International Air Transportation Competition Act of 1979

Summary

International Air Transportation Competition Act of 1979 - Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to direct the Civil Aeronautics Board to utilize the same public policy interests which are applicable to interstate and overseas air transportation in carrying out its functions with respect to foreign air transportation including placing maximum reliance on competitive market forces to provide the needed air transportation. Removes the requirement that a certificate to engage in foreign air transportation may only be granted if the transportation applied for is required by the public convenience and necessity. Stipulates that an application for such service need only be consistent with the public convenience and necessity. Authorizes the Board to suspend or revoke authority to serve any point, authorized in a certificate, upon notice and a reasonable opportunity for the affected carrier to present its views, but without a hearing, if the carrier has notified the Board that it proposes to suspend all service to such a point, or, if the carrier has failed to provide any significant service to the point for a 90-day period. Authorizes the Board to issue a permit to foreign air carriers if either the applicant has been designated by its government to perform such foreign air transportation under the terms of an agreement with the United States or that such transportation will be in the public interest. Removes the requirement that a public hearing be held with respect to the issuance of such permits. Authorizes the Board, without a public hearing but subject to the approval of the President, to suspend or modify the permits of the air carriers of a foreign country if it finds that the country, over the objections of the United States, has impaired the operating rights of United States carriers, or has engaged in unfair, discriminatory, or restrictive practices with a substantial adverse competitive impact upon United States carriers. Authorizes the Board to also restrict the operations between such foreign country and the United States by any foreign air carrier of a third country. Authorizes the Board to require foreign air carriers to file such reports as the Board may require. Removes the requirement that foreign air carriers file copies of every agreement or contract between such a carrier and any other carrier which affects foreign air transportation. Authorizes the Board to exempt any foreign air carrier from the requirements of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to the extent necessary to allow the carrier to lease or charter aircraft to a United States direct carrier for the performance of air transportation services under an agreement approved by the Board. Authorizes the Board to dispense with hearings regarding the suspension or rejection of any tariff filed by a foreign air carrier. Stipulates that if any air carrier or foreign air carrier has its initial tariff suspended or rejected by the Board, it may file a tariff which embodies the current rate structure of any other carrier engaged in the same foreign air transportation. States the intent of Congress that, in formulating United States air transportation policy, the appropriate Federal officials should develop a negotiation policy which emphasizes the greatest degree of competition that is compatible with a well-functioning international air transportation system. Directs the Secretaries of State and Transportation and the Civil Aeronautics Board to consult with specified groups affected by international aviation concerning both broad policy goals and individual negotiations. Directs the President to grant to at least one representative of each House of Congress the privilege of attending international aviation negotiations as an observer if such privilege is requested in advance in writing. Allows the Secretary to authorize U.S. air carriers to engage in otherwise authorized common carriage and carriage of mail with foreign registered aircraft under lease or charter to them without crew. Amends the International Air Transportation Fair Competitive Practices Act of 1974 to allow the Board to take such action as it deems necessary to eliminate the practices or restrictions of any foreign government (including its air carriers) which result in discriminatory or anticompetitive practices against a United States carrier or which impose unreasonable restrictions or the access of a United States carrier to foreign markets. Prohibits the Board from finding that any fare for the foreign transportation of persons is unjust or unreasonable on the basis that the fare is too low or too high if: (1) the proposed increase is not more than five percent higher than the standard foreign fare level for the same or similar service; or (2) if the proposed decrease is not more than 50 percent below such level. Defines "standard foreign fare level" as that fare level in existence on October 1, 1979, as adjusted semiannually by the Board to reflect changes in the operating cost per available seat-mile.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

3 official files

• Passed House amended

  summary · EN · 13 November 1979

  Open at official source

• Reported to House with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 8 November 1979

  Open at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 28 September 1979

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.