Opinion ID: 186508
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Countermeasure

Text: 26 Aerolineas also argues the DoT abused its discretion in adopting a countermeasure without indicat[ing] just how assessing Aerolineas with additional fees will eliminate the alleged discriminatory activity. According to Aerolineas, because the Argentine Executive is not empowered to dictate the decisions of the Argentine Judiciary, the DoT's countermeasure will have no effect. As the DoT points out, however, the Executive could unilaterally eliminate the difference in user charges at Ezeiza merely by staying its own Decree. 27 Aerolineas' next argument, that the DoT may not [take] it upon itself . . . to level the playing field, is directly contrary to statute; § 41310(b) provides that [i]f the discrimination is not ended in a reasonable time through negotiation, the [DoT] shall establish a compensating charge equal to the discriminatory charge. Whether this means the DoT might have taken the further step of passing Aerolineas' escrow payments through to the United States carriers, we need not decide. The DoT was plainly authorized to levy the charge it imposed. 28 Finally, Aerolineas argues the DoT's order may itself prove to be discriminatory because Aerolineas, in the event it loses its appeal to the Supreme Court of Argentina, would be in the position of paying a total of three pesos in Argentina and two to the DOT, making it the only airline that is paying at the rate of five pesos per dollar for user charges on international flights at Ezeiza. The DoT's order, however, requires Aerolineas to pay into escrow in the United States only the difference between what it is paying for the use of Ezeiza and what United States carriers are paying. The DoT reasonably represents that, [i]f circumstances . . . change, and Aerolineas Argentinas in fact begins paying at the rate charged to other carriers, it will have every opportunity to bring this to the attention of the Department, where we trust it will find relief.