View all text of Chapter 401 [§ 40101 - § 40132]
§ 40109. Authority to exempt
(a)Air Carriers and Foreign Air Carriers Not Engaged Directly in Operating Aircraft.—
(1) The Secretary of Transportation may exempt from subpart II of this part—
(A) an air carrier not engaged directly in operating aircraft in air transportation; or
(B) a foreign air carrier not engaged directly in operating aircraft in foreign air transportation.
(2) The exemption is effective to the extent and for periods that the Secretary decides are in the public interest.
(b)Safety Regulation.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may grant an exemption from a regulation prescribed in carrying out paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 40103(b) when the Administrator decides the exemption is in the public interest.
(c)Other Economic Regulation.—Except as provided in this section, the Secretary may exempt to the extent the Secretary considers necessary a person or class of persons from a provision of chapter 411, chapter 413 (except sections 41307 and 41310(b)–(f)), chapter 415 (except sections 41502, 41505, and 41507–41509), chapter 417 (except sections 41703, 41704, 41710, 41713, and 41714), chapter 419, subchapter II of chapter 421, and sections 44909(a), 44909(b), and 46301(b) of this title, or a regulation or term prescribed under any of those provisions, when the Secretary decides that the exemption is consistent with the public interest.
(d)Labor Requirements.—The Secretary may not exempt an air carrier from section 42112 of this title. However, the Secretary may exempt from section 42112(b)(1) and (2) an air carrier not providing scheduled air transportation, and the operations conducted during daylight hours by an air carrier providing scheduled air transportation, when the Secretary decides that—
(1) because of the limited extent of, or unusual circumstances affecting, the operation of the air carrier, the enforcement of section 42112(b)(1) and (2) of this title is or would be an unreasonable burden on the air carrier that would obstruct its development and prevent it from beginning or continuing operations; and
(2) the exemption would not affect adversely the public interest.
(e)Maximum Flying Hours.—The Secretary may not exempt an air carrier under this section from a provision referred to in subsection (c) of this section, or a regulation or term prescribed under any of those provisions, that sets maximum flying hours for pilots or copilots.
(f)Smaller Aircraft.—
(1) An air carrier is exempt from section 41101(a)(1) of this title, and the Secretary may exempt an air carrier from another provision of subpart II of this part, if the air carrier—
(A)
(i) provides passenger transportation only with aircraft having a maximum capacity of 55 passengers; or
(ii) provides the transportation of cargo only with aircraft having a maximum payload of less than 18,000 pounds; and
(B) complies with liability insurance requirements and other regulations the Secretary prescribes.
(2) The Secretary may increase the passenger or payload capacities when the public interest requires.
(3)
(A) An exemption under this subsection applies to an air carrier providing air transportation between 2 places in Alaska, or between Alaska and Canada, only if the carrier is authorized by Alaska to provide the transportation.
(B) The Secretary may limit the number or location of places that may be served by an air carrier providing transportation only in Alaska under an exemption from section 41101(a)(1) of this title, or the frequency with which the transportation may be provided, only when the Secretary decides that providing the transportation substantially impairs the ability of an air carrier holding a certificate issued by the Secretary to provide its authorized transportation, including the minimum transportation requirement for Alaska specified under section 41732(b)(1)(B) of this title.
(g)Emergency Air Transportation by Foreign Air Carriers.—
(1) To the extent that the Secretary decides an exemption is in the public interest, the Secretary may exempt by order a foreign air carrier from the requirements and limitations of this part for not more than 30 days to allow the foreign air carrier to carry passengers or cargo in interstate air transportation in certain markets if the Secretary finds that—
(A) because of an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business, air carriers holding certificates under section 41102 of this title cannot accommodate traffic in those markets;
(B) all possible efforts have been made to accommodate the traffic by using the resources of the air carriers, including the use of—
(i) foreign aircraft, or sections of foreign aircraft, under lease or charter to the air carriers; and
(ii) the air carriers’ reservations systems to the extent practicable;
(C) the exemption is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the traffic in the markets that cannot be accommodated by the air carriers; and
(D) granting the exemption will not result in an unreasonable advantage to any party in a labor dispute where the inability to accommodate traffic in a market is a result of the dispute.
(2) When the Secretary grants an exemption to a foreign air carrier under this subsection, the Secretary shall—
(A) ensure that air transportation that the foreign air carrier provides under the exemption is made available on reasonable terms;
(B) monitor continuously the passenger load factor of air carriers in the market that hold certificates under section 41102 of this title; and
(C) review the exemption at least every 30 days (or, in the case of an exemption that is necessary to provide and sustain air transportation in American Samoa between the islands of Tutuila and Manu’a, at least every 180 days) to ensure that the unusual circumstances that established the need for the exemption still exist.
(3)Renewal of exemptions.—
(A)In general.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary may renew an exemption (including renewals) under this subsection for not more than 30 days.
(B)Exception.—The Secretary may renew an exemption (including renewals) under this subsection that is necessary to provide and sustain air transportation in American Samoa between the islands of Tutuila and Manu’a for not more than 180 days.
(4)Continuation of exemptions.—An exemption granted by the Secretary under this subsection may continue for not more than 5 days after the unusual circumstances that established the need for the exemption cease.
(h)Notice and Opportunity for Hearing.—The Secretary may act under subsections (d) and (f)(3)(B) of this section only after giving the air carrier notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1104; Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(65), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3395; Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title IV, § 402, div. K, title I, § 1991(c)(1), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3328, 3627; Pub. L. 118–63, title XI, § 1101(d), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1413.)