Collapse to view only § 221.190 - Time for filing and computation of time periods.

§ 221.170 - Applicability of the subpart.

(a) Every air carrier and foreign air carrier shall file its international passenger fares tariffs consistent with the provisions of this subpart, and part 221 generally. Additionally, any air carrier and any foreign air carrier may file its international passenger rules tariffs electronically in machine-readable form as an alternative to the filing of printed paper tariffs as provided for elsewhere in part 221. This subpart applies to all carriers and tariff publishing agents and may be used by either if the carrier or agent complies with the provisions of subpart R. Any carrier or agent that files electronically under this subpart must transmit to the Department the remainder of the tariff in a form consistent with part 221, Subparts A through Q, on the same day that the electronic tariff would be deemed received under § 221.190(b).

(b) To the extent that subpart R is inconsistent with the remainder of part 221, subpart R shall govern the filing of electronic tariffs. In all other respects, part 221 remains in full force and effect.

§ 221.180 - Requirements for electronic filing of tariffs.

(a) No carrier or filing agent shall file an electronic tariff unless, prior to filing, it has signed a maintenance agreement or agreements, furnished by the Department of Transportation, for the maintenance and security of the on-line tariff database.

(b) No carrier or agent shall file an electronic tariff unless, prior to filing, it has submitted to the Department's Office of International Aviation, Pricing and Multilateral Affairs Division, and received approval of, an application containing the following commitments:

(1) The filer shall file tariffs electronically only in such format as shall be agreed to by the filer and the Department. (The filer shall include with its application a proposed format of tariff. The filer shall also submit to the Department all information necessary for the Department to determine that the proposed format will accommodate the data elements set forth in § 221.202.)

(2) The filer shall provide, maintain and install in the Public Reference Room at the Department (as may be required from time to time) one or more CRT devices and printers connected to its on-line tariff database. The filer shall be responsible for the transportation, installation, and maintenance of this equipment and shall agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Department and the U.S. Government from any claims or liabilities resulting from defects in the equipment, its installation or maintenance.

(3) The filer shall provide public access to its on-line tariff database, at Departmental headquarters, during normal business hours.

(4) The access required at Departmental headquarters by this subpart shall be provided at no cost to the public or the Department.

(5) The filer shall provide the Department access to its on-line tariff database 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except, that the filer may bring its computer down between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time or Eastern Daylight Saving Time, as the case may be, on Sundays, when necessary, for maintenance or for operational reasons.

(6) The filer shall ensure that the Department shall have the sole ability to approve or disapprove electronically any tariff filed with the Department and the ability to note, record and retain electronically the reasons for approval or disapproval. The carrier or agent shall not make any changes in data or delete data after it has been transmitted electronically, regardless of whether it is approved, disapproved, or withdrawn. The filer shall be required to make data fields available to the Department in any record which is part of the on-line tariff database.

(7) The filer shall maintain all fares and rules filed with the Department and all Departmental approvals, disapprovals and other actions, as well as all Departmental notations concerning such approvals, disapprovals or other actions, in the on-line tariff database for a period of two (2) years after the fare or rule becomes inactive. After this period of time, the carrier or agent shall provide the Department, free of charge, with a copy of the inactive data on a machine-readable tape or other mutually acceptable electronic medium.

(8) The filer shall ensure that its on-line tariff database is secure against destruction or alteration (except as authorized by the Department), and against tampering.

(9) Should the filer terminate its business or cease filing tariffs, it shall provide to the Department on a machine-readable tape or any other mutually acceptable electronic medium, contemporaneously with the cessation of such business, a complete copy of its on-line tariff database.

(10) The filer shall furnish to the Department, on a daily basis, on a machine-readable tape or any other mutually acceptable electronic medium, all transactions made to its on-line tariff database.

(11) The filer shall afford any authorized Departmental official full, free, and uninhibited access to its facilities, databases, documentation, records, and application programs, including support functions, environmental security, and accounting data, for the purpose of ensuring continued effectiveness of safeguards against threats and hazards to the security or integrity of its electronic tariffs, as defined in this subpart.

(12) The filer must provide a field in the Government Filing File for the signature of the approving U.S. Government Official through the use of a Personal Identification Number (PIN).

(13) The filer shall provide a leased dedicated data conditioned circuit with sufficient capacity (not less than 28.8K baud rate) to handle electronic data transmissions to the Department. Further, the filer must provide for a secondary or a redundancy circuit in the event of the failure of the dedicated circuit. The secondary or redundancy circuit must be equal to or greater than 14.4K baud rate. In the event of a failure of the primary circuit the filer must notify the Chief of the Pricing and Multilateral Affairs Division of the Department's Office of International Aviation, as soon as possible, after the failure of the primary circuit, but not later than two hours after failure, and must provide the name of the contact person at the telephone company who has the responsibility for dealing with the problem.

(c) Each time a filer's on-line tariff database is accessed by any user during the sign-on function the following statement shall appear:

The information contained in this system is for informational purposes only, and is a representation of tariff data that has been formally submitted to the Department of Transportation in accordance with applicable law or a bilateral treaty to which the U.S. Government is a party.

§ 221.190 - Time for filing and computation of time periods.

(a) A tariff, or revision thereto, or a special tariff permission application may be electronically filed with the Department immediately upon compliance with § 221.180, and anytime thereafter, subject to § 221.400. The actual date and time of filing shall be noted with each filing.

(b) For the purpose of determining the date that a tariff, or revision thereto, filed pursuant to this subpart, shall be deemed received by the Department:

(1) For all electronic tariffs, or revisions thereto, filed before 5:30 p.m. local time in Washington, DC, on Federal business days, such date shall be the actual date of filing.

(2) For all electronic tariffs, or revisions thereto, filed after 5:30 p.m. local time in Washington, DC, on Federal business days, and for all electronic tariffs, or revisions thereto, filed on days that are not Federal business days, such date shall be the next Federal business day.

§ 221.195 - Requirement for filing printed material.

(a) Any tariff, or revision thereto, filed in paper format which accompanies, governs, or otherwise affects, a tariff filed electronically, must be received by the Department on the same date that a tariff or revision thereto, is filed electronically with the Department under § 221.190(b). Further, such paper tariff, or revision thereto, shall be filed in accordance with the requirements of subparts A through Q of part 221. No tariff or revision thereto, filed electronically under this subpart, shall contain an effective date which is at variance with the effective date of the supporting paper tariff, except as authorized by the Department.

(b) Any printed justifications, or other information accompanying a tariff, or revision thereto, filed electronically under this subpart, must be received by the Department on the same date as any tariff, or revision thereto, filed electronically.

(c) If a filer submits a filing which fails to comply with paragraph (a) of this section, or if the filer fails to submit the information in conformity with paragraph (b) of this section, the filing will be subject to rejection, denial, or disapproval, as applicable.

§ 221.200 - Content and explanation of abbreviations, reference marks and symbols.

(a) Content. The format to be used for any electronic tariff must be that agreed to in advance as provided for in § 221.180, and must include those data elements set forth in § 221.202. Those portions that are filed in paper form shall comply in all respects with part 221, subparts A through Q.

(b) Explanation of abbreviations, reference marks and symbols. Abbreviations, reference marks and symbols which are used in the tariff shall be explained in each tariff.

(1) The following symbols shall be used:

R—Reduction I—Increase N—New Matter X—Canceled Matter C—Change in Footnotes, Routings, Rules or Zones E—Denotes change in Effective Date only.

(2) Other symbols may be used only when an explanation is provided in each tariff and such symbols are consistent throughout all the electronically filed tariffs from that time forward.

§ 221.201 - Statement of filing with foreign governments to be shown in air carrier's tariff filings.

(a) Every electronic tariff filed by or on behalf of an air carrier that contains fares which, by international convention or agreement entered into between any other country and the United States, are required to be filed with that country, shall include the following statement:

The rates, fares, charges, classifications, rules, regulations, practices, and services provided herein have been filed in each country in which filing is required by treaty, convention, or agreement entered into between that country and the United States, in accordance with the provisions of the applicable treaty, convention, or agreement.

(b) The statement referenced in § 221.201(a) may be included with each filing advice by the inclusion of a symbol which is properly explained.

(c) The required symbol may be omitted from an electronic tariff or portion thereof if the tariff publication that has been filed with any other country pursuant to its tariff regulations bears a tariff filing designation of that country in addition to the D.O.T. number appearing on the tariff.

§ 221.202 - The filing of tariffs and amendments to tariffs.

All electronic tariffs and amendments filed under this subpart, including those for which authority is sought to effect changes on less than bilateral/statutory notice under § 221.212, shall contain the following data elements:

(a) A Filing Advice Status File—which shall include:

(1) Filing date and time;

(2) Filing advice number;

(3) Reference to carrier;

(4) Reference to geographic area;

(5) Effective date of amendment or tariff;

(6) A place for government action to be recorded; and

(7) Reference to the Special Tariff Permission when applicable.

(b) A Government Filing File—which shall include:

(1) Filing advice number;

(2) Carrier reference;

(3) Filing date and time;

(4) Proposed effective date;

(5) Justification text; reference to geographic area and affected tariff number;

(6) Reference to the Special Tariff Permission when applicable;

(7) Government control data, including places for:

(i) Name of the government analyst, except that this data shall not be made public, notwithstanding any other provision in this or any other subpart;

(ii) Action taken and reasons therefor.

(iii) Remarks, except that internal Departmental data shall not be made public, notwithstanding any other provision in this or any other subpart;

(iv) Date action is taken; and

(v) Personal Identification Number; and

(8) Fares tariff, or proposed changes to the fares tariffs, including:

(i) Market;

(ii) Fare code;

(iii) One-way/roundtrip (O/R);

(iv) Fare Amount;

(v) Currency;

(vi) Footnote (FN);

(vii) Rule Number, provided that, if the rule number is in a tariff, reference shall be made to that tariff containing the rule;

(viii) Routing (RG) Number(s), provided that the abbreviation MPM (Maximum Permissible Routing) shall be considered a number for the purpose of this file;

(ix) Effective date and discontinue date if the record has been superseded;

(x) Percent of change from previous fares; and

(xi) Expiration date.

(9) Rules tariff, or proposed changes to the rules tariffs.

(i) Rules tariffs shall include:

(A) Title: General description of fare rule type and geographic area under the rule;

(B) Application: Specific description of fare class, geographic area, type of transportation (one way, round-trip, etc.);

(C) Period of Validity: Specific description of permissible travel dates and any restrictions on when travel is not permitted;

(D) Reservations/ticketing: Specific description of reservation and ticketing provisions, including any advance reservation/ticketing requirements, provisions for payment (including prepaid tickets), and charges for any changes;

(E) Capacity Control: Specific description of any limitation on the number of passengers, available seats, or tickets;

(F) Combinations: Specific description of permitted/restricted fare combinations;

(G) Length of Stay: Specific description of minimum/maximum number of days before the passenger may/must begin return travel;

(H) Stopovers: Specific description of permissible conditions, restrictions, or charges on stopovers;

(I) Routing: Specific description of routing provisions, including transfer provisions, whether on-line or inter-line;

(J) Discounts: Specific description of any limitations, special conditions, and discounts on status fares, e.g. children or infants, senior citizens, tour conductors, or travel agents, and any other discounts;

(K) Cancellation and Refunds: Specific description of any special conditions, charges, or credits due for cancellation or changes to reservations, or for request for refund of purchased tickets;

(L) Group Requirements: Specific description of group size, travel conditions, group eligibility, and documentation;

(M) Tour Requirements: Specific description of tour requirements, including minimum price, and any stay or accommodation provisions;

(N) Sales Restrictions: Specific description of any restrictions on the sale of tickets;

(O) Rerouting: Specific description of rerouting provisions, whether on-line or inter-line, including any applicable charges; and

(P) Miscellaneous provisions: Any other applicable conditions.

(ii) Rules tariffs shall not contain the phrase “intentionally left blank”.

(10) Any material accepted by the Department for informational purposes only shall be clearly identified as “for informational purposes only, not part of official tariff”, in a manner acceptable to the Department.

(c) A Historical File—which shall include:

(1) Market;

(2) Fare code;

(3) One-way/roundtrip (O/R);

(4) Fare amount;

(5) Currency;

(6) Footnote (FN);

(7) Rule Number, provided that, if the rule number is in a tariff other than the fare tariff, reference shall be made to that tariff containing the rule;

(8) Rule text applicable to each fare at the time that the fare was in effect.

(9) Routing (RG) Number(s), provided that the abbreviation MPM (Maximum Permissible Routing) shall be considered a number for the purpose of this file;

(10) Effective Date;

(11) Discontinue Date;

(12) Government Action;

(13) Carrier;

(14) All inactive fares (two years);

(15) Any other fare data which is essential; and

(16) Any necessary cross reference to the Government Filing File for research or other purposes.

§ 221.203 - Unique rule numbers required.

(a) Each “bundled” and “unbundled” normal economy fare applicable to foreign air transportation shall bear a unique rule number.

(b) The unique rule numbers for the fares specified in this section shall be set by mutual agreement between the filer and the Department prior to the implementation of any electronic filing system.

§ 221.204 - Adoption of provisions of one carrier by another carrier.

When one carrier adopts the tariffs of another carrier, the effective and prospective fares of the adopted carrier shall be changed to reflect the name of the adopting carrier and the effective date of the adoption. Further, each adopted fare shall bear a notation which shall reflect the name of the adopted carrier and the effective date of the adoption, provided that any subsequent revision of an adopted fare may omit the notation.

§ 221.205 - Justification and explanation for certain fares.

Any carrier or its agent must provide, as to any new or increased bundled or unbundled (whichever is lower) on-demand economy fare in a direct-service market, a comparison between, on the one hand, that proposed fare and, on the other hand, the ceiling fare allowed in that market based on the SFFL.

§ 221.206 - Statement of fares.

All fares filed electronically in direct-service markets shall be filed as single factor fares.

§ 221.210 - Suspension of tariffs.

(a) A fare, charge, rule or other tariff provision that is suspended by the Department pursuant to section 41509 of 49 U.S.C. Subtitle VII shall be noted by the Department in the Government Filing File and the Historical File.

(b) When the Department vacates a tariff suspension, in full or in part, and after notification of the carrier by the Department, such event shall be noted by the carrier in the Government Filing File and the Historical File.

(c) When a tariff suspension is vacated or when the tariff becomes effective upon termination of the suspension period, the carrier or its agent shall refile the tariff showing the effective date.

§ 221.211 - Cancellation of suspended matter.

When, pursuant to an order of the Department, the cancellation of rules, fares, charges, or other tariff provision is required, such action shall be made by the carrier by appropriate revisions to the tariff.

§ 221.212 - Special tariff permission.

(a) When a filer submits an electronic tariff or an amendment to an electronic tariff for which authority is sought to effect changes on less than bilateral/statutory notice, and no related tariff material is involved, the submission shall bear a sequential filing advice number. The submission shall appear in the Government Filing File and the Filing Advice Status File, and shall be referenced in such a manner to clearly indicate that such changes are sought to be made on less than bilateral/statutory notice.

(b) When a filer submits an electronic tariff or an amendment to the electronic tariff for which authority is sought to effect changes on less than bilateral/statutory notice, and it contains related paper under § 221.195, the paper submission must bear the same filing advice number as that used for the electronic submission. Such paper submission shall be in the form of a revised tariff page rather than as a separate request for Special Tariff Permission. All material being submitted on a paper tariff page as part of an electronic submission will clearly indicate the portion(s) of such tariff page that is being filed pursuant to, and in conjunction with, the electronic submission on less than bilateral/statutory notice.

(c) Departmental action on the Special Tariff Permission request shall be noted by the Department in the Government Filing File and the Filing Advice Status File.

(d) When the paper portion of a Special Tariff Permission that has been filed with the Department pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section is disapproved or other action is taken by the Department, such disapproval or other action will be reflected on the next consecutive revision of the affected tariff page(s) in the following manner:

(1) Example of disapproval statement:

The portion(s) of __ Revised Page __ filed under EFA No. __ was/were disapproved by DOT.

(2) Example of other action:

The portion(s) __ Revised Page __ filed under EFA No. __ was/were required to be amended by DOT.

(e) When the Department disapproves in whole or in part or otherwise takes an action against any submission filed under this part, the filer must take corrective action within two business days following the disapproval or notice of other action.

(f) All submissions under this section shall comply with the requirements of § 221.202.

§ 221.300 - Discontinuation of electronic tariff system.

In the event that the electronic tariff system is discontinued, or the source of the data is changed, or a filer discontinues its business, all electronic data records prior to such date shall be provided immediately to the Department, free of charge, on a machine-readable tape or other mutually acceptable electronic medium.

§ 221.400 - Filing of paper tariffs required.

(a) After approval of any application filed under § 221.180 of this subpart to allow a filer to file tariffs electronically, the filer in addition to filing electronically must continue to file printed tariffs as required by subparts A through Q of part 221 for a period of 90 days, or until such time as the Department shall deem such filing no longer to be necessary: Provided that during the period specified by this section the filed printed tariff shall continue to be the official tariff.

(b) Upon notification to the filer that it may commence to file its tariffs solely in an electronic mode, concurrently with the implementation of filing electronically the filer shall:

(1) Furnish the Department with a copy of all the existing effective and prospective records on a machine-readable tape or other mutually acceptable electronic medium accompanied by an affidavit attesting to the accuracy of such records; and

(2) Simultaneously cancel such records from the paper tariff in the manner prescribed by subparts A through Q of part 221.

§ 221.500 - Transmission of electronic tariffs to subscribers.

(a) Each filer that files an electronic tariff under this subpart shall make available to any person so requesting, a subscription service meeting the terms of paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Under the required subscription service, remote access shall be allowed to any subscriber to the on-line tariff database, including access to the justification required by § 221.205. The subscription service shall not preclude the offering of additional services by the filer or its agent.

(c) The filer at its option may establish a charge for providing the required subscription service to subscribers: Provided that the charge may not exceed a reasonable estimate of the added cost of providing the service.

(d) Each filer shall provide to any person upon request, a copy of the machine-readable data (raw tariff data) of all daily transactions made to its on-line tariff database. The terms and prices for such value-added service may be set by the filer: Provided that such terms and prices shall be non-discriminatory, i.e., that they shall be substantially equivalent for all similarly-situated persons.

§ 221.550 - Copies of tariffs made from filer's printer(s) located in Department's public reference room.

Copies of information contained in a filer's on-line tariff database may be obtained by any user at Departmental Headquarters from the printer or printers placed in Tariff Public Reference Room by the filer. The filer may assess a fee for copying, provided it is reasonable and that no administrative burden is placed on the Department to require the collection of the fee or to provide any service in connection therewith.

§ 221.600 - Actions under assigned authority and petitions for review of staff action.

(a) When an electronically filed record which has been submitted to the Department under this subpart, is disapproved (rejected), or a special tariff permission is approved or denied, under authority assigned by the Department of Transportation's Regulations, 14 CFR 385.13, such actions shall be understood to include the following provisions:

(1) Applicable to a record or records which is/are disapproved (rejected). The record(s) disapproved (rejected) is/are void, without force or effect, and must not be used.

(2) Applicable to a record or records which is/are disapproved (rejected), and to special tariff permissions which are approved or denied. This action is taken under authority assigned by the Department of Transportation in its Organization Regulations, 14 CFR 385.13. Persons entitled to petition for review of this action pursuant to the Department's Regulations, 14 CFR 385.50, may file such petitions within seven days after the date of this action. This action shall become effective immediately, and the filing of a petition for review shall not preclude its effectiveness.

(b) [Reserved]