Key Personnel Paul
Gretch, Director OFFICE
FUNCTION
OFFICE MISSION: To develop, coordinate, and execute departmental international aviation transportation policy. KEY OFFICE FUNCTIONS:
The negotiating
staff of the Office of International Aviation plans and executes
U.S. strategy for achieving an equitable, procompetitive operating
environment for U.S. airline services between the United States
and foreign countries. It develops and coordinates U.S. policy positions
and conduct bilateral and multilateral negotiations with foreign
aviation officials. The
negotiators also are the principal U.S. Government liaison with
the aviation industry and U.S. communities on international matters.
These geographic specialists work with State Department officers
Pricing and Multilateral Affairs The
Division also is responsible for managing aviation economic aspects
of U.S. relations with a number of multinational organizations,
including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),
the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), the Commission of
the European Communities (EC), The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC), and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Division staff analyze aviation issues addressed
by these organizations and represent the United States at multilateral
meetings. This function
is expanding significantly as these multilateral organizations become
more deeply involved in issues that traditionally have been handled
on a bilateral basis. The U.S. Air Carrier Licensing Division processes all requests by U.S. airlines for authority to serve specific foreign markets. The division uses simplified procedures to grant routine applications to serve countries with which a liberal aviation regime affords broad market access. Where rights are limited, show-cause or other hearing procedures are invoked to assure that all interested carriers are afforded an opportunity to apply, and that the best public-interest result is achieved. The division also considers applications for transfer of international authority among U.S. carriers. Another significant area of the division's responsibilities is handling formal complaints filed by U.S. carriers seeking relief, under the International Air Transportation Fair Competitive Practices Act, from unfair or discriminatory treatment in foreign countries. This
division handles all foreign air carrier applications for operating
authority (except Canadian air taxi registration) and most retaliatory
orders directed against foreign air carriers. Unlike the U.S. Air
Carrier Licensing Division, which deals with air carriers whose
fitness is determined from officially noticeable data, the Foreign
Air Carrier Licensing Division performs fitness analysis of its
applicants in addition to resolving the public interest issues.
Foreign carriers file docketed applications for foreign air carrier permits and long-term exemptions, and undocketed applications for short-term exemptions, charter statements of authorization (for all Fifth Freedom charters, certain Third and Fourth Freedom charters, long-term wet leases, blocked-space arrangements and code sharing), permits for foreign aircraft agricultural and industrial operations and other forms of authority. The Division also produces orders invoked to retaliate against unfair treatment of U.S. airlines abroad: orders imposing/rescinding Part 213 schedule filing requirements on foreign carriers, orders disapproving the schedules, and orders subjecting foreign carriers to Third and Fourth Freedom charter approval. The Special Authorities Division (SAD) administers and implements the provisions of 14 CFR Parts 212, 294, 297 and 380 to ensure that U.S. and foreign operators are in compliance with the department’s regulations. Specifically, SAD administers the bonding, escrow, and liability insurance requirements imposed on direct and indirect air carriers, Canadian air taxis and foreign air freight forwarders under the Department’s regulations. The division reviews charter prospectuses filed under the Department’s public charter rules, and processes the registration of foreign tour operators, foreign air freight forwarders and Canadian air taxis. The division also grants waivers from the governing regulations where appropriate and in the public interest.
Revised
on
December 06, 2006
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