Who We Are:

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs carries a broad portfolio of responsibilities covering domestic and international aviation, international trade, and a range of other international cooperation and facilitation issues. The Office of Aviation and International Affairs includes two principal jurisdictions: domestic and international aviation. The Office contributes directly to accomplishing DOT's strategic goal of economic growth and trade, and advances America's economic growth and competitiveness domestically and internationally through efficient and flexible transportation. Led by Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs Read C. Van de Water, the Office develops and coordinates Departmental policies in a wide spectrum of domestic and international aviation issues.

The Office of Aviation and International Affairs has three primary goals:

1. liberalizing international air services by negotiating "Open Skies" agreements;

2. ensuring the benefits of a deregulated, competitive domestic airline industry; and

3. developing policies to improve air service and/or access to the commercial aviation system for small and rural communities.

The Office of Aviation and International Affairs, a branch of the Office of the Secretary, was formally chartered in 1993, when the Department of Transportation separated aviation and international trade from other transportation policy issues.