Virginia Law

Article 9. Miscellaneous.

It shall be unlawful for any air carrier or broker or any officer, receiver, trustee, lessee, agent, or employee of such carrier, broker, or person, or for any other person authorized by such carrier, broker, or person to receive information, knowingly to disclose to, or permit to be acquired by any person other than the shipper or consignee, without the consent of such shipper or consignee, any information concerning the nature, kind, quantity, destination, consignee, or routing of any property tendered or delivered to such air carrier or broker for such transportation, which information may be used to the detriment or prejudice of such shipper or consignee, or which may improperly disclose his business transactions to a competitor; and it shall also be unlawful for any person to solicit or receive knowingly any such information which may be so used.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the giving of such information in response to any legal process issued under the authority of any court, or to any officer or agent of the government of the United States or of any state, territory, or district thereof, in the exercise of his power, or to any officer or other duly authorized person seeking such information for the prosecution of persons charged with or suspected of crimes or to another carrier or broker, or its duly authorized agent, for the purpose of adjusting mutual traffic accounts in the ordinary course of business of such carriers or brokers.

Code 1950, § 56-195; 1970, c. 708.

Repealed by Acts 2001, c. 137.

(a) The Commission is hereby authorized to require annual, periodic, or special reports from all air carriers except such as are exempted from the operation of the provisions of this chapter, to prescribe the manner and form in which such reports shall be made, and to require from such carriers specific answers to all questions upon which the Commission may deem information to be necessary. Such reports shall be under oath whenever the Commission so requires. The Commission may also require any air carrier to file with it a true copy of any contract, agreement, or arrangement between such carrier and any other carrier or person in relation to any traffic affected by the provisions of this chapter.

(b) The Commission may, in its discretion, prescribe the forms of any and all accounts, records, and memoranda to be kept by air carriers and the length of time such accounts, records and memoranda shall be preserved, including the accounts, records, and memoranda of the movement of traffic, as well as of the receipts and expenditures of money. The Commission or its employees shall at all times have access to all lands, buildings, and equipment of air carriers used in connection with their operation and also all accounts, records, and memoranda, including all documents, papers, and correspondence now existing, and kept, or required to be kept, by air carriers. The Commission and its employees shall have authority to inspect and examine any and all such lands, buildings, equipment, accounts, records, and memoranda, including all documents, papers, and correspondence now or hereafter existing and kept or required to be kept by such carriers. This provision shall apply to receivers of carriers and to operating trustees and, to the extent deemed necessary by the Commission, to persons having control, direct or indirect, over or affiliated with any air carrier.

(c) As used in this section the term "air carriers" includes brokers.

Code 1950, § 56-197; 1970, c. 708.

It shall be the duty of the manager, agent or other proper officer of every air carrier doing business or operating in this Commonwealth to make to the Commission such report or reports as may be required by it, under oath, of all accidents in this Commonwealth resulting in injury to persons, equipment, or property of any kind, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Commission.

Code 1950, § 56-198; 1970, c. 708.

Nothing in this chapter shall relieve any holder of a certificate or permit by and under the authority of the Commission from any liability resulting from his negligence, whether or not he has complied with the requirements of this chapter.

Code 1950, § 56-199; 1970, c. 708.

The enforcement of any provision of this chapter requiring the use of police officers shall be under the Department of State Police or under the Commission; except the department of law enforcement of any city or county with an optional form of government shall have concurrent jurisdiction for the investigations of aircraft accidents occurring within such city or county.

Code 1950, § 56-200; 1964, c. 342; 1970, c. 708; 1979, c. 394; 1980, c. 721.

(a) Any person knowingly and willfully violating any provision of this chapter, or any rule, regulation, requirement, or order thereunder for which a penalty is not otherwise herein provided, shall, after proper proceeding before the Commission, and upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $100 for the first offense and not more than $500 for any subsequent offense. Each day of such violation shall constitute a separate offense.

(b) Any person, whether carrier, shipper, consignee, or broker, or any officer, employee, agent, or representative thereof, who shall knowingly offer, grant, or give, or solicit, accept, or receive any rebate, concession, or discrimination in violation of any provision of this chapter, or who, by means of any false statement or representation, or by the use of any false or fictitious bill, bill of lading, receipt, voucher, roll, account, claim, certificate, affidavit, deposition, lease, or bill of sale or by any other means or device, shall knowingly and willfully assist, suffer or permit any person, natural or artificial, to obtain transportation of passengers or property subject to this chapter for less than the applicable rate, fare, or charge, or who shall knowingly and willfully by any such means or otherwise fraudulently seek to evade or defeat regulation as in this chapter provided for air carriers or brokers, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof be fined not more than $500 for the first offense and not more than $2,000 for any subsequent offense.

(c) Any air carrier, or broker, or any officer, agent, employee, or representative thereof who shall willfully fail or refuse to make a report to the Commission as required by this chapter, or to keep accounts, records and memoranda in the form and manner approved or prescribed by the Commission, or shall knowingly and willfully falsify, destroy, mutilate, or alter any such report, account, record, or memorandum, or shall knowingly and willfully file any false report, account, record, or memorandum, shall, after proper proceeding before the Commission and upon conviction thereof, be subject for each offense to a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $5,000.

Code 1950, § 56-201; 1970, c. 708.

All fees or sums collected by the Commission under the provisions of this chapter shall be deposited with the State Treasurer, and shall be set aside by him for the use of the Commission for the administration and enforcement of this chapter.

Code 1950, § 56-202; 1970, c. 708.

No employee of the Commission appointed or employed in the administration of this chapter shall in any manner have any pecuniary interest in, own any securities of, or hold any position with any air carrier, motor carrier, railroad, steamboat or canal company.

Code 1950, § 56-203; 1970, c. 708.

Nothing in this chapter shall confer any proprietary or property rights in the use of the airspace of this Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 56-204; 1970, c. 708.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to relieve any person from the payment of any licenses, registration fees, taxes, or levies now or hereafter imposed by law.

Code 1950, § 56-205; 1970, c. 708; 2017, c. 793.

The right and power of the General Assembly to amend, alter, revoke or repeal any and all rights, certificates, or franchises granted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter is hereby reserved.

Code 1950, § 56-206; 1970, c. 708.