Today 22 August 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers approved regulations regarding carriage by air of passengers, baggage and cargo developed by the Ministry of Transport by taking into account the latest requirements of the European Union (EU) legal framework to reduce the administrative burden of harmonizing carriage by air and facilitate the development of the aviation industry.
Carriage by air, or commercial flights, are aircraft flights that are carried out for the purpose of transporting passengers, baggage, cargo, and mail for remuneration or under a lease agreement.
The new regulation determines the procedure for requesting and issuing permits for scheduled and non-scheduled carriage by air, as well as an expanded the classification of commercial flights, when permits for carriage by air are not required. It is also stipulated in which cases the issuance of a permit for carriage by air may be refused or an already issued permit for carriage by air may be cancelled.
The classification of permits has also been expanded. From now on, the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport will issue three types of permits for carriage by air: a permit for regular flights, a single permit for carriage by air (up to 4 departures with a flight schedule) and general permit for carriage by air (more than 4 departures with or without a flight schedule). Taking into account the EU Open Skies Policy, the air carriers of the EU Member States, member states of the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation (hereinafter referred to as the Community) will no longer have duty to send notifications about scheduled and non-scheduled carriage by air within the Community. As a result, the categories of commercial flights that require receiving a flight permit or the obligation to notify flights have been reduced, as well as the opportunity to complete commercial flight formalities in a timelier manner has been safeguarded.
Changes are also planned for air taxi services, which are non-scheduled commercial flights, using an aircraft with a limited number of seats. According to EU regulations, the maximum number of seats in air taxis has been increased from 10 to 19 seats. Community air carriers must send a notification about the provision of air taxi service to the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport only in cases where a commercial air taxi flight outside the Community is planned.
Also, the new regulation determines in which cases the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport will be able to make a decision not to allow a certain aircraft to provide air taxi services for up to one year. For example, if case that an air carrier has not fulfilled the requirements of laws and regulations in terms of aviation safety; does not comply with the relevant sanctions set forth in the UN Security Council resolutions or the sanctions set forth in the EU regulations; has deliberately provided false information and in other cases in accordance with the EU regulatory framework.
The Cabinet Regulation specifies that an applicant for obtaining a permit for carriage by air or a notifier on the provision of air taxi services is responsible for the submitted information.
Application forms can be found on the website of the Ministry of Transport.
Communications Division
Phone number 67028003
E-mail: komunikacijas@sam.gov.lv