View all text of Subchapter I [§ 44901 - § 44929]
§ 44907. Security standards at foreign airports
(a)Assessment.—
(1) At intervals the Secretary of Transportation considers necessary, the Secretary shall assess the effectiveness of the security measures maintained at—
(A) a foreign airport—
(i) served by an air carrier;
(ii) from which a foreign air carrier serves the United States; or
(iii) that poses a high risk of introducing danger to international air travel; and
(B) other foreign airports the Secretary considers appropriate.
(2) The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct an assessment under paragraph (1) of this subsection—
(A) in consultation with appropriate aeronautic authorities of the government of a foreign country concerned and each air carrier serving the foreign airport for which the Secretary is conducting the assessment;
(B) to establish the extent to which a foreign airport effectively maintains and carries out security measures, including the screening and vetting of airport workers; and
(C) by using a standard that will result in an analysis of the security measures at the airport based at least on the standards and appropriate recommended practices contained in Annex 17 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation in effect on the date of the assessment.
(3) Each report to Congress required under section 44938(b) of this title shall contain a summary of the assessments conducted under this subsection.
(b)Consultation.—In carrying out subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall consult with the Secretary of State—
(1) on the terrorist threat that exists in each country; and
(2) to establish which foreign airports are not under the de facto control of the government of the foreign country in which they are located and pose a high risk of introducing danger to international air travel.
(c)Notifying Foreign Authorities.—When the Secretary of Transportation, after conducting an assessment under subsection (a) of this section, decides that an airport does not maintain and carry out effective security measures, the Secretary of Transportation, after advising the Secretary of State, shall notify the appropriate authorities of the government of the foreign country of the decision and recommend the steps necessary to bring the security measures in use at the airport up to the standard used by the Secretary of Transportation in making the assessment.
(d)Actions When Airports Not Maintaining and Carrying Out Effective Security Measures.—
(1) When the Secretary of Transportation decides under this section that an airport does not maintain and carry out effective security measures—
(A) the Secretary of Transportation shall—
(i) publish the identity of the airport in the Federal Register;
(ii) have the identity of the airport posted and displayed prominently at all United States airports at which scheduled air carrier operations are provided regularly; and
(iii) notify the news media of the identity of the airport;
(B) each air carrier and foreign air carrier providing transportation between the United States and the airport shall provide written notice of the decision, on or with the ticket, to each passenger buying a ticket for transportation between the United States and the airport;
(C) notwithstanding section 40105(b) of this title, the Secretary of Transportation, after consulting with the appropriate aeronautic authorities of the foreign country concerned and each air carrier serving the airport and with the approval of the Secretary of State, may withhold, revoke, or prescribe conditions on the operating authority of an air carrier or foreign air carrier that uses that airport to provide foreign air transportation; and
(D) the President may prohibit an air carrier or foreign air carrier from providing transportation between the United States and any other foreign airport that is served by aircraft flying to or from the airport with respect to which a decision is made under this section.
(2)
(A) Paragraph (1) of this subsection becomes effective—
(i) 90 days after the government of a foreign country is notified under subsection (c) of this section if the Secretary of Transportation finds that the government has not brought the security measures at the airport up to the standard the Secretary used in making an assessment under subsection (a) of this section; or
(ii) immediately on the decision of the Secretary of Transportation under subsection (c) of this section if the Secretary of Transportation decides, after consulting with the Secretary of State, that a condition exists that threatens the safety or security of passengers, aircraft, or crew traveling to or from the airport.
(B) The Secretary of Transportation immediately shall notify the Secretary of State of a decision under subparagraph (A)(ii) of this paragraph so that the Secretary of State may issue a travel advisory required under section 44908(a) of this title.
(3) The Secretary of Transportation promptly shall submit to Congress a report (and classified annex if necessary) on action taken under paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection, including information on attempts made to obtain the cooperation of the government of a foreign country in meeting the standard the Secretary used in assessing the airport under subsection (a) of this section.
(4) An action required under paragraph (1)(A) and (B) of this subsection is no longer required only if the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of State, decides that effective security measures are maintained and carried out at the airport. The Secretary of Transportation shall notify Congress when the action is no longer required to be taken.
(e)Suspensions.—Notwithstanding sections 40105(b) and 40106(b) of this title, the Secretary of Transportation, with the approval of the Secretary of State and without notice or a hearing, shall suspend the right of an air carrier or foreign air carrier to provide foreign air transportation, and the right of a person to operate aircraft in foreign air commerce, to or from a foreign airport when the Secretary of Transportation decides that—
(1) a condition exists that threatens the safety or security of passengers, aircraft, or crew traveling to or from that airport; and
(2) the public interest requires an immediate suspension of transportation between the United States and that airport.
(f)Condition of Carrier Authority.—This section is a condition to authority the Secretary of Transportation grants under this part to an air carrier or foreign air carrier.
(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1209; Pub. L. 115–254, div. K, title I, § 1954, Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3595.)