Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73

§41110 Effective periods and amendments, modifications, suspensions, and revocations of certificates

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— - AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part PART A— - AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › Subpart subpart ii— - economic regulation › Chapter CHAPTER 411— - AIR CARRIER CERTIFICATES › § 41110

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Air carrier certificates start on the date written on them and stay valid until one of three things happens: the Secretary of Transportation suspends or cancels the certificate, a temporary authority period ends, or the Secretary says the carrier no longer is providing the transportation. The Secretary can change, limit, suspend, or cancel parts of a certificate after giving notice and a chance for a hearing. A full cancellation can only happen if the carrier does not follow an order to comply within a reasonable time. A holder of a certificate for foreign air service can request an oral hearing, and the Secretary must allow one if it’s needed in the public interest. The Secretary can make an all-cargo certificate ineffective if the carrier does not provide the minimum service the Secretary requires. Without a formal hearing but after notice and a fair chance to speak, the Secretary may stop a carrier’s foreign authority if the carrier says it will stop service under section 41734(a) or if it has not run scheduled flights to a place for 90 days before the Secretary’s notice (seasonal comparable service is excepted). The Secretary will review carriers that promised innovative or low-priced service and can act if they fail to deliver. Carriers must stay able, willing, and able to follow the rules and must file needed reports. The Secretary must reexamine and, when appropriate, act against carriers tied to illegal importation of controlled substances. Interested people may file responses supporting or opposing actions under the rules above.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §41110

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Each certificate issued under section 41102 of this title is effective from the date specified in it and remains in effect until—
(A)the Secretary of Transportation suspends or revokes the certificate under this section;
(B)the end of the period the Secretary specifies for an air carrier having a certificate of temporary authority issued under section 41102(a)(2) of this title; or
(C)the Secretary certifies that transportation is no longer being provided under a certificate.
(2)On application or on the initiative of the Secretary and after notice and an opportunity for a hearing or, except as provided in paragraph (4) of this subsection, under section 41111 of this title, the Secretary may—
(A)amend, modify, or suspend any part of a certificate if the Secretary finds the public convenience and necessity require amendment, modification, or suspension; and
(B)revoke any part of a certificate if the Secretary finds that the holder of the certificate intentionally does not comply with this chapter, section 41308–41310(a), 41501, 41503, 41504, 41506, 41510, 41511, 41701, 41702, 41705–41709, 41711, 41712, and 41731–41742, chapter 419, subchapter II of chapter 421, and section 46301(b) of this title, a regulation or order of the Secretary under any of those provisions, or a term of its certificate.
(3)The Secretary may revoke a certificate under paragraph (2)(B) of this subsection only if the holder of the certificate does not comply, within a reasonable time the Secretary specifies, with an order to the holder requiring compliance.
(4)A certificate to provide foreign air transportation may not be amended, modified, suspended, or revoked under section 41111 of this title if the holder of the certificate requests an oral evidentiary hearing or the Secretary finds, under all the facts and circumstances, that the hearing is required in the public interest.
(b)The Secretary may order that a certificate issued under section 41103 of this title authorizing all-cargo air transportation is ineffective if, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the Secretary finds that the transportation is not provided to the minimum extent specified by the Secretary.
(c)(1)Notwithstanding subsection (a)(2)–(4) of this section, after notice and a reasonable opportunity for the affected air carrier to present its views, but without a hearing, the Secretary may suspend or revoke the authority of an air carrier to provide foreign air transportation to a place under a certificate issued under section 41102 of this title if the carrier—
(A)notifies the Secretary, under section 41734(a) of this title or a regulation of the Secretary, that it intends to suspend all transportation to that place; or
(B)does not provide regularly scheduled transportation to the place for 90 days immediately before the date the Secretary notifies the carrier of the action the Secretary proposes.
(2)Paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection does not apply to a place provided seasonal transportation comparable to the transportation provided during the prior year.
(d)On application or on the initiative of the Secretary, the Secretary may—
(1)review the performance of an air carrier issued a certificate under section 41102(c) of this title on the basis that the air carrier will provide innovative or low-priced air transportation under the certificate; and
(2)amend, modify, suspend, or revoke the certificate or authority under subsection (a)(2) or (c) of this section if the air carrier has not provided, or is not providing, the transportation.
(e)(1)To hold a certificate issued under section 41102 of this title, an air carrier must continue to be fit, willing, and able to provide the transportation authorized by the certificate and to comply with this part and regulations of the Secretary.
(2)After notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the Secretary shall amend, modify, suspend, or revoke any part of a certificate issued under section 41102 of this title if the Secretary finds that the air carrier—
(A)is not fit, willing, and able to provide the transportation authorized by the certificate and to comply with this part and regulations of the Secretary; or
(B)does not file reports necessary for the Secretary to decide if the carrier is complying with the requirements of clause (A) of this paragraph.
(f)The Secretary—
(1)in consultation with appropriate departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government, shall reexamine immediately the fitness of an air carrier that—
(A)violates the laws and regulations of the United States related to the illegal importation of a controlled substance; or
(B)does not adopt available measures to prevent the illegal importation of a controlled substance into the United States on its aircraft; and
(2)when appropriate, shall amend, modify, suspend, or revoke the certificate of the carrier issued under this chapter.
(g)An interested person may file a response with the Secretary opposing or supporting the amendment, modification, suspension, or revocation of a certificate under subsection (a) of this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Pub. L. 103–272 Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 41110(a)(1)49 App.:1371(f).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, § 401(f), 72 Stat. 755; Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, §§ 10(b), 17, 92 Stat. 1716, 1720. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 1601(b)(1)(E); added Oct. 4, 1984, Pub. L. 98–443, § 3(e), 98 Stat. 1704. 41110(a) (2)–(4)49 App.:1371(g)(1).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, § 401(g), 72 Stat. 756; Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 18, 92 Stat. 1720; restated Feb. 15, 1980, Pub. L. 96–192, § 6, 94 Stat 37. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41110(b)49 App.:1388(b)(4).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 418(b)(4); added Nov. 9, 1977, Pub. L. 95–163, § 17(a), 91 Stat. 1285. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41110(c)49 App.:1371(g)(3). 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41110(d)49 App.:1371(d)(8) (last sentence).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 401(d)(8) (last sentence); added Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 13, 92 Stat. 1719. 49 App.:1551(a)(1)(B).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 1601(a)(1)(B); added Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 40(a), 92 Stat. 1744. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41110(e)49 App.:1371(r) (related to certificate).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 401(r) (related to certificate); added Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 20(d)(1), 92 Stat. 1722. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41110(f)49 App.:1371a (related to certificate).Aug. 15, 1985, Pub. L. 99–88, § 100 (1st complete par. related to certificate on p. 352), 99 Stat. 352. 41110(g)49 App.:1371(g)(2). 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). In subsection (a)(1)(C), the words “transportation is no longer being provided under a certificate” are substituted for “operation thereunder has ceased” and “operations thereunder have ceased” for clarity and consistency. In subsections (a)(2) and (e), the words “opportunity for a” are added for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. In subsection (a)(2), before clause (A), the word “application” is substituted for “petition or complaint” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code and to eliminate unnecessary words. The words “except as provided in paragraph (4) of this subsection” are added for clarity. The words “the simplified procedures under” are omitted as surplus. In clause (A), the word “alter” is omitted as surplus. In clause (B), the reference to 49 App.:1372 is omitted from the cross-references of “this subchapter” because 49 App.:1372 is concerned with foreign air carrier permits and not relevant to air carrier certificate revocation. The word “rule” is omitted as being synonymous with “regulation”. The words “condition, or limitation” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (a)(3), the words “to the provision, or to the order (other than an order issued in accordance with this sentence), rule, regulation, term, condition, or limitation found by the Board to have been violated” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (a)(4), the word “provide” is substituted for “engage in” for consistency in the revised title. The words “altered” and “the simplified procedures of” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (b), the words “to the extent of such service” are omitted as surplus. The word “provided” is substituted for “performed” for consistency in the revised title. In subsection (c)(1), the word “place” is substituted for “point” for consistency in the revised title. In clause (A), the cross-reference is to section 41734(a) of the revised title for clarity because 49 App.:1371(j) is obsolete. The comparable provision is 49 App.:1389(b)(2), restated as section 41734(a). The words “provided by that carrier” are omitted as surplus. In clause (B), the word “immediately” is added for clarity. In subsection (d)(2), the words “alter” and “the procedures prescribed in” are omitted as surplus. In subsections (e) and (f)(2), the word “amend” is added for consistency. In subsection (e), before clause (1), the words “The requirement that each applicant for a certificate or any other authority . . . shall be a continuing requirement applicable to each such air carrier with respect to the transportation authorized by the Board” are omitted as surplus. The words “by order” are omitted as unnecessary because of 5:ch. 5, subch. II. In clause (1), the word “provide” is substituted for “perform” for consistency in the revised title. The word “properly” is omitted as surplus. The word “comply” is substituted for “conform to” for consistency in the revised title. The word “rules” is omitted as being synonymous with “

Regulations

”. The word “requirements” is omitted as surplus. In subsection (f), before clause (1), the words “Notwithstanding any other provision of law” are omitted as surplus. The words “on and after August 15, 1985” are omitted as executed. In clause (1), before subclause (A), the words “law

Enforcement

and other” are omitted as surplus. The words “departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government” are substituted for “agencies” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code. The words “an air carrier” are substituted for “any carrier” for clarity. In clause (2), the words “of public convenience and necessity” are omitted as surplus. The words “issued under this chapter” are added for clarity. In subsection (g), the word “response” is substituted for “protest or memorandum” to eliminate unnecessary words. The word “alteration” is omitted as surplus. Pub. L. 103–429This amends 49:41110(e) to clarify the restatement of 49 App.:1371(r) (related to certificate) by section 1 of the Act of July 5, 1994 (Public Law 103–272, 108 Stat. 1124).

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–429 reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “After notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the Secretary shall amend, modify, suspend, or revoke any part of a certificate issued under section 41102 of this title if the Secretary finds that the air carrier— “(1) is not fit, willing, and able to continue to provide the transportation authorized by the certificate and to comply with this part and

Regulations

of the Secretary; or “(2) does not file reports necessary for the Secretary to decide if the carrier is complying with the requirements of clause (1) of this subsection.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1994 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–429 effective July 5, 1994, see section 9 of Pub. L. 103–429, set out as a note under section 321 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 41110

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73