UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Issued by the Department of Transportation on March 4, 2010 

NOTICE OF ACTION TAKEN -- DOCKET DOT-OST-2010-0008 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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: VRG LINHAS AEREAS S.A. d/b/a GOL (Gol) Date Filed: January 7, 2010 

 

Relief requested: Exemption authority under 49 USC §40109 to permit Gol to engage in foreign air transportation of 

persons, property and mail to the extent necessary to display American Airlines, Inc.’s AA* designator code on flights that it 

operates within Brazil.1 2

If renewal, date and citation of last action: n/a 

Applicant representative: Charles F. Donley II (202) 626-6840 

DOT analyst: Thuy H. Cooper (202) 366-5423 

Responsive pleadings: No answers were filed. 

DISPOSITION 

Action: Approved (subject to conditions, see below). Action date: March 4, 2010 

Effective dates of exemption authority granted: March 4, 2010, through March 4, 2011 

Basis for approval (bilateral agreement/reciprocity): Air Transport Agreement between the United States and Brazil 

Except to the extent exempted/waived, this authority is subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations indicated: 

X Standard exemption conditions (attached) 

Remarks: Based on the record in this case, we found that Gol is financially and operationally qualified to perform the 

services authorized above. In addition, we found that Gol is substantially owned and effectively controlled by citizens of 

Brazil.3

 The carrier is properly licensed and has been authorized by the Government of Brazil to perform the proposed 

services. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration advised us that it knew of no reason why we should act 

unfavorably on the applicant’s request. We have verified the applicant’s compliance with 14 CFR Parts 203 (Warsaw 

liability waiver), and 205 (insurance requirements). 

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) the applicant was qualified to perform its proposed operations; (3) grant of the 

 

1

 Gol states that it will not sell seats in its name for travel to or from the United States and will not operate its aircraft to any U.S. 

point. Gol further states that American will not sell transportation in its name for travel in local Brazilian markets. 2

 Gol and American have filed a separate application for a statement of authorization and an exemption, respectively, permitting them 

to implement their code-share arrangement. See Docket DOT-OST-2010-0009. 3

 Gol is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (GLAI). GLAI is listed on the New York Stock Exchange

and its shares are traded publicly. GLAI is majority owned by Fundo de Investimento em Particpacaoes ASAS (FIPA), which holds 

63.4% of GLAI’s equity. FIPA is owned by Brazilian citizens. The remaining shares are owned by Brazilian and other investors,

none of whom own five percent or more of GLAI. 
authority was consistent with the public interest; and (4) 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, we denied all requests in the 

referenced Docket. 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
ATTACHMENT A 

Foreign Carrier Exemption Conditions

In the conduct of the operations authorized, the foreign carrier applicant(s) 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. 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 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 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 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, 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 

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 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 (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 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 explicit Department approval under Title 

49 of the U.S. Code. 

 1/2008