Order 20 1 4

- 8

- 17

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 21 st day of August, 20 1 4

Served: August 21, 2014

Application of



### QATAR EXECUTIVE Docket DOT

- OST

- 20 1 4

- 0041

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 and a foreign

air carr ier 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) tentati vely 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 several steps de signed 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 lice nsing 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 effective, whichev er 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 markets, ind efinite 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 applications involve d in this proceeding.

Application

By application filed March 28, 2014, Qatar Executive

, a foreign air carrier of Qatar, r equests an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 and a foreign air carrier permit under 49 U.S.C. §41301 to engage in , using small aircraf t: 1) charter foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between any point or points in Qatar and any point or points in the United States

, and between any point or points in the U.S. 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 Qatar for the purposes of carrying local traffic between Qatar and the United Sta tes; 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 th e 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 th e applicant has demonstrated, based on the record, that it is financially and operationally qualified to perform the services

authorized

, 2 and that it is substantially owned and effectively controlled by homeland nationals

. 3

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

the United States and Qatar. We also note that the applicant is properly licensed by its homeland

to p erform the proposed services. In addition, o n May 28, 2014, t he Federal Aviation

Admi nistration advised us that it knew of no reason why we should act unf a vorably on the

2 The applicant has requested confidential treatment of its financial submissions under the provisions of

14 CFR §30 2 .12. Good c ause having been shown, we will grant this request.

3 The record indicates that Qatar Executive is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Airways, a foreign air carrier of Qatar that is substantially owned and effectively controlled by citizens of Qatar. See Order 2008

- 6

- 20. The record further indicates that the applicant’s Chief Executive Officer and all members of its Board of Directors are Qatari

citizens

.3

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 becomes effective, whichever occurs earlier, is warranted.

Tentative Findings and Conclusions

-- Foreign Air Carrier Perm it 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. 4 In particular, w e tentatively find and conc lude that the factors which support our grant of exemption authority to the applicant also warrant granting the applicant the foreign air carrier 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 aircraft ; 5

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 applicant is substantially owned and effectively controlled by citizens of its claimed homeland;

4 . The public intere st 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 public inter est as we may prescribe;

5 . 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; 6

6 . The public interes t does not require an oral evidentiary hearing on the application ; and

4 The applicant’s request for a foreign air carrier permit was summarized in the Department’s publish ed 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 authority. As noted above, no answers to the

app lication were filed.

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

6 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

7 . 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, become effect ive 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 or she does not intend to disapprove this portion of the D epartment’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 policy; 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 major regulator y action under the Energy Policy and

Conservation Act of 1975.

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We grant the request of Qatar Executive for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 to engage in, using small aircraft : 1) charter foreign air transportation of persons, prope rty, and mail between any point or points in Qatar and any point or points in the United States

, and between any point or points in the U.S. 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 Qatar for the purposes of carrying local traffic between Qatar and the United States; and 2) other charters in accordance with 14

CFR Part 2 12 of the Department’s regulations.

2. In the conduct of these operations Qatar Executive 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 p rivileges granted above is subject to compliance by Qatar Executive w ith

the conditions listed in Appendix A;

4. We grant the request of Qatar Executive for confidential treatment of its traffic and financial forecasts, consistent with the provisions of 14 CFR § 302.12;

5

. 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 ;

6

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

7 . To the extent not acted upon above, we dismiss all requests for exemption authority in Docket

DOT

- OST

- 20 1 4

- 004 1 ;5

8

. Wit h 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;

9

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

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

- one (21) calendar days after the date of service of this order, fi le with the 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;

10

. If timely and properly supported objections are filed, we will give further consideration to the

m atters and issues raised by the objections before we take further action;

1 1

. 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 und er §41307 of Title 49 of the U.S. Code) make final our tentative findings and conclusions set forth in this order; and

1 2

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

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

, and the Fed eral 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 wit h 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.

By:

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 Exemption Conditions Appendix A

In the conduct of the operations authorized, the foreign carrier applic ant 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 Department;

(2) Comply with all applicable requirements of the F ederal 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.

T o 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 Unit ed 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 Transportation Security Administration has determined that se curity 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 Service (any changes to, or termination of, insurance also shall be filed with that office);

(4) Not operate aircr aft 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 service s;

(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 authorit y 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 United States that are: (a) based on its operations in in ternational 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 War saw 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 terminate all flights to/from the

United States in its hom eland;

(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 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 order s 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 with the conditions imposed above. Moreover, this authorit y 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

Order 20 1 4

-

UNITED STA TES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.



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



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



### QATAR EXECUTIVE

A Foreign Air Carrier of Qatar

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

Charter foreign air transportation of passengers, property
, and mail between any point or points in Qatar and any point or points i n the United States
, and between any point or points in the United States and any point or points in any third country or countries, provided that, except with respect to cargo charters, such services constitute part of a continuous operation, with or with out a change of aircraft, that includes service to Qatar for the purpose of carrying local traffic between Qatar and the United States

.

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

charters.

In the conduct of these operations, the holder 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 limitations in both the order issuing this permit and the attachment to this order, and to all applicable provisions of any treaty, con vention 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 shal l be effective on . Unless otherwise terminated at an earlier date pursuant to the terms of any applicable treaty, convention or agreement, this permit shall terminate (1) upon the dissolution or liquidation of the holder to wh om it was issued; (2) upon the effective date of any treaty, convention, or agreement or amendment, which shall have the effect of eliminating the bilateral right for the service authorized by this permit from the service which may be operated by airlines designated by the Government of Qatar (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

Go vernment of Qatar in lieu of the holder; or (4) upon the termination or expiration of the applicable air services agreement between the United States and Qatar

. However, clause (4) of this paragraph shall not apply if prior to such termination or expirati on, the foreign air

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

to which the United States and Qatar become parties.

The Department of Transportation has executed this permit and affixed its seal on , 20 14

.

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 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 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. Govern ment 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 Repre sentative (IIR) (formerly referred to as International Principal Security Inspector) to advise 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 s erved;

(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 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 op erational 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 otherwi se 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 th e 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 United States that are: (a) based on its operations in international air transportation that, according to

t he 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 a greement 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 con sidered to be High Contracting Parties for the purpose of this definition;

(8) Except as specifically 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 charter operations are authorized, except as otherwise provided in the applicable aviation agreement, comply with the Department's rules governing charters (includin g 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 during any period when the holder is not in compliance with the conditions imposed above. Moreover, this authority cannot be sold or otherwise transferred without e xplicit Department approval under Title 49 of the U.S. Code.

1 2 /200 7