Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

USA to Canada to USA Cabotage situations / booking / issues {Archive}

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Old Mar 14, 2024, 2:20 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is USA to Canada to USA Cabotage situations / booking / issues

Cabotage
Cabotage (/ˈkæbətɪdʒ, -tɑːʒ/) is the transport of goods or passengers between two places in the same country. It originally applied to shipping along coastal routes, port to port, but now applies to aviation, railways, and road transport as well.

Cabotage rights are the right of a company from one country to trade in another country. In aviation, it is the right to operate within the domestic borders of another country. Most countries do not permit aviation cabotage, and there are strict sanctions against it, for reasons of economic protectionism, national security, or public safety. One notable exception is the European Union, whose member states all grant cabotage rights to each other.
Jones Act / Merchant Marine Act of 1920
Cabotage is the transport of goods or passengers between two points in the same country, alongside coastal waters, by a vessel or an aircraft registered in another country. Originally a shipping term, cabotage now also covers aviation, railways, and road transport. Cabotage is "trade or navigation in coastal waters, or the exclusive right of a country to operate the air traffic within its territory". In the context of "cabotage rights", cabotage refers to the right of a company from one country to trade in another country. In aviation terms, for example, it is the right to operate within the domestic borders of another country. Most countries enact cabotage laws for reasons of economic protectionism or national security; 80% of the UN's member states with coastlines have cabotage law

The cabotage provisions relating to the Jones Act restrict the carriage of goods or passengers between United States ports to U.S.-built and flagged vessels. It has been codified as portions of 46 U.S.C. Generally, the Jones Act prohibits any foreign-built, foreign-owned or foreign-flagged vessel from engaging in coastwise trade within the United States.
In simple terms, it is forbidden to transport passenger or good between two USA locations exclusively on non-USA flagged vessels / aircraft.At least one segment in or out of the USA must be on a USA flagged carrier.
Such as traveling EWR-YYZ-ORD all on AC. This is true for paid flights, award flights, separate tickets. If there is a "stop" in the non-USA city, it may be OK.

Another case would be East Coast-West Coast- International location by a foreign flagged carrier. This flights exist but no boarding at the first airport is allowed to disembark at the second. It is possible to add passengers but but no one can leave at the second USA airport.

Another actual case was GUM-ICN-USA , this led to DOT fines Asiana for violating cabotage laws

Related threads Need to clear NRT security when USA-NRT-GUM? Cabotage if 1 segment is UA operated?


Print Wikipost

USA to Canada to USA Cabotage situations / booking / issues {Archive}

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 28, 2011, 4:43 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 774
Exclamation USA to Canada to USA Cabotage situations / booking / issues {Archive}

Slightly stupid question, but coudln't find the answer. What's UA or CO's policy on routing a US-US award through Canada? (AA specifically prohibits this, but both UA/CO websites are somewhat vague with the usual "direct routing" verbage. Then again, this routing adds only 300 miles on top of the non-stop)

There's no MPM published for the city pair for UA (granted that's pretty common for most north america pairs). Yet, the routing is bookable as a revenue ticket (combination of two fares ABC-Y** and Y**-DEF).

Thanks
okrogius is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 4:49 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
I originally typed something here about cabotage, but it may not apply as long as the award is booked 100% on US carriers.
SEA1K4EVR is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 4:55 pm
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 774
Unfortunately it's not. Two flights on AC, one flight on CO. Do I need to book two awards (actulaly need to be in a specific place, so it's not entirely crazy routing), or is this ok?
okrogius is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 8:08 pm
  #4  
Fairmont Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: (SJC)
Posts: 2,198
I can report: YVR-ORD-YYZ and back on UA-AC metal was permitted on Award.

Not positive they will permit both on UA/CO metal, but try to add a AC segment.
AMRivlin is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 8:19 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,693
What are the actual segments?

USA-AC-Canada-AC-USA-CO-USA is cabotage, but USA-AC-Canada-AC-Canada-CO won't be. I think.
mduell is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 8:47 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: BOS
Posts: 267
IIRC it is not cabotage since the airlines have made sure that frequent flyer miles is not defined as a currency and technically the ticket is not being sold.

I have booked several award tickets from mainland US to Guam mixing UA and CO with AC, NH, CA, and OZ, which is not ok on a revenue ticket due to cabotage restrictions. The same should apply to Canada. YMMV
Henwurst is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 9:47 pm
  #7  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
Originally Posted by Henwurst
I have booked several award tickets from mainland US to Guam mixing UA and CO with AC, NH, CA, and OZ, which is not ok on a revenue ticket due to cabotage restrictions.
If you mix carriers, there's no cabotage. Cabotage only applies when a single carrier is involved. I don't think there's any difference between an award ticket and a revenue ticket.
mahasamatman is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 9:55 pm
  #8  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
Originally Posted by mahasamatman
If you mix carriers, there's no cabotage. Cabotage only applies when a single carrier is involved. I don't think there's any difference between an award ticket and a revenue ticket.
Doesn't Cabotage more apply to a foreign carrier selling the actual ticket, vs. whether or not you are mixing carriers?

Take an ORD-LGA routing connecting in YYZ, with UA operating ORD-YYZ, AC operating YYZ-LGA. I always took the cabotage rules to mean AC can't sell that connection, since they can't legally sell an ORD-LGA ticket. But I was also under the impression that UA could sell that routing since they are a US carrier providing a domestic itinerary, just connecting in a Canadian city.
emcampbe is online now  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 9:55 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,686
Originally Posted by mahasamatman
If you mix carriers, there's no cabotage. Cabotage only applies when a single carrier is involved. I don't think there's any difference between an award ticket and a revenue ticket.
It's not the mixing of carriers, rather the mixing of flags on the carriers that makes it non-cabotge. One could fly from YYC to DEN on UA, DEN-ORD or CO, ORD-EWR or UA/CO, and then EWR-YYZ on CO and mix carriers, but that would be cabotage as the traffic for an "intra" canada origin/destination flight would be given soley to non-canadian carriers, which would be cabotage.

Mixing home nation's flagged carriers with another=ok. Not including a nation flagged carriers on intranational flying=not ok.
fastair is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 10:49 pm
  #10  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,693
Originally Posted by Henwurst
IIRC it is not cabotage since the airlines have made sure that frequent flyer miles is not defined as a currency and technically the ticket is not being sold.
Let me know when you book QF JFK-LAX on miles.

Originally Posted by emcampbe
Doesn't Cabotage more apply to a foreign carrier selling the actual ticket, vs. whether or not you are mixing carriers?

Take an ORD-LGA routing connecting in YYZ, with UA operating ORD-YYZ, AC operating YYZ-LGA. I always took the cabotage rules to mean AC can't sell that connection, since they can't legally sell an ORD-LGA ticket. But I was also under the impression that UA could sell that routing since they are a US carrier providing a domestic itinerary, just connecting in a Canadian city.
He said he had 2 AC segs, so it was possible he was flying from the US to the US purely on AC.
mduell is offline  
Old Jul 29, 2011, 12:42 am
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 774
Originally Posted by mduell
What are the actual segments?

USA-AC-Canada-AC-USA-CO-USA is cabotage, but USA-AC-Canada-AC-Canada-CO won't be. I think.
SEA-YVR-YUL-EWR. First two are AC, last one is CO.
okrogius is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2013, 3:51 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: SFO, LON
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 252
Just tried BOS-YYZ-FLL in X (economy) even though the stop at YYZ was a few hours, and the system broke the fare at YYZ. I was quoted 25,000 miles. The agent on the phone said connecting a US-US journey in a foreign country was not allowed.
nickab is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2013, 5:28 pm
  #13  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,725
Originally Posted by nickab
Just tried BOS-YYZ-FLL in X (economy) even though the stop at YYZ was a few hours, and the system broke the fare at YYZ. I was quoted 25,000 miles. The agent on the phone said connecting a US-US journey in a foreign country was not allowed.
I did PDX-SFO-YVR-IAH-GJT-DEN-FCA and it was allowed as a "short" haul one-way award for 10K (booked on ual.com) so at least online, it's allowed. Now that I think of it, last March, I did JAC-DEN-EWR-YUL-ORD-SEA-PDX and that was 10K too since JAC-PDX is less than 700 miles. ^
PDXPremier is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2013, 7:12 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: BOS
Programs: MP,MR Silver,Avis
Posts: 848
Originally Posted by PDXPremier
I did PDX-SFO-YVR-IAH-GJT-DEN-FCA and it was allowed as a "short" haul one-way award for 10K (booked on ual.com) so at least online, it's allowed. Now that I think of it, last March, I did JAC-DEN-EWR-YUL-ORD-SEA-PDX and that was 10K too since JAC-PDX is less than 700 miles.
It sounds like a nice mileage run, but why would you do that on an award?
GregMM is offline  
Old Oct 29, 2013, 5:20 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: UA (G), AA(P),AP (SE), hhonors (D), marriott rewards (G), Priority Club (G),National Emerald(EE)
Posts: 170
Hello,

I'm fairly new to UA (previously on AC). I was wondering if it is possible to book awards from Canadian airport to Canadian airport (eg: YYC-YUL). I can't seem to do it online...is there any way to do over the phone? I know it is possible to buy ticket from US to US on AP but we have to call as the website won't allow for it. Just wanted to see if the same was possible with UA. Also wanted to know if it would have an impact to the number of points required for a trip.

Kind regards
tremhug is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.