14 CFR Part 382 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel (Air Carrier Access Act) (with amendments issued through May 2016)

§382.7 To whom do the provisions of this part apply?

[Doc. No. DOT-OST-2004-19482, 73 FR 27665, May 13, 2008, as amended at 74 FR 11471, Mar. 18, 2009; 75 FR 44887, July 30, 2010]

(a) If you are a U.S. carrier, this Part applies to you with respect to all your operations and aircraft, regardless of where your operations take place, except as otherwise provided in this part.

(b) If you are a foreign carrier, this part applies to you only with respect to flights you operate that begin or end at a U.S. airport and to aircraft used for these flights. For purposes of this part, a “flight” means a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with one flight number that begins or ends at a U.S. airport. The following are some examples of the application of this term:

Example 1 to paragraph (b): A passenger books a nonstop flight on a foreign carrier from New York to Frankfurt, or Frankfurt to New York. Each of these is a “flight” for purposes of this Part.

Example 2 to paragraph (b): A passenger books a journey on a foreign carrier from New York to Prague. The foreign carrier flies nonstop to Frankfurt. The passenger gets off the plane in Frankfurt and boards a connecting flight (with a different flight number), on the same foreign carrier or a different carrier, which goes to Prague. The New York-Frankfurt leg of the journey is a “flight” for purposes of this Part; the Frankfurt-Prague leg is not. On the reverse routing, the Prague-Frankfurt leg is not a covered flight for purposes of this Part, while the Frankfurt-New York leg is.

Example 3 to paragraph (b): A passenger books a journey on a foreign carrier from New York to Prague. The plane stops for refueling and a crew change in Frankfurt. If, after deplaning in Frankfurt, the passengers originating in New York reboard the aircraft (or a different aircraft, assuming the flight number remains the same) and continue to Prague, they remain on a covered flight for purposes of this Part. This is because their transportation takes place on a direct flight between New York and Prague, even though it had an interim stop in Frankfurt. This example would also apply in the opposite direction (Prague to New York via Frankfurt).

Example 4 to paragraph (b): In Example 3, the foreign carrier is not subject to coverage under this Part with respect to a Frankfurt-originating passenger who boards the aircraft and goes to Prague, or a Prague-originating passenger who gets off the plane in Frankfurt and does not continue to New York.

(c) As a foreign carrier, you are not subject to the requirements of this part with respect to flights between two foreign points, even with respect to flights involving code-sharing arrangements with U.S. carriers. As a U.S. carrier that participates in a code-sharing arrangement with a foreign carrier with respect to flights between two foreign points, you (as distinct from the foreign carrier) are responsible for ensuring compliance with the service provisions of subparts A through C, F through H, and K with respect to passengers traveling under your code on such a flight.

Example 1 to paragraph (c): A passenger buys a ticket from a U.S. carrier for a journey from New York to Prague. The ticket carries the U.S. carrier's code and flight number throughout the entire journey. There is a change of carrier and aircraft in Frankfurt, and a foreign carrier operates the Frankfurt-Prague segment. The foreign carrier is not subject to the provisions of Part 382 for the Frankfurt-Prague segment. However, the U.S. carrier must ensure compliance with the applicable provisions of Part 382 on the Frankfurt-Prague segment with respect to passengers flying under its code, and the Department could take enforcement action against the U.S. carrier for acts or omissions by the foreign carrier.

(d) As a foreign carrier, if you operate a charter flight from a foreign airport to a U.S. airport, and return to a foreign airport, and you do not pick up any passengers in the U.S., the charter flight is not a flight subject to the requirements of this part.

(e) Unless a provision of this Part specifies application to a U.S. carrier or a foreign carrier, the provision applies to both U.S. and foreign carriers.

(f) If you are an indirect carrier, §§382.1 through 382.15 of this part apply to you. §§382.17 through 382.157 of this part do not apply to you except insofar as provided by §382.11(b).

(g) Notwithstanding any provisions of this part, you must comply with all FAA safety regulations, TSA security regulations, and foreign safety and security regulations having legally mandatory effect that apply to you.