Order 2003-04-18 - Granting Temporary Waivers

Order 2003-04-18

Order 2003-4-18 - One-Year Balnket Waiver (Iraq War)
OST-2008-0181 - Temporary Blanket Dormancy Waiver - Request for Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways

US Passenger Air Carriers / Continental Airlines, Inc.

Issued April 23, 2003 | Served April 25, 2003

Order 2003-4-18
OST-2003-15021 - Waiver of the Dormancy Conditions on Limited-Entry Route Authority
OST-2003-14777 - Continental Airlines - Temporary Blanket Waiver of Dormancy Conditions

Order Granting Temporary Waivers | Word

We have decided to grant U.S. passenger air carriers holding limited-entry international route authority temporary blanket relief from the dormancy conditions on those authorities, subject to certain conditions, described below. As the carriers have noted in their pleadings in connection with the requested waiver, U.S. airlines have found it necessary to reduce various international flight operations because of significant declines in traffic, and particularly international traffic, in the wake of the Iraq war. The carriers assert, and we agree, that in the current environment, they should not be obligated to reach decisions on restoring such services based on the “use-it-or-lose-it” constraints associated with a dormancy condition. Given these circumstances, we find that temporary blanket relief from the dormancy conditions is warranted and in the public interest, and will serve to afford the carriers needed flexibility to resume their international services on a phased-in basis, without risk that they will lose their route awards for nonuse. All of the parties filing comments support the award of temporary relief.

By: Read C. Van de Water