 

			  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

		        DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

			  OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

			          WASHINGTON, D.C.

			Issued by the Department of Transportation on February 13, 2004

NOTICE OF ACTION TAKEN -- DOCKET OST-2002-14162 & Undocketed 

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________________________________________________________

This serves as notice to the public of the action described below, taken
by the Department official indicated (no additional confirming order
will be issued in this matter).

Applicant:  Vega Airlines Ltd.						

Background:  On December 23, 2002, Vega applied for an exemption from 49
U.S.C. § 41301 in Docket OST-2002-14162 to conduct charter foreign air
transportation of property and mail between Bulgaria and the United
States, and other all-cargo charters pursuant to 14 CFR 212 of the
Department’s regulations. On April 9, 2003, Vega requested a statement
of authorization pursuant to 14 CFR 212 of the Department’s
regulations to conduct one one-way all-cargo charter flight between
Prestwick, UK, and China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center, CA, April 14,
2003, on behalf of Defense Contract Management Agency.  We received no
answers to either application.  On April 11, 2003, based on the Federal
Aviation Administration’s recommendation, we granted the exemption to
the extent it would enable Vega to conduct the Prestwick-China Lake
Naval Air Warfare Center flight, and approved the statement of
authorization (see Notice of Action Taken dated April 11, 2003, in
Docket OST-2002-14162). 

Current request:  On February 11, 2004, Vega applied for a statement of
authorization pursuant to 14 CFR 212 of the Department’s regulations
to conduct one one-way all-cargo charter flight between Houston, TX, and
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, February 14-17, 2004, on behalf of Marathon
Oil Company.  

Applicant representative:  Mark Atwood   202-463-2513	DOT analyst: 
Shelita Smith  202-366-1226

Responsive pleadings:  The applicant informed us that it had polled the
parties served with its February 11 application and that none objected
to our acting in advance of the normal answer date or to the merits of
the application itself.

	DISPOSITION

	

Action:  Approved, in part, exemption application in Docket
OST-2002-14162; Remainder deferred (see remarks below);

              Approved statement of authorization			Action date:
February 13, 2004

Effective dates of authority granted:  February 13-20, 2004

Basis for approval (bilateral agreement/reciprocity):  Reciprocity

Remarks:  We are granting Vega’s exemption application only to the
extent that enables it to conduct the one-way all-cargo charter flight
between Houston and Malabo.  We are so limiting this authority based on
the recommendation of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  We are
deferring action on the remainder of Vega’s request in Docket
OST-2002-14162 (i.e., to conduct long-term cargo operations) pending
further advice from the FAA.

Except to the extent exempted/waived, this authority is subject to the
terms, conditions, and limitations indicated:

_X_ Standard exemption conditions (attached)

Action taken by:   Paul L. Gretch, Director	

		      Office of International Aviation	

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We found that the applicant was qualified to perform its proposed
operations.

Under authority assigned by the Department in its regulations, 14 CFR
Part 385, we found that  (1) our action was consistent with Department
policy; (2) grant of the authority was consistent with the public
interest; and (3) grant of the authority would not constitute a major
regulatory action under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. 
To the extent not granted/deferred/dismissed, we denied all requests in
the referenced Docket.  We may amend, modify, or revoke the authority
granted in this Notice at any time without hearing at our discretion.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of the action set
forth in this Notice under the Department’s regulations, 14 CFR
§385.30, may file their petitions within seven (7) days after the date
of issuance of this Notice.  This action was effective when taken, and
the filing of a petition for review will not alter such effectiveness.

An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide
Web at:

http://dms.dot.gov//reports/reports_aviation.asp

Foreign Carrier Exemption Conditions

In the conduct of the operations authorized, the foreign carrier
applicant(s) shall:

(1)  Not conduct any operations unless it holds a currently effective
authorization from its homeland for such operations, and it has filed a
copy of such authorization with the Department;

(2)  Comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Aviation
Administration, including, but not limited to, 14 CFR Parts 129, 91, and
36, and with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning
security.  To assure compliance with all applicable U.S. Government
requirements concerning security, the holder shall, before commencing
any new service (including charter flights) from a foreign airport that
would be the holder’s last point of departure for the United States,
contact its Principal Security Inspector (PSI) to advise the PSI of its
plans and to find out whether the Transportation Security Administration
has determined that security is adequate to allow such airport(s) to be
served;

(3)  Comply with the requirements for minimum insurance coverage
contained in 14 CFR Part 205, and, prior to the commencement of any
operations under this authority, file evidence of such coverage, in the
form of a completed OST Form 6411, with the Federal Aviation
Administration’s Program Management Branch (AFS-260), Flight Standards
Service (any changes to, or termination of, insurance also shall be
filed with that office);

(4)  Not operate aircraft under this authority unless it complies with
operational safety requirements at least equivalent to Annex 6 of the
Chicago Convention;

(5)  Conform to the airworthiness and airman competency requirements of
its Government for international air services;

(6)  Except as specifically exempted or otherwise provided for in a
Department Order, comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 203,
concerning waiver of Warsaw Convention liability limits and defenses;

(7)  Agree that operations under this authority constitute a waiver of
sovereign immunity, for the purposes of 28 U.S.C. 1605(a), but only with
respect to those actions or proceedings instituted against it in any
court or other tribunal in the United States that are: (a)  based on its
operations in international air transportation that, according to the
contract of carriage, include a point in the United States as a point of
origin, point of destination, or agreed stopping place, or for which the
contract of carriage was purchased in the United States; or (b)  based
on a claim under any international agreement or treaty cognizable in any
court or other tribunal of the United States.  In this condition, the
term "international air transportation" means "international
transportation" as defined by the Warsaw Convention, except that all
States shall be considered to be High Contracting Parties for the
purpose of this definition;

(8)  Except as specifically authorized by the Department, originate or
terminate all flights to/from the United States in its homeland;

(9)  Comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 217, concerning the
reporting of scheduled, nonscheduled, and charter data;

(10) If charter operations are authorized, except as otherwise provided
in the applicable aviation agreement, comply with the Department's rules
governing charters (including 14 CFR Parts 212 and 380); and

(11) Comply with such other reasonable terms, conditions, and
limitations required by the public interest as may be prescribed by the
Department, with all applicable orders or regulations of other U.S.
agencies and courts, and with all applicable laws of the United States.

This authority shall not be effective during any period when the holder
is not in compliance with the conditions imposed above.  Moreover, this
authority cannot be sold or otherwise transferred without explicit
Department approval under Title 49 of the U.S. Code.

 We also granted Vega similar authority on previous occasions.  See
Notice of Action Taken dated  April 11, 2003, 

in Docket OST-2002-14162 at 1, n. 1.

08/2003

