This Uniform System of Accounts and Reports for Large Certificated Air Carriers is issued, prescribed and administered under the following provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended (72 Stat. 731, 49 U.S.C. 1301):

Account, clearing. An account used as a medium for the temporary accumulation of costs that are redistributed to appropriate applicable accounts.

Acquisition, date of. The date on which the title to owned property or equipment (or the right to use or control the reassignment of leased property or equipment) passes to the air carrier.

Act. The Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended.

Addition, property. Additional equipment, land, structures, and other tangible property; extensions of fuel, water, and oil distribution equipment; additions to buildings and other structures; and additional safety devices applied to equipment not previously thus equipped. (See also Modification.)

Affiliated group. A combination of companies comprised of the air carrier, any person controlling the air carrier or under common control with the air carrier, and organizational divisions (as defined in sections 1-6) of and persons controlled by the air carrier.

Agency, cargo. Any person (other than the air carrier preforming the direct air transportation or one of its bona fide regular employees or an indirect air carrier lawfully engaged in air transportation under authority conferred by any applicable part of the Economic Regulations of the Department) who for compensation or profit: (1) Solicits, obtains, receives or furnishes directly or indirectly property or consolidated shipments of property for transportation upon the aircraft of an air carrier subject to this part, or (2) procures or arranges for air transportation of property upon aircraft of an air carrier subject to this part by charter, lease, or any other arrangement.

Agent, ticket. Any person (other than the air carrier performing the direct air transportation or one of its bona fide regular employees, or an air carrier which subcontracts the performance of charter air transportation which it has contracted to perform) who for compensation or profit: (1) Solicits, obtains, receives, or furnishes directly or indirectly passengers or groups of passengers for transportation upon the aircraft of an air carrier subject to this part, or (2) procures or arranges for air transportation of passengers or groups of passengers upon aircraft of an air carrier subject to this part by charter, lease, or any other arrangement.

Agreement. Any oral or written agreement, contract, understanding, or arrangement, and any amendment, revision, modification, renewal, extension, cancellation or termination thereof.

Air carrier. Any citizen of the United States who undertakes, whether directly or indirectly or by a lease or any other arrangement, to engage in air transportation.

Air carrier, charter. An air carrier holding a certificate issued under 49 U.S.C. 41102(a)(3).

Air carrier, large certificated. An air carrier holding a certificate issued under 49 U.S.C. 41102, as amended, that: (1) Operates aircraft designed to have a maximum passenger capacity of more than 60 seats or a maximum payload capacity of more than 18,000 pounds; or (2) conducts operations where one or both terminals of a flight stage are outside the 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Air carrier, surviving. An entity (air carrier) which, as the result of a business combination, has acquired the net assets, and carries on the operations of, one or more predecessor air carriers, and which may be newly organized at the time of the combination or may be one of the predecessor air carriers.

Aircraft. Any contrivance now known or hereafter invented, used or designed for navigation of or flight in the air.

Aircraft days assigned to service—carrier's equipment. The number of days that aircraft owned or acquired through rental or lease (but not interchange) are in the possession of the reporting air carrier and are available for service on the reporting carrier's routes plus the number of days such aircraft are in service on routes of others under interchange agreements. Includes days in overhaul, or temporarily out of service due to schedule cancellations. Excludes days that newly acquired aircraft are on hand but not available for productive use, days rented or leased to others (for other than interchange) and days in possession but formally withdrawn from air transportation service.

Aircraft days assigned to service— carrier routes—same as aircraft days assigned to service-carrier's equipment but excluding the number of days owned or rented equipment are in the possession of others under interchange agreements and including the number of days aircraft of others are in the possession of the air carrier under interchange agreements.

Aircraft, leased (rented). Aircraft obtained from (or furnished to) others under lease or rental arrangements. Leased and rented aircraft do not include those used under interchange agreements designed to provide oneplane service over the routes of the air carriers involved.

Aircraft type. A distinctive model as designated by the manufacturer.

Airport. A landing area regularly used by aircraft for receiving or discharging passengers or cargo.

Airport, alternate. An approved airport to which a flight may proceed if a landing at the airport to which the flight was dispatched becomes inadvisable.

Airport-to-airport distance. The great circle distance between airports, measured in statute miles in accordance with part 247 of this chapter.

Air transportation. The carriage by aircraft of persons, property, or mail.

Air transportation, charter. Air transportation authorized pursuant to section 401(d)(3).

Airworthiness (or Airworthy). When applied to a particular aircraft or component part, it denotes the ability of such aircraft or component part to perform its function satisfactorily through a range of operations determined by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Allocate. To assign an item or group of items of investment, revenue, or cost to an object, activity, process, or operation, in accordance with cost responsibilities, benefits received, or other measure of apportionment.

Allocation, bases of. Bases of distribution whereby revenues, expenses, and/or costs are equitably apportioned among revenue, expense, property and equipment, and other accounts.

Amortization. The gradual extinguishment of an amount in an account by distributing such amount over a fixed period, over the life of the asset or liability to which it applies or over the period during which it is anticipated the benefit will be realized.

Asset, contingent. An asset the existence, value, or ownership of which depend upon the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a specific event or upon the performance or nonperformance of a specified act.

Associated company. A company in which the accounting air carrier holds 5 percent or more of the outstanding proprietary interest; or a company which holds 5 percent or more of the outstanding proprietary interest of the accounting air carrier; or a company that, directly or through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with the accounting air carrier. Companies owned or controlled jointly with other air carriers shall be regarded as associated companies for purposes of this system of accounts. (See also Control.)

Betterment. Any improvement to property or equipment through the substitution of superior parts for inferior parts retired, the object of which is to make such property more useful or of greater capacity than at the time of acquisition or installation. (See also Modification.)

BTS. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Cargo. All traffic other than passengers.

Cargo transported. Cargo on board each flight stage.

Certificated point. A city, place or population center authorized to receive scheduled air service under a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity or under an exemption issued to an air carrier.

Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. A certificate issued to an air carrier under 49 U.S.C. 41102, by the Department of Transportation authorizing the carrier to engage in air transportation.

Company, predecessor. An air carrier whose net assets and operations have been taken over by one or more other air carriers.

Compensation (of personnel). Remuneration to air carrier employees for personal services. Includes salaries, wages, overtime pay, cost-of-living differentials, bonuses, etc., as distinguished from per diem allowances or reimbursement for expenses incurred by personnel for the benefit of the air carrier.

Continental United States. The 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia.

Control (including the terms Controlling, Controlled by, and Under common control). The possession, directly or indirectly, of the power positively to direct, or cause the direction of or negate the direction of, the management and policies of a company, whether such power is through one or more intermediary companies or alone or in conjunction with or pursuant to an agreement, and whether such power is established through a majority or minority ownership or voting of securities, common directors, officers, or stockholders, voting trusts, holding trusts, associated companies, contract, or any other direct or indirect means.

Controlling person. (See Person Controlling an air carrier)

Cost. The amount of cash (or its equivalent) actually paid for property, materials and supplies, and services, including that amount paid to put the property or materials and supplies in readiness for use. It includes such items as transportation charges, installation charges, and customs duties, less any cash or other discounts.

Cost, book. The amount at which an asset is recorded in an account without the deduction of amounts in related allowances or other accounts.

Cost, depreciated. The cost of property and equipment less the related allowances for depreciation.

Cost, removal. The cost of demolishing, dismantling, tearing down, or otherwise removing property and equipment, including the cost of related transportation and handling.

Debt, expense on. Expenses incurred by or for the air carrier in connection with the issuance and sale of evidences of debt (exclusive of the sale of reacquired securities), such as fees for drafting mortgages and trust deeds; fees and taxes for issuing or recording evidences of debt; cost of engraving and printing bonds, certificates of indebtedness, and other commercial paper; specific costs of obtaining governmental authority for issuance and filing notices thereunder; fees for legal services; fees and commissions paid underwriters, brokers, and salesmen for marketing such evidences of debt; fees and expenses of listing on exchanges; and other like costs.

Deferred taxes. Tax effects which are deferred for allocation to income tax expense of future periods.

Department. Department of Transportation.

Departures completed, percent scheduled. The percent of scheduled departures that were performed.

Departures completed, scheduled. The number of takeoffs performed at each airport pursuant to published schedules, exclusive of extra sections to scheduled departures.

Departure performed. A takeoff made at an airport.

Departure, scheduled. A takeoff scheduled at an airport, as set forth in published schedules.

Depreciation (of depreciable property and equipment). The loss in service value, not restored by current maintenance, incurred in the course of service from causes known to be in current operation, against which the carrier is not protected by insurance, and the effect of which can be forecast with reasonable accuracy. The causes of depreciation include wear and tear, decay, action of the elements, inadequacy, obsolescence, changes in the art, changes in demand, and requirements of public authorities.

Discount (of securities issued or assumed by the air carrier). The excess of (1) the par or stated value of securities over (2) the then current money value of the consideration received from their sale less the amount included for dividends or for interest accrued.

DOT. Department of Transportation.

Equipment. Tangible property other than land, structures, and improvements.

Equity security. Any instrument representing ownership shares (for example, common, preferred, and other capital stock), or the right to acquire (for example, warrants, rights, and call options) or dispose of (for example, put options) ownership shares in an enterprise at fixed or determinable prices. The term does not encompass preferred stock that by its terms either must be redeemed by the issuing enterprise or is redeemable at the option of the investor, nor does it include treasury stock or convertible bonds.

Equivalent unit. A new unit substituted for an existing unit that is worn out, is damaged beyond repair, or has become inadequate in service, the substituted unit having substantially no greater capacity than the unit for which substituted.

Estimated economic life of leased property. The estimated remaining period during which the property is expected to be economically usable by one or more users, with normal repairs and maintenance, for the purpose for which it was intended at the inception of the lease, without limitation by the lease term.

Expense, capital stock. Expenses incurred by or for the air carrier in connection with the initial issuance and sale of capital stock (exclusive of the sale of reacquired capital stock), such as fees and commissions paid to promoters, underwriters, brokers, and salesmen; fees for legal services; cost of soliciting subscriptions for capital stock; including fees, commissions, and advertising; specific costs of obtaining governmental authority for issuance and filing notices thereunder; fees and taxes for issuance of capital stock and listing on exchanges; and the cost of preparing, engraving, printing, issuing, and distributing prospectuses and stock certificates.

Flight, developmental. A flight for (1) the development of a new route either prior or subsequent to certification by the Department of Transportation; (2) the extension of an existing route; or (3) the integration of a new type of aircraft or service.

Flight, extra section. A flight, conducted as an integral part of scheduled service, that has not been provided for in published schedules and is required for transportation of traffic that cannot be accommodated on a regularly scheduled flight. Flights made in ferrying aircraft to meet schedules, or for similar operational reasons, are not extra sections and are classified as nonrevenue flights even if an occasional shipment, as a matter of special accommodation, is on board.

Flight, ferry. A flight for the purpose of returning an aircraft to base, equipment equalization, or moving an aircraft to and from a maintenance base.

Flight, paid positioning. A flight for the purpose of positioning an empty aircraft in connection with a charter flight for which a specific charge is set forth in a tariff or contract for application directly to the positioning miles operated. Such flights are considered revenue flights for Form 41 reporting purposes.

Flight, personnel training. A flight for the purpose of obtaining flying time for flight personnel or a flight in connection with a personnel training program.

Flight stage. The operation of an aircraft from takeoff to landing. For purposes of classifying flight stages as between “domestic”, “territorial”, and “international”, technical stops are disregarded. (See Stops, technical.)

Freight. Property, other than mail, transported by air.

Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The body of authoritative accounting knowledge governing the recording, presenting and disclosing of financial transactions, as incorporated in the pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

Group basis (in depreciation accounting). A plan under which (1) depreciation is based upon the application of a single depreciation rate to the total book cost of all property included in a given depreciable property and equipment account or class, despite differences in service life of individual items of property and equipment, (2) the full original cost, less any salvage realized, of an item of depreciable property or equipment retired is charged to the allowance for depreciation regardless of the age of the item, and (3) no gain or loss is recognized on the retirement of individual items of property or equipment.

Horsepower, maximum continuous for reciprocating engines. The brake horsepower developed in standard atmosphere at a specified altitude and under the maximum conditions of crankshaft rotational speed and engine manifold pressure, and approved for use during periods of unrestricted duration.

Horsepower, maximum continuous for turbine engines. The brake horsepower developed at specified altitudes, atmospheric temperatures, and flight speeds and under the maximum conditions of rotor shaft rotational speed and gas temperature, and approved for use during periods of unrestricted duration.

Thrust, maximum continuous for turbine engines. The jet thrust developed at specified altitudes, atmospheric temperatures, and flight speeds and under the maximum conditions of rotor shaft rotational speed and gas temperature, and approved for use during periods of unrestricted duration.

Hours, aircraft. The airborne hours of aircraft computed from the moment an aircraft leaves the ground until it touches the ground at the end of a flight.

Hours flown, revenue aircraft. The aircraft hours of flights performed in revenue service.

Hours in capitalized projects, aircraft. Aircraft hours applicable to ferrying newly acquired aircraft from the factory, to capitalized extension and development preoperating projects and to other costs which have been capitalized.

Hours per aircraft per day—carrier's equipment, revenue. Average hours of productive use per day in revenue service of reporting carrier's equipment determined by dividing (1) Aircraft days assigned to service—carrier's equipment into (2) Revenue aircraft hours minus Revenue hours on other carrier's interchange equipment plus Total hours by others on the carrier's interchange equipment.

Hours per aircraft per day—carrier's routes, revenue. Average hours of productive use per day in revenue service on reporting carrier's routes determined by dividing (1) Aircraft days assigned to service-carrier's routes into (2) Revenue aircraft hours.

Hours, ramp-to-ramp. The aircraft hours computed from the moment the aircraft first moves under it own power for purposes of flight, until it comes to rest at the next point of landing.

Improvement. An addition or alteration to land, a building, or a unit of equipment that results in a better piece of property, in the sense of greater durability, or in increased productivity or efficiency. (See also Modification.)

Income tax expense. The amount of income taxes (whether or not currently payable or refundable) allocable to a period in the determination of net income.

Income taxes. Taxes based on income determined under provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code and foreign, State, and other taxes (including franchise taxes) based on income.

Insurance, self. The assumption by an air carrier of a risk of loss or liability arising from an accident or other contingent event.

Interchange agreement. An agreement under which aircraft of one air carrier are utilized to provide one-plane service over its own routes and the routes of other air carriers.

Interperiod tax allocation. The process of apportioning income taxes among periods.

Inventory, perpetual. A book inventory kept in continuous agreement with stock on hand by means of a detailed record.

Investor controlled company (for purposes of applying the equity method of accounting). Any business entity in which the accounting air carrier is able to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of the issuing company. Significant influence will be presumed, unless established to the contrary by waiver request, with ownership of 20 percent or more of the outstanding voting capital stock. Ability to exercise influence may be indicated in several ways, such as representation on the Board of Directors, participation in policy-making processes, material intercompany transactions, interchange of managerial personnel, or technological dependency. Investor controlled companies shall also be regarded as associated companies for purposes of this system of accounts (see also Associated company).

Item, delayed. An item relating to transactions that occurred during a prior accounting period and that requires further accounting treatment for a true statement of financial condition or operating results. It includes adjustments of errors in the operating revenue, operating expense, and other income accounts for prior periods.

Liability, contingent. A possible source of obligation of an air carrier dependent upon the fulfillment of conditions regarded as uncertain.

Load, available. Represents the maximum salable load. It is the allowable gross weight less the empty weight, less all justifiable aircraft equipment, and less the operating load (consisting of minimum fuel load, oil, flight crew, steward's supplies, etc.). For passenger aircraft, the available load must not exceed the weight of the maximum number of passengers who can be accommodated in the seats installed in the aircraft plus the weight of the traffic that can be accommodated in the cargo space.

Load, average revenue. The average total revenue tons carried in revenue services, determined by dividing total revenue ton-miles by aircraft miles flown in revenue services.

Load, average revenue passenger. Average number of revenue passengers carried in passenger services, determined by dividing revenue passenger-miles by aircraft miles flown in revenue passenger services.

Load factor, over-all revenue. The percent that total revenue ton-miles (passenger plus nonpassenger) are of available ton-miles in revenue services.

Load factor, revenue passenger. The percent that revenue passenger-miles are of available seat-miles in revenue passenger services.

Load, minimum fuel. The minimum quantity of fuel with which an aircraft may be dispatched in accordance with the safety operating needs of the air carrier.

Load, salable. (See Load, available.)

Mail, nonpriority. All mail for which transportation by air is provided on a space available basis.

Mail, priority. All mail for which transportation by air is provided on a priority basis.

Mile. A statute mile (5,280 feet).

Miles completed, percent scheduled aircraft. The percent of scheduled aircraft miles which were performed.

Miles completed, scheduled aircraft. The aircraft miles performed on scheduled flights computed between only those scheduled points actually served.

Miles flown, aircraft. The miles (computed in airport-to-airport distances) for each flight stage actually completed, whether or not performed in accordance with the scheduled pattern. For this purpose, operation to a flag stop is a stage completed even though a landing is not actually made. In cases where the interairport distances are inapplicable, aircraft miles flown are determined by multiplying the normal crusing speed for the aircraft type by the airborne hours.

Miles flown, nonrevenue aircraft. The aircraft miles flown on nonrev-enue flights, such as ferry (including empty backhauls to MAC one-way charters), personnel training, extension and development, and abortive revenue flights.

Miles, revenue aircraft. The aircraft miles flown in revenue service.

Miles, scheduled aircraft. The sum of the airport-to-airport distances of all flights scheduled to be performed over the air carrier's certificated routes pursuant to published flight schedules. Flights listed in the published schedules for operation only as extra sections, when traffic warrants, are excluded.

Modification. An alteration in a structure or unit of equipment that changes its design and is made to correct an error, increase production, improve efficiency of operation, or for some other reason.

Obsolescence. The process of becoming out of date due to progress of the arts and sciences, changed economic conditions, legislation, etc., which ultimately results in the retirement or other disposition of property.

Off-Line. Installations maintained or facilities used for other than scheduled certificated air services.

On-Line. Installations maintained or facilities used in conducting scheduled certificated air services.

Domestic. Flight stages with both terminals within the 50 States of the United States and the District of Columbia.

Territorial. Flight stages with both terminals within territory under U.S. jurisdiction where at least one of the terminals is not within a State or the District of Columbia.

International. Flight stages with one or both terminals outside of territory under U.S. jurisdiction.

Operations, systems. The over-all operations of an air carrier including all of the operating entities of an air carrier having multiple operations.

Passenger-mile. One passenger transported 1 mile. Passenger-miles are computed by multiplying the aircraft miles flown on each flight stage by the number of passengers transported on that stage.

Passenger-mile, nonrevenue. One nonrevenue passenger transported one mile.

Passenger-mile, revenue. One revenue passenger transported one mile.

Passenger, nonrevenue. Person receiving air transportation from the air carrier for which remuneration is not received by the air carrier. Air carrier employees or others receiving air transportation against whom token service charges are levied are considered nonrevenue passengers. Infants for whom a token fare is charged are not counted as passengers.

Passenger, revenue. Person receiving air transportation from the air carrier for which remuneration is received by the air carrier. Air carrier employees or others receiving air transportation against whom token service charges are levied are considered nonrevenue passengers. Infants for whom a token fare is charged are not counted as passengers.

Passengers transported. Passengers on board each flight stage.

Person controlling an air carrier. Any person, as defined in 49 U.S.C. 40102, whom the Department has found, in any proceeding, to control an air carrier, or who holds, directly or indirectly, the legal or beneficial ownership of more than 50 percent of the outstanding voting capital stock or capital of an air carrier, and who does not make a proper showing to the Department that he or she does not control the carrier despite such stock ownership, shall be deemed to be a person controlling the carrier for the purpose of this part. A brokerage firm which holds record ownership of securities merely for the convenience of the customer beneficially owning the stock shall not be deemed a person controlling an air carrier.

Premium (as applied to securities issued or assumed by the air carrier). The excess of (1) the then current money value of the consideration received from their sale, less the amount included therein for dividends or interest accrued, over (2) their par or stated value.

Pretax accounting income. Income or loss for a period exclusive of related income tax expense.

Property (as applied to traffic). (See Cargo.)

Replacement. Substitution of new for existing facilities that are worn out, damaged beyond repair, or have become inadequate in service.

Residual value. The predetermined portion of the cost of a unit of property or equipment excluded from depreciation. It shall represent a fair and reasonable estimate of recoverable value as at the end of the service life over which the property or equipment is depreciated and shall give due consideration to the proceeds anticipated from disposition of the property or equipment and the extent to which costs attaching to property or equipment are otherwise recoverable through charges against income.

Retirement. The permanent withdrawal of assets from services of the corporate entity through sale, abandonment, demolition, or other disposal.

Retirement, date of. The date on which property or equipment is permanently withdrawn from services of the corporate entity.

Route, certificated. The route(s) over which an air carrier is authorized to provide air transportation by a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity issued by the Department of Transportation pursuant to section 401(d) (1) or (2) of the Act.

Salvage value. The amount received for property retired, less the expenses incurred in connection with the sale or in the preparation of the property for sale; or, if retained, the amount at which the material recovered is charged to materials and supplies or other appropriate account.

Seats available. Installed seats in an aircraft (including seats in lounges) exclusive of any seats not offered for sale to the public by the carrier; provided that in no instance shall any seat sold be excluded from the count of available seats.

Seats, average available. The average number of seats available for passengers, determined by dividing available seat-miles by revenue aircraft miles flown in passenger service.

Seat-miles available, revenue. The aircraft miles flown on each flight stage multiplied by the number of seats available for revenue use on that stage.

Section 41103 cargo operations. The carriage, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 41103, by aircraft of property and/or mail as a common carrier for compensation or hire in commerce between a place in any State of the United States, or the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, and a place in any other of those entities, or between places in the same State or other entity through the air-space over any place outside thereof, or between places within the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. This includes commerce moving partly by aircraft and partly by other forms of transportation, as well as commerce moving wholly by aircraft.

Segment, service. A pair of points served or scheduled to be served by a single stage of at least one flight within any given time period.

Service, charter. Nonscheduled air transport service in which the party receiving transportation obtains exclusive use of an agreed upon portion of the total capacity of an aircraft with the remuneration paid by the party receiving transportation accruing directly to, and the responsibility for providing transportation is that of, the accounting air carrier.

Service, coach (tourist). Transport service specifically established for the carriage of passengers at special reduced passenger fares that are predicated on both the operation of specifically designated aircraft space and a reduction in the quality of service regularly and ordinarily provided.

Service, first class. Transport service established for the carriage of passengers moving at either standard fares or premium fares, or at reduced fares not predicated upon the operation of specifically allocated aircraft space, and for whom standard or premium quality services are provided.

Service life. The period between the date of installation of property or equipment and its date of retirement.

Service, mixed. Transport service for the carriage of both first-class and coach passengers on the same aircraft.

Service, nonpassenger. Transport service established for the carriage of traffic other than passengers.

Service, nonscheduled. Includes transport service between points not covered by Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity issued by the Department of Transportation to the air carrier; services pursuant to the charter or hiring of aircraft; other revenue services not constituting an integral part of the services performed pursuant to published schedules; and related nonrevenue flights.

Service, passenger-cargo. Transport service established for the carriage of passengers which may also be used jointly for the transportation of cargo.

Service, scheduled. Transport service operated pursuant to published flight schedules, including extra sections and related nonrevenue flights.

Service, transport. The operation of facilities for the carriage of traffic by air.

Services, all. The total of scheduled and nonscheduled transport services.

Stop, flag. A point on an air carrier's operating system that is scheduled to be served only when traffic is to be picked up or discharged.

Stops, technical. Aircraft landing made for purposes other than enplaning or deplaning traffic. For purposes of identifying reporting entities, landings made for stopover passengers are regarded as technical stops.

Tariff, published. A publication containing fares and rates applicable to the transportation of persons or cargo and rules relating to or affecting such fares or rates of transportation, filed with the Department of Transportation.

Taxable income. The excess of revenues over deductions or the excess of deductions over revenues to be reported for income tax purposes for a period.

Tax effects. Differentials in income taxes of a period attributable to (1) revenue or expense transactions which enter into the determination of pretax accounting income in one period and into the determination of taxable income in another period, (2) deductions or credits that may be carried backward or forward for income tax purposes, and (3) adjustments of prior periods (or of the opening balance of retained earnings) and direct entries to other stockholders’ equity accounts which enter into the determination of taxable income in a period but which do not enter into the determination of pretax accounting income of that period. A permanent difference does not result in a “tax effect” as the term is used in this System of Accounts and Reports.

Ton. A short ton (2,000 pounds).

Ton-mile. One ton transported 1 mile. Ton-miles are computed by multiplying the aircraft miles flown on each flight stage by the number of tons transported on that stage.

Ton-mile, nonrevenue. One ton of nonrevenue traffic transported 1 mile.

Ton-mile, passenger. One ton of passenger weight (including all baggage) transported 1 mile. (See also Weight, passenger.)

Ton-mile, revenue. One ton of revenue traffic transported 1 mile.

Ton-miles available, revenue. The aircraft miles flown on each flight stage multiplied by the ton capacity available for use on that stage.

Traffic, deplaned. A count of the number of passengers getting off and tons of cargo unloaded from an aircraft. For this purpose, passengers an cargo on aircraft leaving a carrier's system on interchange flights are considered as deplaning and the interchange point; and passengers and cargo moving from one operation to another operation of the same carrier, for which separate reports are required by the Department of Transportation, are considered as deplaning at the junction point.

Traffic, enplaned. A count of the number of passengers boarding and tons of cargo loaded on an aircraft. For this purpose, passengers and cargo on aircraft entering a carrier's system on interchange flights are considered as enplaning at the interchange point; and passengers and cargo moving from one operation to another operation of the same carrier, for which separate reports are required by the Department of Transportation, are considered as enplaning at the junction point.

Traffic, nonrevenue. Passengers and cargo transported by air for which no remuneration or token service charges are received by the air carrier. Airline employees, officers and directors, or other persons, except for ministers of religion, who are traveling under reduced-rate transportation authorized by 49 U.S.C. 41511(a) and 14 CFR part 223, as well as travel agents, cargo agents, and tour conductors traveling at reduced fares are also considered nonrevenue traffic.

Traffic office. A facility where air transportation is sold, and related processes of documentation and reservation confirmation are performed.

Traffic, revenue. Passengers and cargo transported by air for which remuneration is received by the air carrier. Airline employees, officers and directors, or other persons, except for ministers of religion, who are traveling under reduced-rate transportation authorized by 49 U.S.C. 41511(a) and 14 CFR part 223, travel agents, cargo agents, and tour conductors traveling at reduced fares, and other passengers and cargo carried for token service charges, are not considered as revenue traffic.

Transportation, free. The carriage of any person or cargo (other than cargo owned by the air carrier) without compensation.

Unit basis (in depreciation accounting). A plan under which depreciation expenses is accrued upon the basis of the book cost of the individual item of property in relation to the service life and salvage value of the particular item.

Value, service. The difference between the book cost and the residual value of property and equipment.

Weight, allowable gross. The maximum gross weight (of the aircraft and its contents) which an aircraft is licensed to carry into the air on each flight stage.

Weight, average available. The average capacity available for revenue traffic, determined by dividing available ton-miles by aircraft miles in revenue service.

Weight, empty. The weight of the airframe, engines, propellers, and fixed equipment of an aircraft. Empty weight excludes the weight of the crew and payload, but includes the weight of all fixed ballast, unusable fuel supply, undrainable oil, total quantity of engine coolant, and total quantity of hydraulic fluid.

Weight, passenger. For the purposes of this part, a standard weight of 200 pounds per passenger (including all baggage) is used for all civil operations and classes of service. Other weights may be prescribed in specific instances upon the initiative of the Department of Transportation or upon a factually supported request by an air carrier.

(a) All large certificated air carriers are placed into three basic air carrier groupings based upon their level of operations and the nature of these operations. In order to determine the level of operations, total operating revenues for a twelve-month period are used. The following operating revenue ranges are used to establish air carrier groupings:

For reporting purposes, Group I air carriers are further divided into two subgroups: (1) Air carriers with total annual operating revenues from $20,000,000 to $100,000,000 and (2) Air carriers with total annual operating revenues below $20,000,000.

(b) Both the criteria for establishing air carrier groupings and the assignment of each air carrier to a specific group of carriers will be reviewed periodically by the Director, Office of Airline Information, to assure the maintenance of appropriate standards for the grouping of carriers. When an air carrier's level of operations passes the upper or lower limit of its currently assigned carrier grouping, the carrier is not automatically transferred to a different group and a new level of reporting. The Office of Airline Statistics will issue an updated listing of the carrier groups on an annual basis. A carrier may petition for reconsideration of its assigned carrier grouping or request a waiver from the accounting and reporting requirements that are applicable to a particular group under the provisions of section 1-2 of this Uniform System of Accounts and Reports.