be effective 120
days after the publication date of the Notice.\2\ The Department has
further stated that it will also publish a notice in the Federal
Register.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See http://www.transportation.gov/policy/aviation-policy/open-skies-agreements-being-applied.
\2\ See e.g., Orders 2007-4-2, 2007-7-3, and 2007-7-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On March 9, 2019, Samoa withdrew as a party to the Multilateral
Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation
(MALIAT), thereby ending its open-skies relationship with the United
States as a multilateral partner.\3\ On March 11, 2019, the Department
issued a Notice stating that it will remove Samoa from its list of Open
Skies Agreements Currently Being Applied, effective July 9, 2019. The
Department served its March 11 Notice on all certificated U.S. air
carriers operating large aircraft; the U.S. Department of State (Office
of Aviation Negotiations); and the Federal Aviation Administration.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ The United States was informed through diplomatic channels
that the Government of New Zealand, as depositary for the MALIAT,
received the Government of Samoa's Notification of Withdrawal on
March 9, 2018. Under Article 18 of the MALIAT, Samoa's withdrawal
became effective March 9, 2019.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Department accordingly invites U.S. carriers to file
applications for exemption authority under 49 U.S.C. 40109, to provide
scheduled foreign air transportation to Samoa on the basis of comity
and reciprocity.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ U.S. carriers holding open-skies route authority by
exemption that wish to serve Samoa should similarly file
applications for specific exemption authority.
Signed in Washington, DC, on March 11, 2019.
Brian J. Hedberg,
Director, Office of International Aviation.
[FR Doc. 2019-04865 Filed 3-14-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P