UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

 WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation on August 16, 2012

NOTICE OF ACTION TAKEN -- DOCKETS DOT-OST-2010-0200, 1999-5035, and 1996-1600 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This serves as notice to the public of the action described below, taken by the Department official indicated (no 

additional confirming order will be issued in this matter).

Applicant: State of Alaska Date Filed: July 23, 2012

Relief requested: Renewal of certain blanket exemption authority to foreign air carriers, for a two-year term, to 

conduct certain cargo transfer and other services at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Fairbanks 

International Airport. Specifically, Alaska requests that we grant all foreign air carriers which currently hold, or 

which may subsequently receive, effective Department authority to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of 

cargo (whether under authorizations permitting combination or all-cargo services), exemption authority to engage in 

the following cargo transfer activities at the above-named Alaska airports: 

(1) to transfer cargo from any of their aircraft to any of their other aircraft, provided that both aircraft are operating 

to/from a point in the carrier’s homeland; 

(2) to make changes, at points in Alaska, in the type or number of aircraft used to transport cargo, provided that in 

the outbound direction the transportation beyond Alaska is a continuation of the transportation from the carrier’s 

homeland to Alaska, and in the inbound direction, the transportation to the carrier’s homeland is a continuation of 

the transportation from behind Alaska; 

(3) to commingle cargo moving in foreign air transportation with cargo traffic not moving in foreign air 

transportation; 

(4) to discharge cargo in Alaska for transfer to a U.S. carrier for onward carriage to a final destination in the 

United States or in a third country, and to uplift from Alaska cargo transferred from a U.S. carrier which was 

transported by that carrier to Alaska from a point of origin elsewhere in the United States or in a third country; and 

(5) to discharge cargo in Alaska for transfer to another foreign carrier for onward carriage to a final destination in a 

third country, and to uplift from Alaska cargo transferred from another foreign carrier which was transported by 

that carrier to Alaska from a point of origin in a third country.

Alaska also asks that we renew our grant of exemption authority to all foreign air carriers that currently hold, or may 

subsequently receive, effective Department authority to serve points in the United States, to allow them also to serve 

any point or points in Alaska, and to coterminalize points in Alaska with other U.S. points for which they hold 

Department authority. Alaska further asks that we provide a declaration that, absent extraordinary circumstances, we 

would anticipate routine multi-year extensions of this authority in the future. Finally, Alaska asks that we once again 

emphasize our invitation to foreign air carriers to apply for authority to serve additional U.S. points on an 

extrabilateral basis, where those additional U.S. points would be served only on flights also serving Alaska.

Date and citation of previous actions: See various Orders and Notices of Action Taken in Dockets DOT-OST-1999-

5035, DOT-OST-1996-1600, and DOT-OST-2010-0200.

Applicant representatives: Jeffrey N. Shane, (202) 637-6851 DOT Analyst: Brett Kruger, (202) 366-8025

Responsive pleadings: None.

DISPOSITION

Action: Approved, subject to conditions (see below) Action date: August 16, 2012

Effective dates of authority granted: August 16, 2012 – August 16, 2014
Basis for approval: Our previous public interest findings in the referenced Dockets remain valid and support renewal 

of these authorities.

Conditions/remarks: The cargo transfer authority described above will not permit (1) the carriage of traffic by a 

foreign air carrier, in its own name and under its code, from any point in the carrier’s homeland to a point in the 

United States not otherwise authorized by the Department from that homeland point; (2) the carriage of traffic by a 

foreign air carrier, in its own name and under its code, from any third country point to a point in the United States 

except as otherwise authorized by the Department; (3) code-share operations to U.S. points unless both carriers 

otherwise hold Department authority between the points involved and the requisite Statement of Authorization; and 

(4) cabotage operations.

As Alaska has requested, we again invite foreign air carriers to apply for authority to serve additional U.S. points on 

an extrabilateral basis, where those additional U.S. points would be served only on flights also serving Alaska.

Finally, we note that, since Alaska first requested authority for expanded air cargo transfer flexibility at Alaskan 

international airports in 1996, Alaska has consistently established the public interest bases necessary for the 

Department to reach favorable disposition of its requests1

 Barring an unforeseeable change in circumstances, we see 

no reason why we would not continue to be favorably disposed towards renewal of this authority in the future.

Action taken by: Paul L. Gretch, Director

 Office of International Aviation _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Under authority assigned by the Department in its regulations, 14 CFR Part 385, we found that (1) our action was 

consistent with Department policy; (2) grant of the authority was consistent with the public interest; and (3) grant of 

the authority would not constitute a major regulatory action under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. 

To the extent not granted/deferred/dismissed, we denied all requests in the referenced Dockets. We may amend, 

modify, or revoke the authority granted in this Notice at any time without hearing at our discretion.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of the action set forth in this Notice under the Department’s 

regulations, 14 CFR § 385.30, may file their petitions within seven (7) days after the date of issuance of this Notice. 

This action was effective when taken, and the filing of a petition for review will not alter such effectiveness.

An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.regulations.gov

 1 See various Orders and Notices of Action Taken in the instant Dockets.