The U.S. Department of Transportation licenses both U.S. and foreign airlines to perform air transportation. The Federal Aviation Administration, responsible for aviation safety, issues an operating certificate (for U.S. carriers) and operations specifications (for both U.S. and foreign carriers). Limits on international traffic rights often raise complex diplomatic and legal issues.
DOT subjects new U.S. airlines to public scrutiny over their fitness and U.S. citizenship. That scrutiny continues, generally in a non-public setting, for a U.S. airline’s lifetime. The Firm has extensive experience in supporting U.S. airlines through these processes.