[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]


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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.

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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.
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    \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.
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    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.
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    \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.
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    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\
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    \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