The US Department of Transportation (DOT) says it has revoked a Notice to Resume operations filed by Falcon Air Express (Miami International) on the grounds of dormancy.
The carrier suspended all operations and returned its Part 121 Air Operators Certificate (AOC) to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on June 5 last year. It then filed for bankruptcy.
The DOT says it informed the carrier shortly afterwards that its certificates of public convenience and necessity permitting it to engage in interstate and foreign charter flights would remain valid only until June 5, 2016. It further warned Falcon Air Express that it failed to prove its economic fitness to resume commercial operations, let alone resume actual flights, by the deadline, then its licences would be revoked forthwith.
FAE filed a notice to resume operations in March using a single MD-83 but according to the DOT, this would not be legally possible.
"However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has informed us that once an air carrier has surrendered its FAA Air Carrier Certificate, it may not resume operations under that authority. Instead, Falcon Air must file an application with the FAA for a new Air Carrier Certificate," the DOT said.
"In light of these circumstances, we are dismissing the application to resume air transportation operations filed by Falcon Air ... and, in accordance with section 204.7, revoking the air carrier's interstate charter certificate for reason dormancy."
The foreign charter certificate is subject to Presidential review and will be decided at a later date, the DOT added.
FAE operated charter flights for the US Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System - JPATS (DOJ, Oklahoma City Will Rogers World) - as well as the United States Department of Homeland Security (RPN, Corpus Christi International).
