Document ID: DOT-OST-1997-2911-0012
Agency: dot
Document Type: Notice
Title: Notice of Action Taken re Northwest Airlines, Inc.
Posted Date: 2003-09-08T04:00Z

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, DC

Issued by the Department of Transportation on September 8, 2003 

   NOTICE OF ACTION TAKEN -- DOCKET OST-97-2911 

________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________

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).

Application of    Northwest Airlines, Inc.     filed   6/5/2003  to:

XX Renew for two years exemption under 49 U.S.C. 40109 to provide the
following service:

Scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property and mail
between points in the United States and Capetown and Johannesburg, South
Africa, via Amsterdam, and to integrate this authority with its existing
exemption and certificate authority.  Northwest intends to operate this
service pursuant to a code-share arrangement with KLM Royal Dutch
Airlines.    

Applicant rep:   Megan Rae Rosia     202-842-3193    DOT Analyst: 
Gerald Caolo    202-366-2406

D I S P O S I T I O N

XX  Granted (subject to conditions, see below)

The above action was effective when taken: September 8, 2003, through  
September 8, 2005 

Action taken by:   Paul L. Gretch, Director	

		    Office of International Aviation

	

XX  The authority granted is consistent with the aviation agreement
between the United States and 

South Africa.

Except to the extent exempted or waived, this authority is subject to
the terms, conditions, and limitations indicated:  XX Holder’s
certificate of public convenience and necessity

	   XX  Standard exemption conditions (attached)

	   XX  Statement of authorization for Northwest/KLM code-share
operations granted

	           in Notice of Action Taken dated July 11, 2003, Docket
OST-2003-15191, and

           conditions therein

2

________________________

Conditions:  The route integration authority granted is subject to the
condition that any service provided

under this exemption shall be consistent with all applicable agreements
between the United States and the foreign countries involved. 
Furthermore, (a) nothing in the award of the route integration authority
requested should be construed as conferring upon Northwest rights
(including fifth-freedom intermediate and/or beyond rights) to serve
markets where U.S. carrier entry is limited unless Northwest notifies
the Department of its intent to serve such a market and unless and until
the Department has completed any necessary carrier selection procedures
to determine which carrier(s) should be authorized to exercise such
rights; and (b) should there be a request by any carrier to use the
limited-entry route rights that are included in Northwest’s authority
by virtue of the route integration exemption granted here, but that are
not then being used by Northwest, the holding of such authority by route
integration will not be considered as providing any preference for
Northwest in a competitive carrier selection proceeding to determine
which carrier(s) should be entitled to use the authority at issue.

Remarks:  The authority for which Northwest requested renewal expired
August 8, 2003, but had been kept in force pursuant to the provisions of
the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 558(c), as implemented by 14
CFR Part 377, pending action on its timely-filed renewal application.  

________________________

On the basis of data officially noticeable under Rule 24(g) of the
Department's regulations, we found the applicant qualified to provide
the services authorized.

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) grant of the
exemption authority was consistent with the public interest; and (3)
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://dms.dot.gov//reports/reports_aviation.asp



U.S. Carrier Exemption Conditions

In the conduct of the operations authorized, the U.S. carrier
applicant(s) shall:

(1) Hold at all times effective operating authority from the government
of each country served;

(2) Comply with applicable requirements concerning oversales contained
in 14 CFR 250 (for scheduled operations, if authorized);

(3) Comply with the requirements for reporting data contained in 14 CFR
241;

(4) Comply with requirements for minimum insurance coverage, and for
certifying that coverage to the Department, contained in 14 CFR 205;

(5) Except as specifically exempted or otherwise provided for in a
Department Order, comply with the requirements of 14 CFR 203, concerning
waiver of Warsaw Convention liability limits and defenses;

(6) Comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Aviation
Administration and with all applicable U.S. Government requirements
concerning security.  To assure compliance with all applicable U.S.
Government requirements concerning security, the holder shall, before
commencing any new service (including charter flights) to or from a
foreign airport, contact its Principal Security Inspector (PSI) to
advise the PSI 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; and

(7) Comply with such other reasonable terms, conditions, and limitations
required by the public interest as may be prescribed by the Department
of Transportation, with all applicable orders and regulations of other
U.S. agencies and courts, and with all applicable laws of the United
States.

The authority granted shall be effective only during the period when the
holder is in compliance with the conditions imposed above.

08/2003

 Northwest had requested that this authority be granted for two years or
until the Department granted its application for blanket code-share
authority with KLM in Docket OST-O3-15191, whichever occurred earlier. 
While we granted the blanket authority on July 11, 2003, we have
determined that Northwest still requires the exemption authority at
issue here for the necessary underlying authority to conduct these
code-share operations.  Thus, we dismiss as moot Northwest's application
to the extent that it proposed to rely on the blanket authority instead
of the exemption authority granted here.