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Cabotage And International Operation Of Corporate Aircraft |
by:
Greg Reigel |
Cabotage and International Operation of Corporate Aircraft
© 2004 Reigel & Associates, Ltd./Aero Legal Services. All rights reserved.
Most countries have laws regulating the airspace over their lands. Each time an aircraft enters a foreign country’s airspace, the aircraft operator must comply with that country’s regulations affecting flight operations and the carriage of passengers. Particularly with respect to passengers, the majority of countries have rigid limitations on who may be carried within their borders and how.
Specifically, the rules and regulations relating to carriage of passengers and goods within the same foreign country are referred to as “cabotage”. Cabotage regulations are not uniform or necessarily consistent from one country to another. They usually apply to both commercial and private operators. However, as we will discuss shortly, whether a foreign country considers a corporate aircraft operator to be a commercial or private operator will also vary by country.
Regardless of which country the corporate aircraft operates within, the pilot in command of a corporate aircraft is responsible for knowing and complying with that country’s cabotage restrictions. Failure to comply can, and has, resulted in six-digit fines and penalties imposed against the corporate aircraft operator, and corporate aircraft have been impounded by foreign governments until such violations have been resolved to the satisfaction of the governing authority.
Examples Of Cabotage Regulations Applicable To Corporate Aircraft Operators
United States. The United States does not currently have any regulations that prevent private (not for compensation or hire) foreign corporate aircraft from carrying U.S. passengers between points within the U.S.
Greg is an aviation attorney, author and holds a commercial pilot certificate with instrument rating. His practice concentrates on aviation litigation, including insurance matters and creditor’s rights, FAA certificate actions and aviation related transactional matters. He can be reached via e-mail at greigel@aerolegalservices.com or check out his website at
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