WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today fined Ethiopian Airlines $425,000 for operating flights carrying United Airlines’ designator code and Etihad Airways $400,000 for operating flights carrying JetBlue Airways’ designator code in regions in which a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight prohibition was in effect for U.S. operators. The airlines were ordered to cease and desist from future similar violations.
An investigation by the Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) revealed that between February 2020, and December 2022, Ethiopian Airlines operated a significant number of flights carrying the United Airlines code between Ethiopia and Djibouti in airspace prohibited by the FAA to U.S. operators. One of those prohibited flights took place after OACP issued an investigation letter to Ethiopian Airlines regarding this issue. By operating these flights in this manner, Ethiopian Airlines violated the conditions of its authority to operate and engaged in air transportation without the proper DOT authority.
A separate OACP investigation revealed that between August 2022 and September 2022, Etihad Airways operated numerous flights carrying the JetBlue Airways code between the United Arab Emirates and the United States in airspace prohibited by the FAA to U.S. operators. Further, although OACP notified Etihad Airways of the problematic conduct in September 2022 and November 2022, OACP learned that between January 2023 and April 2023, Etihad Airways operated several additional flights carrying the JetBlue Airways code between the United Arab Emirates and the United States in airspace prohibited by the FAA to U.S. operators. By operating these flights in this manner, Etihad Airways violated the conditions of its authority to operate and engaged in air transportation without the proper DOT authority.
The consent orders are available at www.regulations.gov, docket number DOT-OST-2024-0001.
For information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance, and orders, the Department’s aviation consumer website can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer
