Order 2015

- 2

- 9

U NITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 23 rd day of February

, 20 1 5

Served: February 23 , 201 5

Application of



### CONNECT AIR LTD

. Docket DOT

- OST

- 20 1 4

- 0213

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 and a forei gn air carrier permit under 49 U.S.C. §41301

ORDER GRANTING EXEMPTION AND TO SHOW CAUSE

Summary

By this order we (1) grant the application of the referenced foreign air carrier for an exemption

under 49 U.S.C. § 40109, subject to conditions; 1 and (2) tentatively find that it is in the public

interest to grant the applicant a foreign air carrier permit attached as Appendix B to this order.

Background

On August 23 , 2005, the Department issued a Notice , in Docket DOT

- OST

- 2005

- 22228

, announcing sever al steps designed to streamline our regulatory procedures for licensing U.S. and foreign air carriers. Among other things, the Notice stated that:

Assuming, based on the record and on the public interest/public convenience and necessity elements germane to our licensing decisions, that we were in a position to act

favorab ly, we would proceed to issue a single order (1) granting the exemption request for whatever duration we would normally have imposed, or until certificate/permit authority becomes effecti ve, whichever is shorter, and (2) tentatively deciding ( i.e.

, show

- cause) to award a corresponding certificate (or permit), again for the standard duration we would normally have imposed (such as, in the case of certificates, five years

1 The conditions are attached at Appendix A.2

for limited

- entry m arkets, indefinite for open

- entry markets, and in the case of permits, five years for comity and reciprocity regimes, indefinite for agreement regimes).

Our action in this Order serves to implement these streamlined regulatory procedures for the applicati on involved in this proceeding.

Application

By application filed December 2 , 201 4 (as supplemented January 19 and January 30, 2015)

, Connect Air Ltd

. ( Connect Air )

, a foreign air carrier of Canada

, r equests an exemption under 49

U.S.C. § 40109 and a fore i gn air carrier permit under 49 U.S.C. §41301 to engage in , using small

aircraft : 1) charter foreign air transportation of persons, property and mail between any point or points in Canada and any point or points in the United States, and between any point o r points in the United States and any point or points in a third country or countries, provided that, except with respect to cargo charters, such service constitutes part of a continuous operation, with or without a change of aircraft, that includes servic e to Canada for the purpose of carrying local traffic between Canada and the United States; and 2) other charters in accordance with 14 CFR Part 212 of the Department’s regulations.

The applicant provided evidentiary materials required by 14 CFR Part 211 of our regulations to support its requests for authority.

No answers were filed to the application.

Decision

We have decided, under assigned authority and consistent with our August 23 , 2005 Notice referenced above, to grant the applicant’s request for exemption authority, subject to conditions, and tentatively to grant, subject to show

- cause procedures, its request for a foreign air carrier permit, also subject to conditions.

With respect to the applicant’s request for exemption authority, we find that grant of this authority is consistent with the public interest. We also find that the applicant has demonstrated, based on the record, that it is financially and operationally qualified to perform the services

authorized

. We further find that it is subst antially owned and effectively controlled by citizens of

its claimed homeland. 2

The authority sought by the applicant is encompassed by the Air Transport Agreement between

the United States and Canada . We also note that the applicant is properly lic ensed by its homeland to p erform the proposed services. In addition, o n December 17 , 2014, t he Federal Aviation Administration advised us that it knew of no reason why we should act unf a vorably on

2 The record indicates that 100% of Connect Air’s shares are held by Canadian citizens. The record further indicates that the applicant’s CEO and all of its officers and key management personnel are Canadian citizens.3

the applicant’s requests. We have verified the applican t’ s compliance with 14 CFR Parts 203 (Warsaw liability waiver), and 205 (i nsurance requirements)

.

In view of the above, w e find that grant of the requested exemption authority, as conditioned, for

a two

- year term, or until the requested permit authority bec omes effective, whichever occurs earlier, is warranted.

Tentative Findings and Conclusions

-- Foreign Air Carrier Permit Application

We tentatively find and conclude that the public interest warrants granting the applicant a foreign air carrier permit, in the form attached as Appendix B and subject to the conditions attached. 3 In particular, w e tentatively find and conclude that the factors which support our grant of exemption authority to the applicant also warrant granting the applicant the foreign air c arrier permit it

seeks.

In view of the foregoing and all facts of record, we tentatively find and conclude that:

1. It is in the public interest to issue the applicant a foreign air carrier permit in the form

attached

, for operations with small aircra ft ; 4

2. The applicant is fit, willing and able properly to perform the foreign air transportation described in the attached permit and to conform to the provisions of Title 49 of the U.S. Code

, and to our rules, regulations, and requirements;

3 . The pu blic interest requires that the exercise of the privileges granted by the permit should be subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations contained in the attached permit, and to such other reasonable terms, conditions, and limitations required by the p ublic interest as we may prescribe;

4 . The issuance of this foreign air carrier permit will not constitute a major regulatory action under the Energy Policy and Conservati on Act of 1975, as defined in 14 CFR §313.4(a)(1) of our

r egulations; 5

5 . The pub lic interest does not require an oral evidentiary hearing on the application ; and

6 . Our action with respect to this foreign air carrier permit should, unless disapproved by the President of the United States under §41307 of Title 49 of the U.S. Code, be come effective on the 61st day after its submission for §41307 review, or upon the date of receipt of advice from the President or his designee under Executive Order 12597 and implementing regulations that he

3 The applicant’s request for a foreign air carrier per mit was summarized in the Department’s published weekly list of applications filed. This notice described the authority sought and gave interested persons an opportunity to submit evidence and objections to the award of this foreign air carrier permit aut hority. As noted above, no answers to the application were filed.

4 The applicant specifically stated that it was applying to provide its services using small aircraft.

5 This finding is based on the fact that the grant of this permit will not result in a near

- term net annual change in aircraft fuel consumption of 10 million gallons or more.4

or she does not intend to disapprove this porti on of the Department’s decision under that section,

whichever occurs earlier.

In view of the above, an d acting under authority assigned by the Department in its regulations,

14 CFR Part 385, we find that (1) our actions are consistent with Department poli cy; and (2) with respect to the exemption authority we are conferring on the applicant, the applicant is qualified to perform those operation s; and that grant of the exemption authority is consistent with the public

interest and would not constitute a majo r regulatory action under the Energy Policy and

Conservation Act of 1975.

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We grant the request of Connect Air Ltd

. for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. §40109 to engage in, using small aircraft : 1) charter foreign air transportation of per sons, property and mail between any point or points in Canada and any point or points in the United States, and between any point or points in the United States and any point or points in a third country or countries, provided that, except with respect to cargo charters, such service constitutes part of a continuous operation, with or without a change of aircraft, that includes service to Canada for the purpose of carrying local traffic between Canada and the United States; and 2) other charters in accordan ce with 14 CFR Part 212 of the Department’s regulations.

2. In the conduct of these operations Connect Air Ltd

. may only use aircraft capable of carrying no more than 60 passengers and having a maximum payload capacity of no more than 18,000 pounds;

3

. T he exercise of the privileges granted above is subject to compliance by Connect Air Ltd

.

w ith the conditions listed in Appendix A;

4

. Our action granting the exemption authority described herein is effective immediately, for a period of two

- year s from the issue date of this order , or until the attached permit becomes effective, whichever is earlier ;

5

. We may amend, modify, or revoke the exemption authority set forth in ordering paragraph 1 at our discretion at any time and without hearing;

6 . To th e extent not acted upon above, we dismiss all requests for exemption authority in Docket

DOT

- OST

- 20 1 4

- 0 213 ;

7

. With respect to the applicant’s request for a foreign air carrier permit in this proceeding, w e direct all interested persons to show cause why our tentative decision on that application, set
forth above

, should not be made final;

8

. Any interested person objecting to the issuance of an order making final our tentative findings

and conclusions with respect to the applicant’s request for a forei gn air carrier permit shall, no later than twenty

- one (21) calendar days after the date of service of this order, file with the5

Department and serve on the parties to this proceeding , a statement of objections specifying the part or parts of the tentative findings and conclusions objected to, together with a summary of testimony, statistical data, and concrete evidence to be relied upon in support of the objections; if objections are filed, answers to objections are due no later than seven (7) calendar days thereafter;

9

. If timely and properly supported objections are filed, we will give further consideration to the matters and issues raised by the objections before we take further action;

1 0

. In the event no objections are filed, all further procedural steps shall be deemed waived, and the Department will enter an order which will (subject to Presidential review under §41307 of Title 49 of the U.S. Code) make final our tentative findings and conclusions set forth in this order; and

1 1

. We will serve a copy of this order on the applicant

, the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C., the Departmen t of State

, and the Federal Aviation Administration

.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of this order under the Department’s regulations, 14 CFR §385.30, may file their petitions within seven (7) days after the date of

issuance of this order . Our action with respect to the applicant’s request for exemption authority

under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 is effective immediately , and the filing of a petition for review will not

alter such effectiveness.

PAUL L. GRETCH

Director

Office of International A viation

(SEAL)

Appendices

An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.regulations.govForeign Air Carrier Exem ption Conditions Appendix A

In the conduct of the operations authorized, the foreign carrier applicant shall:

(1) Not conduct any operations unless it holds a currently effective authorization from its homeland for such operations, and it h as filed a copy of such authorization with the Department;

(2) Comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning sec urity, including, but not limited to, 14 CFR Parts 129, 91, and 36 and 49 CFR Part 1546 or 1550, as applicable. To assure compliance with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning security, the holder shall, before commencing any new service ( including charter flights) from a foreign airport that would be the holder’s last point of departure for the United States, contact its International Industry Representative (IIR) (formerly referred to as International Principal Security Inspector) to advi se the IIR of its plans and to find out whether the Transportation Security Administration has determined that security is adequate to allow such airport(s) to be served;

(3) Comply with the requirements for minimum insurance coverage contained in 14 CFR Part 205, and, prior to the commencement of any operations under this authority, file evidence of such coverage, in the form of a completed OST Form 6411, with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Program Management Branch (AFS

- 260), Flight Standards Ser vice (any changes to, or termination of, insurance also shall be filed with that office);

(4) Not operate aircraft under this authority unless it complies with operational safety requirements at least equivalent to Annex 6 of the Chicago Convention;

(5) Conform to the airworthiness and airman competency requirements of its Government for international air services;

(6) Except as specifically exempted or otherwise provided for in a Department Order, comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 203, conc erning waiver of Warsaw Convention liability limits and defenses;

(7) Agree that operations under this authority constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity, for the purposes of 28 U.S.C. 1605(a), but only with respect to those actions or proceedings insti tuted against it in any court or other tribunal in the United States that are: (a) based on its operations in international air transportation that, according to the contract of carriage, include a point in the United States as a point of origin, point of destination, or agreed stopping place, or for which the contract of carriage was purchased in the United States; or (b) based on a claim under any international agreement or treaty cognizable in any court or other tribunal of the United States. In this condition, the term "international air transportation" means "international transportation" as defined by the Warsaw Convention, except that all States shall be considered to be High Contracting Parties for the purpose of this definition;

(8) Except as s pecifically authorized by the Department, originate or terminate all flights to/from the United States in its homeland;

(9) Comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 217, concerning the reporting of scheduled, nonscheduled, and charter data;

(10) If c harter operations are authorized, except as otherwise provided in the applicable aviation agreement, comply with the Department's rules governing charters (including 14 CFR Parts 212 and 380); and

(11) Comply with such other reasonable terms, conditions, and limitations required by the public interest as may be prescribed by the Department, with all applicable orders or regulations of other U.S. agencies and courts, and with all applicable laws of the United States.

This authority shall not be effective d uring any period when the holder is not in compliance with the conditions imposed above. Moreover, this authority cannot be sold or otherwise transferred without explicit Department approval under Title 49 of the U.S. Code.

1 2 /200 7Appendix B

Issued by

O rder 20 1 5

- XX

- XX

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.



### -------------------------------- ---------------------- ------------------------ PERMIT TO F OREIGN AIR CARRIER



### -------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------



### CONNECT AIR LTD

.

A Foreign Air Carrier of Canada

is authorized, subject to the following provisions, the provisions of Title 49 of the U.S. Code, and the orders, rules, and regulations of the Department of Transportation, to engage in :

Cha rter foreign air transportation of passengers, property and mail between any point or points in Canada and any point or points in the United States
, and between any point or points in the United States and any point or points in any third country or countr ies, provided that, except with respect to cargo charters, such services constitute part of a continuous operation, with or without a change of aircraft, that includes service to Canada for the purpose of carrying local traffic between Canada and the Unite d States

.

The holder shall also be authorized to engage in other charter trips in foreign air transportation, subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations of the Department’s regulations governing

charters.

In the conduct of these operations, the ho lder may only use aircraft capable of carrying no more than 60 passengers and having a maximum payload capacity of no more than 18,000 pounds.

This permit and the exercise of the privileges granted in it shall be subject to the terms,

conditions and limit ations in both the order issuing this permit and the attachment to this order, and to all applicable provisions of any treaty, convention or agreement affecting international air transportation now in effect, or that may become effective during the period this permit remains in effect, to which the United States and the holder’s homeland are or shall become parties.

This permit shall be effective on Month XX, 2015 . Unless otherwise terminated at an earlier date pursuant to the terms of any applicable trea ty, convention or agreement, this permit shall terminate (1) upon the dissolution or liquidation of the holder to whom it was issued; (2) upon the effective date of any treaty, convention, or agreement or amendment, which shall have the

effect of eliminati ng the bilateral right for the service authorized by this permit from the service which may be operated by airlines designated by the Government of Canada (or, if the right is partially eliminated, then the authority of this permit shall terminate in like part); (3) upon the8 effective date of any permit granted by the Department to any other carrier designated by the

Government of Canada in lieu of the holder; or (4) upon the termination or expiration of the applicable air services agreement between the Un ited States and Canada. However, clause (4) of this paragraph shall not apply if prior to such termination or expiration, the foreign air

tr ansportation authorized herein becomes the subject of another treaty, convention or agreement

to which the United S tates and Canada become parties.

The Department of Transportation has executed this permit and affixed its seal on Month

XX , 20 1 5

.

By:

PAUL L. GRETCH

Director

Office of International Aviation 

### (SEAL)Foreign Air Carrier Permit Conditions

In the conduct of the operations authorized, the foreign carrier applicant shall:

(1) Not conduct any operations unless it holds a currently effective authorization from its homeland for such operations, and it has filed a copy of such authorization with the Departmen t;

(2) Comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning security, including, but not limited to, 14 CFR Parts 129, 91, and 36 and 49 CFR Part 1546 or 1550, as applicable. To assure compliance with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning security, the holder shall, before commencing any new service (including charter flights) from a foreign airport that w ould be the holder’s last point of departure for the United States, contact its International Industry Representative (IIR) (formerly referred to as International Principal Security Inspector) to advise the IIR of its plans and to find out whether the Tran sportation Security Administration has determined that security is adequate to allow such airport(s) to be served;

(3) Comply with the requirements for minimum insurance coverage contained in 14 CFR Part 205, and, prior to the commencement of any operati ons under this authority, file evidence of such coverage, in the form of a completed OST Form 6411, with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Program Management Branch (AFS

- 260), Flight Standards Service (any changes to, or termination of, insurance also shall be filed with that office);

(4) Not operate aircraft under this authority unless it complies with operational safety requirements at least equivalent to Annex 6 of the Chicago Convention;

(5) Conform to the airworthiness and airman competency req uirements of its Government for international air services;

(6) Except as specifically exempted or otherwise provided for in a Department Order, comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 203, concerning waiver of Warsaw Convention liability limits and defenses;

(7) Agree that operations under this authority constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity, for the purposes of 28 U.S.C. 1605(a), but only with respect to those actions or proceedings instituted against it in any court or other

tribunal in the U nited States that are: (a) based on its operations in international air transportation that, according to the contract of carriage, include a point in the United States as a point of origin, point of destination, or agreed stopping place, or for which the contract of carriage was purchased in the United States; or (b) based on a claim under any international agreement or treaty cognizable in any court or other tribunal of the United States. In this condition, the term "international air transportation" m eans "international transportation" as defined by the Warsaw Convention, except that all States shall be considered to be High Contracting Parties for the purpose of this definition;

(8) Except as specifically authorized by the Department, originate or t erminate all flights to/from the United States in its homeland;

(9) Comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 217, concerning the reporting of scheduled, nonscheduled, and charter data;

(10) If charter operations are authorized, except as otherwise pr ovided in the applicable aviation agreement, comply with the Department's rules governing charters (including 14 CFR Parts 212 and 380); and

(11) Comply with such other reasonable terms, conditions, and limitations required by the public interest as may b e prescribed by the Department, with all applicable orders or regulations of other U.S. agencies and courts, and with all applicable laws of the United States.

This authority shall not be effective during any period when the holder is not in compliance wi th the conditions imposed above. Moreover, this authority cannot be sold or otherwise transferred without explicit Department approval under Title 49 of the U.S. Code.

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