&

u s Departmen t GENERA L COUNSE L 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue

. S E O f Transportatio n Augus t 27,201 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar y o f Transportatio n ^

. >
Certifle d Mail-Retur n Receip t Requeste d
Mr

. Richard D

. Mathia s Mr

. Davi d M

. Endersbe e Counse l fo

r Avianc a Zuckert , Scout

t & Rasenberger , L.L.P

. 88 8 Seventeent

h Street , N.W

. Washington , D.C

. 2000 6
Re : Equivalen t Alternativ e Determinatio n Reques t Concernin g 1 4 CF

R 382.6 7 an d 1 4 CF

R382.12 3

Dea r Messrs

. Mathia s an d Endersbee : Thi s letter

concern s Aerovia s De

l Continent e American o S.A.' s (Avianca ) Apri l 9 , 2010 , reques t fo r a n equivalen t

alternativ e determinatio n concernin g th e in-cabi n priority stowag e spac e fo r apassenger' s folding , collapsible , o r break-dow n manual wheelchai r (manual foldin g wheelchair ) containe d in 1 4 CFR382.6 7 an d 382.12 3 o f th e Department' s Air Carrie r Acces s Ac t

(ACAA ) regulation

. W e ar e grantin g Avianca' s equivalen t alternativ e determinatio n reques t

t o us e it s designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e spac e t o satisf y th e abov e requiremen t

t o sto w passengers ' manual foldin g wheelchair s fo r aone-yea

r tria l basi s subjec t t o certai n conditions , a s discusse d below

. Sectio n 382.6 7 require s cairier s t o ensur e "tha t there i s apriorit

y spac e i n th e cabi n of sufficien t siz e to sto w a

t leas t on e typical adult-size d folding , collapsible , o r break-dow n manual passenger

wheelchair. " Sectio n 382.12 3 set s fort h furthe r requirement s concernin g th e priorit y cabi n stowag e spac e fo

r wheelchair s an d othe r

assistiv e devices

. I n it s equivalen t

alternativ e determinatio n request , Avianc astate s tha t it s Airbu s A31 9 an

d A32 0 aircraf

t ar e "ill-suite d to the retrofi t o f priority space " and tha

t th e interio r

dimension s o f thes e aircraf

t "mak e th e provisio n o

f priority spac e unsuitabl e fo r bran d new aircraf

t du e t o th e limite d availabilit

y of unuse d space. " Therefore , Avianc apropose s t o utiliz e aportio n o f th e bulk carg o hol d of

it s Airbu s A31 9 and A32 0 aircraf t a s adesignate d spac e fo r th e stowag e of

u p t o tw o passenge r

foldin g wheelchairs , i

n lieu of havin g astowag e spac e i n th e cabi n fo r on e passenger' s foldin g wheelchair

. Avianc astate s tha t thi s designate d spac e woul d b e separate d fro

mothe r item s i n th e carg o hol d b

y adivider

affixed to th e floor , side s and ceilin g o

f th e carg o hol d and tha

t eac h passenger' s wheelchai r woul d b e place d i

n aprotectiv e stowag e bag , completel y separate d froman y othe r item s i n th e carg o hold

. Furthermore , Avianc astate s tha t passenger s woul d b e provide d th e "flexibilit y the y presentl y enjo y t

o chec k th e wheelchai r

wherever

the y prefer

an d to receiv e i

t bac k wherever they prefer " an d tha

t i t wil l "implemen t

check s in existin g post-landin g procedure s to ensure tha

t apassenger' s wheelchai r i s remove d fro

mth e aircraft. "
I n additio n t

o reviewin g th e informatio n in Avianca' s equivalen t alternativ e determinatio n request , representativ e fro mth e Department' s Offic e o f Aviatio n Enforcement

and Proceeding s (Enforcemen t Office ) attende d ademonstratio n a t Miami hitemationa l Airpor t to asses s whether

Avianca' s propose d designate d spac e i n th e carg o compartmen t woul d provid e substantiall y equivalen t accessibility t o passenger s wit h disabilities , compare d to havin g apriorit

y stowag e spac e i n th e cabi n of it s aircraft

. Base d o n th e demonstratio n and informatio n submitte d b y Avianca , th e Departmen t i s grantin g Avianca' s equivalen t alternativ e determinatio n reques t fo r section s 382.6 7 and 382.12 3 for aone-yea

r trial basi s s o tha t i t ca n utiliz e priorh y stowag e spac e in th e carg o compartmen t o f it s Airbu s A31 9 an

d A32 0 aircraf

t to sto w tw o manual foldin g wheelchair s in lie u o f havin g a n in-cabi n stowag e spac e fo r apassenger' s manua l foldin g wheelchai r under th e followin g conditions :
(1 ) Avianca' s equivalen t alternativ e determinatio n reques t wil l b e permitte d fo

r a one-yea r tria l period

. I

f durin g tha

t trial perio d or

an y point thereafter , DO T determine s tha

t Avianca' s proposal i s no t providin g th e sam e o r

greater accessibility t o passenger s wit h adisability a s provide d b y section s 382.6 7 an d 382.123 , DO T reserve s th e righ t to terminat e thi s approval

. I f th e approval i s terminated , Avianc awoul d b e expecte d t o expeditiousl y retrofi t an y aircraf

t ordere d afte

r Ma y 13 , 2009 , o r

delivere d afte

r Ma y 13 , 2010 , withou t apriority spac e i

n th e passenger

cabin , t o includ e suc h apriorit y spac e as i s currentl y require d b y sectio n 382,67 ; (2 ) Thi s approval i s limite d to Avianca' s Airbu s A31 9 an d A32 0 aircraf t i n th e configuratio n describe d to th e Departmen t in Avianca' s Apri l 9 , 2010 , request

. Avianc amus t

obtai n th e Department' s prio r approval fo

r an y deviation s fromth e metho d o f stowin g apassenger' s manual foldin g wheelchai r

set fort h i n Avianca' s request ; (3 ) Avianca' s designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e spac e mus t b e capabl e o

f stowin g a t leas t tw o manua

l foldin g wheelchai r

and eac h wheelchai r

mus t b e place d i n aprotectiv e stowag e bag an d secure d t o preven t

unnecessar

y movement

durin g flight ; (4 ) Avianc amus t

ensur e tha

t u p to tw o passenger s wit h adisability wh o us e a manua l foldin g wheelchai r

and take advantag e o f

th e opportunity t o preboard th e aircraf

t ca n sto w thei r

manua l foldin g wheelchair s i n Avianca' s designate d wheelchai r

carg o stowag e spac e wit

h priorit y ove r all other items

.Fo r apassenge r

tha t doe s no t take advantag e of

th e opportunity to preboard th e aircraft , Avianc amus t make areasonabl e effor

t t o sto w th e passenger' s manual foldin g wheelchai r i n it s designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e space ; (5 ) Avianc amus t ensur e tha

t n o other

item s ar

e stowe d i

n it s designate d wheelchai r

carg o stowag e spac e i

f afoldin g wheelchai r

i s bein g stowe d in th e designate d wheelchai r

carg o stowag e space ; (6 ) Avianc amus t

no t limi t it s liability fo

r alos t o r destroye d wheelchai r

o r a wheelchai r

damage d beyon d repai r i n th e designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e spac e t o th e liabilit y limi t provide d i

n th e Montreal Convention , or any othe r applicabl e treaty or

law

. Avianc amus t

calculat e th e compensatio n owe d to apassenge r

fo r alos t o r destroye d wheelchai r

o r awheelchai r damage d beyon d repai r

i n th e designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e space , as th e original purchas e pric e of th e device ; (7 ) I

n additio n t o stowin g a

t leas t tw o passengers ' manual foldin g wheelchair s i n it s designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e space , t o th e exten t pennitte d b

y governmen t

safet y standaids , Avianc amus t als o sto w i

n th e passenge r

cabi n passengers ' manual foldin g wheelchair s i n th e overhea d compartment s o r othe r stowag e area s i

f passenger s make suc h request s and th e device s ca n physicall y b e stowe d i n suc h space
. I f th e wheelchai r

exceed s th e spac e whil e full y assemble d bu t

wil l fi t i f wheel s or

othe r component s ca

n b e remove d withou t

th e us e o

f tools , Avianc amus t

remov e th e applicabl e component s an

d sto w th e wheelchai r

i n th e passenge r

cabin ; (8 ) Avianc amus t

ensur e tha

t apassenger' s manual foldin g wheelchai r stowe d i n th e designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e spac e i s th e firs t ite mof f th e aircraf t afte r landin g an d i s delivere d t o th e passenge r a t th e doo r

o f th e aircraf

t a s soo n a s th e passenge r deplane s th e aircraft , unles s th e passenge r request s t o reclai mth e wheelchai r a t Avianca' s baggag e clai m area ; (9 ) Avianc amus t

allo w apassenge r

t o remai n i

n hi s o r he r personal wheelchai r up t o th e doo r

o f th e aircraft , unles s th e passenge r request s t o relinquis h hi s or he r wheelchai r

a t adifferen t location ; (10 ) Avianc amus t us e it s bes t

effort s t o preven t

weather condition s fro

m negativel y impactin g o n th e conditio n of th e wheelchai r

whe n i t i s returne d to th e passenge r

(e.g. , placin g acove r

on awheelchai r

t o preven t

exposur e t

o th e rai n o r

th e ho t sun) ; (11 ) Avianc amus t us e it s bes t

effort s to promptl y provid e atemporar y replacemen t

wheelchai r

of comparabl e kin d an d qualit y a t n o charg e t

o th epassenge r i f apassenger' s wheelchai r i s delayed , lost , damage d o r destroye d whil e i n Avianca' s custody

. Avianc amus t no t limi t it s liabilit

y fo r providin g atemporar

y replacemen t

wheelchai r

t o th e liability limi t

provide d i

n th e Montreal Convention , o

r an y othe r applicabl e treaty or

law

. Thes e effort s mus t b e documented , retaine d fo r thre e years , and availabl e to the Departmen t

upo n request ; (12 ) Withi n 3 0 day s afte r receip t o f thi s approval , Avianc amus t provide , o

r ensure th e provisio n of

, specialize d trainin g to it s employee s and contractors , a s wel l a s th e employee s and contractor s of an y othe r

entity , tha

t wil l b e involve d wit

h th e stowin g of

apassenger' s manual foldin g wheelchai r i n th e designate d wheelchai r

carg o stowag e space
. Th e specialize d trainin g mus t ensur e trainin g t o proficienc y i n ho w t o properl y sto w apassenger' s manua l foldin g wheelchai r

in th e designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e space , pre
departur e procedure s to ensur e th e passenger' s wheelchai r i s place d o n th e aircraft , post-landin g procedure s t o ensur e tha t passenger' s wheelchai r

i s th e firs t ite mremove d fro

mth e aircraft , prope r

procedure s to follo w i f a wheelchai r

i s lost , damaged , or

destroyed , and th e prope r procedure s t

o obtai n atemporar

y replacemen t

wheelchai r

fo r apassenger ; an d (13 ) Avianc amus t

also , withi n 3 0 day s afte r th e en d of

eac h calenda

r quarter , provid e thi s offic e wit

h copie s of

al l complaints , i

f any , regardin g the stowag e o

f apassenger' s wheelchai r i n th e designate d wheelchai r carg o stowag e space
. Th e firs t

repor t i s du e o n Octobe r 30 , 2010 , fo

r complaint s receive d fro

mth e approval dat e to Septembe r 30 , 2010

.

I f yo u hav e an y question s abou t thi s matter , pleas e contac t Jame s Fisher , of

m y staff , or m e a t (202 ) 366-9342

. You ma y als o reac h u s b y FAX a

t (202 ) 366-7152

. Sincerely ,

S amueTPodberesicy

Assistan t General Counse l fo

r Aviatio n Enforcement

an d Proceeding s