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Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-110

§41104 Additional Limitations and Requirements of Charter Air Carriers

Title 49 › SUBTITLE VII — AVIATION PROGRAMS › PART A — AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › subpart ii — economic regulation › CHAPTER 411 — AIR CARRIER CERTIFICATES › § 41104

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation can limit how charter airlines sell and run their services, but only when needed for the public interest. Any rule the Secretary makes cannot be stricter than the rule that was in effect on October 1, 1978. Airlines cannot offer regularly scheduled charter flights in planes built for more than 9 passenger seats if the flights go to or from an airport that lacks a Part 139 operating certificate, or if the airport is a reliever airport that is within 20 nautical miles (22 statute miles) of three or more big airports (each with at least 1% of U.S. passenger boardings) and at least two of those big airports are run by the reliever airport’s sponsor. "Regularly scheduled charter" does not include trips where the customer negotiates the exact departure time and places. The rule in this paragraph does not apply to airports in Alaska or airports outside the United States, and the Secretary can waive the reliever-airport rule if the public interest requires it. A carrier with a charter certificate may fly charters inside Alaska only if the Secretary finds the service is needed for public convenience and necessity; the Secretary can make that decision when issuing or changing the certificate. This does not apply to a U.S. citizen who, before July 1, 1977, had a main business in Alaska and ran Alaska routes with aircraft certified for gross takeoff weight over 40,000 pounds. If a carrier breaks the rules in sections 41110(e) and 41112 (or related orders), the Secretary must suspend part of its certificate for up to 30 days immediately, without notice or a hearing, if needed to protect the public. The Secretary must start a hearing right away and may extend suspensions by up to 60 more days while the hearing goes on. If the carrier is found to be complying, the Secretary can end the suspension, but can still fine the carrier.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §41104

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Restrictions.—
The Secretary of Transportation may prescribe a regulation or issue an order restricting the marketability, flexibility, accessibility, or variety of charter air transportation provided under a certificate issued under section 41102 of this title only to the extent required by the public interest. A regulation prescribed or order issued under this subsection may not be more restrictive than a regulation related to charter air transportation that was in effect on October 1, 1978.
(b)Scheduled Operations.—
(1)In general.—
Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4), an air carrier, including an indirect air carrier, may not provide, in aircraft designed for more than 9 passenger seats, regularly scheduled charter air transportation, for which the public is provided in advance a schedule containing the departure location, departure time, and arrival location of the flight, to or from an airport that—
(A)does not have an airport operating certificate issued under part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or any subsequent similar regulation); or
(B)has an airport operating certificate issued under part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or any subsequent similar regulation) if the airport—
(i)is a reliever airport (as defined in section 47102) and is designated as such in the national plan of integrated airports maintained under section 47103; and
(ii)is located within 20 nautical miles (22 statute miles) of 3 or more airports that each annually account for at least 1 percent of the total United States passenger enplanements and at least 2 of which are operated by the sponsor of the reliever airport.
(2)Definition.—
In this paragraph, the term “regularly scheduled charter air transportation” does not include operations for which the departure time, departure location, and arrival location are specifically negotiated with the customer or the customer’s representative.
(3)Exception.—
This subsection does not apply to any airport in the State of Alaska or to any airport outside the United States.
(4)Waivers.—
The Secretary may waive the application of paragraph (1)(B) in cases in which the Secretary determines that the public interest so requires.
(c)Alaska.—
An air carrier holding a certificate issued under section 41102 of this title may provide charter air transportation between places in Alaska only to the extent the Secretary decides the transportation is required by public convenience and necessity. The Secretary may make that decision when issuing, amending, or modifying the certificate. This subsection does not apply to a certificate issued under section 41102 to a citizen of the United States who, before July 1, 1977—
(1)maintained a principal place of business in Alaska; and
(2)conducted air transport operations between places in Alaska with aircraft with a certificate for gross takeoff weight of more than 40,000 pounds.
(d)Suspensions.—
(1)The Secretary shall suspend for not more than 30 days any part of the certificate of a charter air carrier if the Secretary decides that the failure of the carrier to comply with the requirements described in section 41110(e) and 41112 of this title, or a regulation or order of the Secretary under section 41110(e) or 41112, requires immediate suspension in the interest of the rights, welfare, or safety of the public. The Secretary may act under this paragraph without notice or a hearing.
(2)The Secretary shall begin immediately a hearing to decide if the certificate referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection should be amended, modified, suspended, or revoked. Until the hearing is completed, the Secretary may suspend the certificate for additional periods totaling not more than 60 days. If the Secretary decides that the carrier is complying with the requirements described in section 41110(e) and 41112 of this title and regulations and orders under section 41110(e) and 41112, the Secretary immediately may end the suspension period and proceeding begun under this subsection. However, the Secretary is not prevented from imposing a civil penalty on the carrier for violating the requirements described in section 41110(e) or 41112 or a regulation or order under section 41110(e) or 41112.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 41104(a)49 App.:1371(n)(2), (4).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 401(n)(2)–(4); added July 10, 1962, Pub. L. 87–528, § 4, 76 Stat. 144; restated Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 20(b), 92 Stat. 1721. 49 App.:1551(a)(1)(E) (related to 49 App.:1371(n)(4)).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 1601(a)(1)(E) (related to § 401(n)(4)); added Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 40(a), 92 Stat. 1744. 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. 41104(b)49 App.:1371(n)(3). 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41104(c)49 App.:1371(n)(5).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 401(n)(5); added July 10, 1962, Pub. L. 87–528, § 4, 76 Stat. 145; Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 20(c), 92 Stat. 1722. 49 App.:1371(n)(6).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 401(n)(6); added July 10, 1962, Pub. L. 87–528, § 4, 76 Stat. 145. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). In subsection (a), the word “rule” is omitted as being synonymous with “regulation”. The words “charter air transportation” are substituted for “charter trips” for consistency in this part. The text of 49 App.:1371(n)(4) and 1551(n)(1)(E) (related to 49 App.:1371(n)(4)) is omitted because inclusive tour charters have been abolished and charter air carriers have received authority to sell public charter flights directly to the public. In subsection (b), before clause (1), the words “Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter” are omitted as surplus. The words “An air carrier holding” are added for clarity. The words “State of” are omitted as surplus. The word “modifying” is added for consistency in the revised title. The words “citizen of the United States” are substituted for “person” for clarity and consistency because only a citizen of the United States may be an “air carrier” as defined in section 40102(a) of the revised title. In subsection (c), the words “the requirements described in” are added for clarity. In subsection (c)(1), the text of 49 App.:1371(n)(6) is omitted as surplus because of 49:322(a). In subsection (c)(2), the word “amended” is added for consistency in the revised title.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2003—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108–176, § 822(a), inserted a comma after “regularly scheduled charter air transportation”, substituted “paragraphs (3) and (4)” for “paragraph (3)” and “flight, to or from an airport that—” for “flight unless such air transportation is to and from an airport that has an airport operating certificate issued under part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal

Regulations

(or any subsequent similar regulation).”, and added subpars. (A) and (B). Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 108–176, § 822(b), added par. (4). 2000—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106–181, § 723(2), added subsec. (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c). Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 106–528, § 8(c)(1), added par. (1) and struck out heading and text of former par. (1). Text read as follows: “An air carrier, including an indirect air carrier, which operates aircraft designed for more than nine passenger seats, may not provide regularly scheduled charter air transportation for which the general public is provided in advance a schedule containing the departure location, departure time, and arrival location of the flights to or from an airport that is not located in Alaska and that does not have an operating certificate issued under part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal

Regulations

(or any subsequent similar

Regulations

).” Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 106–528, § 8(c)(2), added par. (3). Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 106–181, § 723(1), redesignated subsecs. (b) and (c) as (c) and (d), respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2003 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 108–176 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 2003, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 3 of Pub. L. 108–176, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2000

Amendments

Amendment by Pub. L. 106–528 effective 30 days after Nov. 22, 2000, see section 9 of Pub. L. 106–528, set out as a note under section 106 of this title. Amendment by Pub. L. 106–181 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1999, see section 3 of Pub. L. 106–181, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 41104

Title 49, Transportation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110