Letter on Application of the U.S.-UK ATA on the Basis of Comity and Reciprocity

December 18, 2020

Mark Bosly
Chief Air Services Negotiator
UK Department for Transport
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London SW1P 4DR

mark.bosly@dft.gov.uk

cc benjamin.taylor@dot.gov; joseph.landart@dot.gov; nicholas.woodbridge@fcdo.gov.uk; rachel.roberts@fcdo.gov.uk; James.Gilderoy@dft.gov.uk; eugene.alford@trade.gov

Re: US/UK Air Services

Dear Mark,

I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of November 30, 2020, which reads as follows:

I refer you to the Memorandum of Consultations signed on November 28, 2018, by delegations representing the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America in conjunction with the initialling of the ad referendum text of a new Air Transport Agreement (“Agreement”) between our two countries. In paragraph 5 of the Memorandum, both delegations expressed their expectation that, pending the entry into force of the Agreement, their respective aeronautical authorities will permit operations consistent with the Agreement on the basis of comity and reciprocity from a date specified by both governments.

Consistent with the intent of the Memorandum of Consultations, on behalf of the UK Government I can now confirm that UK aeronautical authorities are prepared to permit operations consistent with the Agreement on the basis of comity and reciprocity as of January 1, 2021, as the sole basis of U.S.-UK air service relations. If the U.S. Government can provide the same confirmation with respect to U.S. aeronautical authorities, I suggest this letter and your reply to that effect will place on record the joint understanding of our two Governments that our respective aeronautical authorities will permit operations consistent with the Agreement on the basis of comity and reciprocity from January 1, 2021, as the sole basis of U.S.-UK air service relations, until the Agreement enters into force.

The U.S. Department of Transportation, i.e., the U.S. aeronautical authority, has reviewed its contents and expressed its favorable views in response thereto.  I am therefore able to confirm on behalf of the U.S. Government that the U.S. aeronautical authority is prepared to permit operations consistent with the Agreement on the basis of comity and reciprocity as of January 1, 2021, as the sole basis of U.S.-UK air services relations.  Therefore, we confirm that your letter and this reply place on the record the joint understanding of our two Governments that our respective aeronautical authorities will permit operations consistent with the Agreement on the basis of comity and reciprocity from January 1, 2021, as the sole basis of U.S.-UK air services relations, until the Agreement enters into force.

Best Regards,

Richard Yoneoka
Director, Office of Aviation Negotiations
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
Department of State