U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Sec reta ry 

of Transportatio n 

l .c h.cn Sc;lm<m:-- ( 'hcrin & \ h.:lh111. I I.\ 

GENERAL COUNSEL 

March 8, 2013 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

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( ·oncLTning PrO\ sion~ in 

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\cccss ihilit: or .\ircr;Ji"t 

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traJlspur t~tron llHJ:-.1 lk· Jlwde <tl'CL' ~s ihk I(H ~:~ lcd lk'I'Sllll..., llP l:~ll'r than :20: ~·;Jr s <likr 
this Act takes effect.·· 

Sections 382.61. 1 382.63.

2 382.65:' 382.67.-l and 382.69.5 al l ha,·c ,·arious eiTecti,·e dates. 

ranging between May 13. 2009. and May 13. 2012. upon \\·hich fore ign carriers must be 

in compliance \\·ith these sections. Although both Part 382 and the Act require carri ers to 

ensure that the aircralt they operate arc accessible. S"iss maintains that it is not required 

to comply ,,·ith the ea rly timelines set forth in sections 382.61-382.69 because the Act 

aiiO\\ S S\\·iss t\\enty (20) years fi·om the date of its 2002 enactment to ensure that itS 

aircratl are accessible for inJi,·iduals with a disabi lity. The Department find s the 

carrier" s argument in this instance unpcrsuasi\e. /\!though the /\ct grants s,viss up to 

twenty years to bring its aircraft into compliance. it does not prohibit Swiss from 

ensuring that its aircran. that arc used lo r service to and from the U.S. arc accessible prior 

to the t\\·enty-year deadline in the Swiss Ia\\·. 

In the section on Contlict of Law Wai,·ers and Equi\alent Alternati\e Determinations in 

the preamble to the final rule (73 Fed. Reg. at 27616). and in the. Section-by-Section 

Analysis discussion of section 382.9 (73 red. Reg. at 276-l6-27647). \\·e stated that a 

fo reign Ia\\ that requires a foreign carrier to do something prohibi ted by th is rul e. or that 

prohibits a foreign carrier from dt)ing something required by this rule. is an appropriate 

1 Pursuant to 1-1 CFR ~.6 1 (movable aisl~ armrests). carriers must ensure that a ircraft \\'ith 30 or more 

pnsscngcr scats on '' hich passenger aisle scats haw armrests are equi pped \\'ith movable aisle armrests on 

at least one-ha lf or the aisle scats in rows in which passengers \\'ith mobility impairments arc permitted to 

it in each class or service. Carriers arc not required to retrofit cab in interiors of ex isting aim·an to com pi) 

"ith the requirements in this section. but if a carrier rep laces an) of an ir an·~ aisle scab "ith nc" 1: 

manufactured scats. the nc" scats must include mt)\ablc aisle armrests. Foreign carriers arc required to 

com pi: '' ith the requirements or hi ~ scctilln "ith respect to nc\\ aircrali ordered a ncr Ma: 13. ~009. or 

deli v~red ft ~r J\1a: 13.2010. 

: Pu uant to 1-l CFR .3 82.63 (accessibl~ Ia' atories). carriers are required to ~nsure that aircrart '' ith more 

than one aisle in "hich lavatories are pro' ided shall include at least one accessible lm a tor:. For~ign 

carriers are required to com pi) with the requ irements or this section " ith respect to ne\\ aircraft ordered 

after Ma: 13.2009. or aircraft deli,cred alter Ma: 13. ~0 10. 

' Pursuant to 1-l CFR 382.65 (on-board \\·hce lchairs). carriers arc required to eq uip aircrali that have more 

than 60 passengers scats. and that havc an accessible lavator:. "ith an on-board wheelchair. Carriers must 

nlso provide an on-board whcdchnir on aircra li thnt do not have nn a.:c..:ssiblc lavatory upon request of a 

passenger ,,·ho can use an inaccessible lavator: but cannot reach it without an on-board wheelcha ir. 

Foreign carriers are required to compl) "ith the requirements of this section by May 13. ~0 I 0. 

1 Pursuant to 1-1 CFR 38~.67 (priorit: space fo r the storage of a passenger \\heelchair in the cabin). carriers 

must ensure that there is a priorit) space in the cabi n or sufficient size to sto'' at least one typical acl ult-

~:cd folding. co llapsible. or break-do" n manual passenger ,,·heelchair in aircrali \\'ith I 00 or more 

passenger seats. Foreign carriers are required to compl) '' ith the requirements or this section for ne\\ 

aircran ordered after Ma: I 3. ~009 . or dc\i\ crcd <1flcr Ma: 13. ?.0 \0. 

' Pur nt to 1-1 CFR 382.69 (cnptioning or on-board audio-\ isual displa: s). carriers must ur~ that all 

nc\\ , idcos. DV o~. and other audio-' isual displa: s pia) cd on aircrati for satCt) purposes. and all such nc\\ 

audio-\ isual displays pia: eel on aircra ft I(H· in l(mnational purpose that " ere created under the carrier's 

control. arc high-contrast captioned. The requ ircmcnts lor sa let: -re lated audio-\ isual displa: s "ent into 

effect on November 10. 2009. and the requirement for informational displays wen\ into effect on January 8. 

~0 10. 
subject t()r a contlict or laws v·:ai\'er. This is not the case with respect to the cited 

pro\'ision or the /\ct and the requirements or sections 382.61 -382.69. The /\ct docs not 

prohibit S\\·iss from complyi ng with the requirements in sections .382.61-382.69 before 

the t\\·enty-year deadline. and Part 38:?. docs not prohibit Swiss from relying o n the 

t\\enty-year deadline JJrO\·icled in the Act \Vith respect to accommodations other than 

those speci lied in sections 382.61 -382.69 and llights other than those to or from the lJ .S. 

The prO\isions of Subpart [in Part 382 and the Act hm·e similar objectives. complement 

o ne another. and allow s,,iss ample llexibility to achieYe compl iance with the 

requirements of both regulations. Swiss does not pro,·ide any inlormation demonstrating 

that it is precluded rrom making its aircran accessible in accordance vv·ith the proYisio ns 

and effectiYe dates mandated in sections 382.61 -382.69. Therefore. having round no 

con lli ct or Ia'' . the Department must deny s,,iss·s conflict ol' Ia,,· wai\W request lor 

sections 382.61. 382.63. 382.65. 382.67. and 382.69. 

If you ha\'e any questions about this matter. please contact Maegan .Johnson or Kathleen 

Blank-Riether. o l"my stall. at (202) 366-9:?.83. 

Sincerely. 

~-Assistant General Counsel t()r 

!\ Yiati on Enlorcement and Proceedings 

cc: Erin K. Sweene\'