UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation on September 9 , 2010



### NOTICE OF ACTION TAKEN

-- DOCKET DOT

- OST

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________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________ This serves as notice to the public of the action described below, taken by the Department official indicated (no additional confirming order will be i ssued in this matter).

Applicant : PORTUGALIA

– COMPANHIA PORTUG U ESA DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS S.A. (PGA)

Date s Filed: July 28 and August 13, 2010

Relief requested: (1) Renewal of exemption from 49 USC § 41301 to the extent necessary to permit the applicant to perform charters under 14 CFR Part 212 in order to wet lease aircraft to TAP Portugal (TAP) for use by TAP for flights within Portugal and between Portugal and other European points ; 1

from 49 USC § 41301 and statement of authorization under 14 CFR Part 212 to the extent necessary to permit PGA to

also wet lease aircraft to TAP for flights between Europe and Africa and to permit it to also display

, in addition to the United and US Airways designator c odes, the (CO*) designator code of Continental Airlines, Inc. on its authorized operations. and (2) Amendment of existing exemption

Applicant representative s : William Karas and Carol Gosain, 202

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DOT analyst: Robert J. Finamore , 202

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Responsive pleadings: None.

DISPOSITION

Action: Approved. Action date: September 9 , 2010

Effective dates of authority granted: PGA ’s amended exemption authority is effective from September 9 , 2010

, t hrough September 9 , 201 2

. PGA ’s amended statement of authorization is effective September 9 , 2010

, and shall

remain in effect for an indefinite duration.

Basis for approval (bil ateral agreement/reciprocity): United States

- Europea n Union A ir Transport Agreement

.

Except to the extent exempted/waived, this authority is subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations of our standard exemption conditions (attached)

.

Special conditions/Remarks: PGA may not conduct U.S. operations with its own aircraft and crews without further action by the Department.

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 w ith Department policy; (2) the applicant was qualified to perform its proposed operations; (3) grant of the authority was consistent with the public interest; and (4) grant of the authority would not constitute a major regulatory action under the Energy Policy an d

1 PGA states that it does not conduct any U.S. operations and that the intra

- Portugal and intra

- European flights it operate s for TAP connect to flights to/from the United States, consist ent with TAP’s existing authority from the Department and TAP’s

code

- share agreements with United Air Lines, Inc. (United) and US Airways, Inc. (US Airways)

. PGA further states that th ose flights may display the (UA*) and (US*) designator codes of Unit ed and US Airways, respectively, and notes that the Department has granted it a statement of authorization under 14 CFR Part 212 for an indefinite period to permit such operations.Conservation Act of 1975. To the extent not granted/deferred/dismissed, 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 effec tive 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

### 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, in cluding, 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 (includin g 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 I IR 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 20 5, 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 (an y 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) Confor m 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 w aiver 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 ag ainst 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 destina tion, 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 conditio n, 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 specifica lly 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 o perations 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 limi tations 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.

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