TACA International Airlines, S.A. / Lineas Aereas Costarricenses S.A. / AVIATECA S.A. / Nicaraguense de Aviacion, S.A. / TACA de Honduras S.A. de C.V. / Trans American Airlines, S.A.

OST-2004-17355 - Registration of Trade Name

January 25, 2006

Application for Renewal and Amendment of Exemption

TACA International Airlines, S.A., Lineas Aereas Costarricenses S.A., AVIATECA S.A., Nicaraguense de Aviacion, S.A., TACA de Honduras S.A. de C.V. and Trans American Airlines, S.A. hereby request renewal of the exemption granted to them by the Department of Transportation in the above-captioned docket permitting them to use the trade name "TACA" and the designator code "TA" in their services to and from the United States. With one modification explained more fully herein, the TACA Carriers request renewal of their exemption for a two-year period on its existing terms and conditions.

In addition to renewal of their exemption authority, the TACA Carriers request amendment of Condition 3(f) of their authority to permit them to disclose the operating carrier's identity either on the paper ticket or on the boarding pass issued to the passenger at the airport or printed by the passenger through the online check-in process. Due to the increasing use of electronic tickets and the TACA Carriers' change in their host GDS, the TACA Carriers need the flexibility to print disclosures either on boarding passes or online check-in documents, or on paper tickets. This is the only modification sought by the TACA Carriers.

Counsel: Squire Sanders, Charles Donley, 202-626-6840, cdonley@ssd.com

http://www.taca.com/
http://centralamerica.com/cr/lacsa/lacsa.htm
http://www.aviateca.aero/

OST-2004-17355 - Registration of Trade Name

February 21, 2006

Reply of the TACA Carriers

For the fourth time in this proceeding Continental Airlines is attempting to thwart the efforts of the TACA Carriers to provide services between Central America and the United States under a common brand. Like its predecessors, Continental's latest Answer ignores the compelling public interest factors that support the TACA Carriers' application. Service under a common brand has enabled them to offer a much more consistent identity to the traveling public and to compete more effectively with the major carriers that operate in the Central American markets, including Continental and its affiliate COPA. Compliance by the TACA Carriers with conditions imposed by the Department has prevented any possibility of consumer deception in this operation, and safety has never been compromised.

Continental also ignores the strong justification for the minor revision in the existing authority that the TACA Carriers are seeking. The revised format of disclosure of operating carrier identity will provide complete and timely information to passengers. It will also enable the TACA Carriers to move smoothly to electronic ticketing by late 2007.

Continental's answer is a mixture of factual inaccuracies, misstatements of the Department's orders, and misapplication of established international aviation policy. It should be summarily rejected, and the Department should grant the relief requested by the TACA Carriers at the earliest possible time.

Counsel: Squire Sanders, Edward Sauer, 202-626-6641, esauer@ssd.com

Order 2006-11-10
OST-2004-17355 - Registration of Trade Name

Issued and Served November 14, 2006

Order Renewing and Amending Exemption

By this order we renew exemption authority we previously granted to the six carriers captioned above (the TACA Group) to permit them to register for their collective use the trade name "TACA" and use the designator code "TA" for all of their services to and from the United States; and amend that exemption authority to the extent that it provides the TACA Group carriers flexibility in the methods used for disclosure of the operating carrier's identity. We grant these authorities for a one-year term.

The TACA Group sought its renewed and amended exemption authority for a two-year period. The one-year duration of the authority here is consistent with our usual policy of granting exemption authority in the circumstances presented.

With respect to Continental's assertion that LACSA has not been using the "TA" designator, the TACA Group carriers have, in our view, adequately explained LACSA's delay in adopting the "TA" code, and we see nothing in the operations of LACSA that would be contrary to the conditions we imposed on the TACA Group carriers in Order 2005-1-22, which requires each TACA Group carrier to cease use of its individual code upon implementation of the authority granted in that order. Furthermore, we note that the TACA Group asserted that it will relinquish use its "ER" code and begin use of the "TA" code as soon as it begins participation in the common branding. As to Continental's concern ovcr operations by TACA Peru, we note, as the TACA Group carriers state, that Peru is a Category 1 country under the FAA's IASA Program.

we take note of Continental's concerns with the Government of El Salvador preventing the Panamanian earner COPA from operating flights between San Salvador and Panama City, thereby precluding Continental from code sharing on such COPA flights. While we support aviation liberalization worldwide and encourage other countries to support it as well, the issue of the El Salvador-Panama rights for COPA is one that involves the governments of El Salvador and Panama, and is thus beyond the scope of this proceeding.

By: Andrew Steinberg

OST-2004-17355 - Registration of Trade Name

November 14, 2007

Application for Renewal of Exemption

The TACA Carriers hereby request renewal of the exemption granted to them by the Department of Transportation in the above-captioned docket permitting them to use the trade name TACA" and the designator code "TA" in their services to and from the United States. The TACA Carriers request renewal of their exemption for at least a one-year period.

The common code continues to allow the TACA Carriers to improve brand awareness among the traveling public.

Counsel: Squire Sanders, Charles Donley, 202-626-6840, cdonley@ssd.com

OST-2004-17355 - Registration of Trade Name

Filed November 14, 2007 | Issued January 4, 2008

Notice of Action Taken

Renewal of exemption under 49 USC § 40109 to permit the joint applicants to use the trade name “TACA” and to use the designator code “TA” for all of their services to/from the United States.

The homelands of the Joint Applicants are as follows: TACA International Airlines, S.A. – El Salvador; Lineas Aereas Costarricenses S.A. – Costa Rica; AVIATECA S.A. – Guatemala; Nicaraguense de Aviacion, S.A. – Nicaragua; TACA de Honduras S.A. de C.V. – Honduras; and Trans American Airlines S.A. – Peru.

By: Paul Gretch

OST-2004-17355 - Registration of Trade Name

December 30, 2008

Application for Renewal of Exemption

TACA International Airlines, S.A., Lineas Aereas Costarricenses S.A., AVIATECA S.A., Nicaraguense de Aviacion, S.A., TACA de Honduras S.A. de C. V. and Trans American Airlines, S.A. hereby request renewal of the exemption granted to them by the Department of Transportation in the above-captioned docket permitting them to use the trade name "TACA" and the designator code "TA" in their services to and from the United States. The TACA Carriers request renewal of their exemption for at least a one-year period.

Counsel: Squire Sanders, Charles Donley, 202-626-6840

OST-2004-17355 - Registration of Trade Name

Filed December 30, 2008 | Issued January 22, 2009

Notice of Action Taken

Renewal of exemption under 49 USC § 40109 to permit the joint applicants to use the trade name “TACA” and to use the designator code “TA” for all of their services to/from the United States.

The homelands of the Joint Applicants are as follows: TACA International Airlines, S.A. – El Salvador; Lineas Aereas Costarricenses S.A. – Costa Rica; AVIATECA S.A. – Guatemala; Nicaraguense de Aviacion, S.A. – Nicaragua; TACA de Honduras S.A. de C.V. – Honduras; and Trans American Airlines S.A. – Peru.

By: Paul Gretch