Last night, the FAA revoked the charter certificate of AMI Jet Charter in a letter hand-delivered to AMI president Don Hitch. The letter outlines the FAA’s determination “that an emergency exists related to safety in air commerce and that immediate action to revoke AMI Jet Charter, Inc.’s Air Carrier Certificate is required.” This move follows the FAA’s October 4 suspension of AMI’s charter certificate. AMI can submit an appeal of the revocation. If the revocation withstands any appeal process, it is permanent, and AMI would have to reapply for a new charter certificate.
The key issue that led to the revocation of AMI’s charter certificate is control of the company by a foreign entity. Switzerland-based TAG Holdings owns management firm TAG Aviation USA, which itself owns 49 percent of AMI Jet Charter. In a September 2005 consent order, the U.S. Department of Transportation ordered AMI to “cease and desist” from violations of regulations regarding “interstate and foreign air transportation while it was under the actual control of foreign interests.” According to the FAA’s Emergency Order of Revocation, “AMI and TAG knowingly, intentionally, and willfully engaged in a scheme and/or deceptive practice to make it appear to federal regulatory entities, including the FAA, as if AMI remained in control, including operational control, when in fact TAG exercised control of passenger-carrying flights ostensibly operated under the authority of AMI’s air carrier certificate.”
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