U.S. Department of Transportation - Office of International Aviation

The Department is responsible for promoting U.S. airline access to foreign markets and competition in international markets. It is also responsible for reducing trade barriers and facilitating the export of domestic transportation goods and services. In conjunction with these responsibilities, the Office of International Aviation, in conjunction with the Department of State, negotiates bilateral and multilateral agreements with foreign aviation partners. It also works with the Office of the United States Trade Representative and the Department of State to ensure that provisions in U.S. trade agreement that may affect air services are consistent with U.S. aviation policy. In helping to coordinate, develop and execute international aviation transportation policy, the Office of International Aviation regularly works with other U.S. government agencies, international organizations (such as ICAO, IATA, WTO, APEC, ECAC, etc.) and the competition and trade authorities of our foreign partners. In addition, the Office of International Aviation addresses complaints of U.S. airlines experiencing difficulties in foreign markets and intervenes to resolve those problems. The Office of International Aviation also licenses both U.S. and foreign airlines to serve international markets; assesses the public and competitive benefits of U.S. and foreign airline alliances and code-share arrangements, and exercises regulatory oversight of international aviation pricing issues, including inter-carrier fare and rate agreements.