BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Application of 

Portugalia - Companhia Portuguesa 

de Transportes Aereos S.A. 

for an exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 

and statement of authorization (long-term 

wet lease to TAP Portugal) 

) 

) 

) 

) Docket DOT-OST-2008-0155 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) ____________________________ ) 

APPLICATION OF 

PORTUGALIA- COMP ANHIA PORTUGUESA 

DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS S.A. 

FOR RENEWAL OF AN EXEMPTION 

Communications with respect to this application should be addressed to: 

August 29, 2014 

William Karas 

Carol Gosain 

STEPTOE & JOHNSON LLP 

1330 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20036 

Phone: (202) 429-6223 

Fax: (202) 261-0651 

wkaras@steptoe.com 

cgosain@steptoe.com 

Attorneys for 

PORTUGALIA- COMPANHIA PORTUGUESA 

DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS S.A. 

NOTICE: Answers supporting or opposing this application are due on September 15, 2014. 
BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Application of 

Portugalia- Companhia Portuguesa 

de Transportes Aereos S.A. 

for an exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 

and statement of authorization (long-term 

wet lease to TAP Portugal) 

) 

) 

) 

) Docket DOT -OST -2008-0155 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) ___________________________ ) 

APPLICATION OF 

PORTUGALIA- COMPANHIA PORTUGUESA 

DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS S.A. 

FOR RENEWAL OF AN EXEMPTION 

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109(c), and Subpart C of the Department's Rules of Practice, 

Portugalia- Companhia Portuguesa de Transportes Aereos S.A. ("PGA") hereby applies for 

renewal of its exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 to the extent necessary to enable PGA to 

perform charters under 14 C.F.R. Part 212 in order to wet lease aircraft to its parent company, 

TAP Portugal ("TAP"), for use by TAP as described herein. The aircraft wet leased from PGA 

are used by TAP for flights within Portugal, between points within Europe, and between 

European points and points in Africa, connecting to flights to/from the United States, consistent 

with TAP's existing authority from the Department and TAP's codeshare agreements with 

United Airlines, Inc. ("United") and US Airways, Inc. ("US Airways"). 1 

1 The Department granted statements of authorization for blanket codesharing authority 

to TAP and United by a Notice of Action Taken ("NOAT") issued on August 11,2005 in Docket 

DOT-OST-2005-21686. The Department approved the TAP-US Airways blanket codeshare 

arrangement by Department Action on Application issued May 17, 2006 in Docket DOT-OST2006-24670. 
PGA's current exemption was granted by Notice of Action Taken issued on September 

27, 2012 in the above-captioned docket? PGA requests renewal of the exemption for a period of 

at least two years. It relies upon the provisions of 5 U.S.C. § 558(c) and 14 C.P.R. Part 377 as 

continuing its exemption authority in force pending action by the Department on this renewal 

application. 

PGA states as follows in support of its application: 

1. PGA is a Portuguese airline organized and existing under the laws of Portugal. Its 

head office is located at Lisbon Airport, Rua C, Building 70, Lisbon, Portugal. 

2. The competent air transport authority having regulatory jurisdiction over PGA is 

the Instituto Nacional da Avia9ao Civil ("INAC") located at Lisbon Airport, Rua B, Buildings 4, 

5 and 6, 1749-034, Lisbon, Portugal. PGA's Portuguese operating authority is already on file 

with the Department. 

3. PGA commenced operations on July 7, 1990. It is a Portuguese regional carrier, 

operating scheduled flights on domestic routes within Portugal and international routes within 

Europe and between Europe and Africa. It also operates charter services within Europe and 

between Europe and Africa. Its fleet, which consists of regional aircraft, is used only to operate 

short-haul flights. 

4. PGA does not conduct any operations in the United States; rather, as noted at the 

outset, it seeks only to renew its exemption authority necessary to wet lease aircraft to TAP on a 

long-term basis for use by TAP for flights within Portugal, within Europe, and between Europe 

and Africa, which may connect with flights to/from the United States and which may display the 

2 By NOAT issued on September 9, 2010 in Docket DOT-OST-2008-0155, the 

Department also granted to PGA a statement of authorization that permits PGA to wet lease 

aircraft to TAP on a long-term basis for the operations described herein. The statement of 

authorization was granted for an indefinite period. 

- 2 -
UA* and US* codes pursuant to TAP's codeshare agreements with United and US Airways, 

respectively. 

5. PGA's ownership and control are substantially unchanged. 

6. PGA operates a fleet of 14 regional aircraft of two different types: six Fokker 

F -1 00 aircraft and eight Embraer ERJ -14 5 aircraft. All aircraft operated by PGA are maintained 

in accordance with European Aviation Safety Agency Part 145 requirements, and all 

maintenance ofPGA aircraft is performed in compliance with the provisions ofiCAO Chicago 

Convention Annexes 1, 6 (Part I) and 8. 

7. PGA has not been involved in any safety or tariff violations or any fatal accidents 

in the last five years. 

8. PGA remains fit, willing and able to provide the services embraced by this 

application. 

9. Approval of this renewal application is fully consistent with the terms of the Air 

Transport Agreement Between the United States and the European Community and the Member 

States of the European Community (the "US-EU Air Transport Agreement"). Specifically, 

section 10.9 ofthe US-EU Air Transport Agreement grants airlines of a Party broad rights to 

enter into wet lease arrangements with any airline of the Parties. 

Grant of this renewal application is consistent with the public interest within the meaning 

of 49 U.S.C. § 40109(c). The authority sought herein is encompassed by the US-EU Air 

Transport Agreement and will allow TAP to engage in Department-approved codesharing 

services with United and US Airways. 

- 3-
For the foregoing reasons, PGA respectfully requests that the Department renew its 

exemption authority for a period of at least two years. 

August 29, 2014 

Respectfully submitted, 

c~~ 6--c:,~~ { z.~s William Karas 

Carol Gosain 

STEPTOE & JOHNSON LLP 

1330 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20036 

Attorneys for 

PORTUGALIA- COMPANHIA PORTUGUESA 

DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS S.A. 

- 4-
SERVICE LIST 

robert. wirick@aa.com 

francis.heil@aa.com 

dan. weiss@united.com 

sascha. vanderbellen@del ta.com 

howard.kass@usairways.com 

benjamin.slocum@usairways.com 

jhill@dowlohnes.com 

gbleopard@fedex.com 

nssparks@fedex.com 

cefelts@fedex. com 

sllunsford@fedex.com 

sharon. pasley@fedex.com 

anita.mosner@hklaw.com 

jennifer.nowak@hklaw.com 

jrichardson@johnlrichardson.com 

j canny@amerij et.com 

rsilverberg@sgbdc.com 

jj ohnson@sgbdc.com 

mcmillin@woa.com 

mlbenge@zsrlaw.com 

msinick@ssd.com 

rpommer@atlasair.com 

john. palo@evergreenairlines.com 

charters@evergreenairlines.com 

slachter@lachter-clements.com 

agoerlich@ggh-airlaw.com 

matwood@cozen.com 

kevin.montgomery@polaraircargo.com 

bill@mietuslaw.com 

john.s.duncan@faa.gov 

urskr@state.gov 

I hereby certify that on this 29th day of August, 2014, the foregoing document was served by 

email upon the above persons. 

Ca.<1dG ~ { t_.~S Carol Gosain