Delta Gets Certificate To Fly To South Pacific
By Fili Sagapolutele in Pago Pago
Sunday: May 06, 2007
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has granted U.S. based Delta Air Lines Inc., authority to hold a "blanket open-skies certificate" to operate flights between the United States and four countries in the South Pacific including Samoa and Tonga.
This approval was made possible because Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, New Zealand and the United States are signatory countries to the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation (MALIAT) open skies agreement, according to DOT records reviewed by Pacific Magazine.
Other countries who are part of MALIAT agreement and now Delta is allowed to operate to and from are Brunei, Chile and Singapore, said DOT.
Delta’s application was based on an Apr. 3rd public notice issued by DOT, inviting all U.S. airlines currently certify to conduct foreign scheduled air transportation and interested in applying for the blanket open-skies certificate authority to file the appropriate application.
Several U.S. airlines including Hawaiian Airlines have done so and on Apr. 30th, DOT’s director of Office of International Aviation Paul L. Gretch, released the decision on Delta’s application.
"We find that grant of the certificate is consistent with public convenience and necessity," said Gretch in his 9-page decision. "All of the authority conferred here contributes to the variety of price and service options available to travelers and shippers."
DOT found that Delta is a U.S. citizen and is fit, willing and able to perform the foreign air transportation services, for persons, property and mail.
According to DOT its order for Delta is effective 61 days after final approval by the U.S. President or his designee, which was done on Apr. 27th.
Besides countries under the MALIAT agreement, Delta Air’s certificate also includes other countries in which the United States has separate open air agreement with, such as Australia, according to DOT.
There was no immediate comments from Delta’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia as to when it plans to operate flights to Samoa and Tonga or other Pacific countries.
By Fili Sagapolutele in Pago Pago
Sunday: May 06, 2007
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has granted U.S. based Delta Air Lines Inc., authority to hold a "blanket open-skies certificate" to operate flights between the United States and four countries in the South Pacific including Samoa and Tonga.
This approval was made possible because Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, New Zealand and the United States are signatory countries to the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation (MALIAT) open skies agreement, according to DOT records reviewed by Pacific Magazine.
Other countries who are part of MALIAT agreement and now Delta is allowed to operate to and from are Brunei, Chile and Singapore, said DOT.
Delta’s application was based on an Apr. 3rd public notice issued by DOT, inviting all U.S. airlines currently certify to conduct foreign scheduled air transportation and interested in applying for the blanket open-skies certificate authority to file the appropriate application.
Several U.S. airlines including Hawaiian Airlines have done so and on Apr. 30th, DOT’s director of Office of International Aviation Paul L. Gretch, released the decision on Delta’s application.
"We find that grant of the certificate is consistent with public convenience and necessity," said Gretch in his 9-page decision. "All of the authority conferred here contributes to the variety of price and service options available to travelers and shippers."
DOT found that Delta is a U.S. citizen and is fit, willing and able to perform the foreign air transportation services, for persons, property and mail.
According to DOT its order for Delta is effective 61 days after final approval by the U.S. President or his designee, which was done on Apr. 27th.
Besides countries under the MALIAT agreement, Delta Air’s certificate also includes other countries in which the United States has separate open air agreement with, such as Australia, according to DOT.
There was no immediate comments from Delta’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia as to when it plans to operate flights to Samoa and Tonga or other Pacific countries.
