Aviation, Aerospace & Transportation

Among our clients are more than 80 airlines worldwide, including major U.S. and foreign passenger and cargo airlines. We also represent many of the world’s largest aerospace companies, including aircraft, engine and component manufacturers; new entrant airlines; charter operators; U.S. and foreign repair stations; international banks; and aircraft leasing companies and brokers. We act as aviation counsel and as U.S. general counsel to established and new U.S. and international airlines, including those in Asia, South America, Europe, and the Middle East, providing a full range of legal services specific to the Aviation industry. Our work includes all aspects of:

• Regulatory and Compliance
  • With decades of experience, we advise on complex accident investigations and litigation, regulatory and enforcement matters, finance and insurance matters, securities offerings, financial restructuring, bond counsel, international trade and licensing or tax policies. Our clients include domestic and foreign airlines, aerospace manufacturers, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) manufacturers and operators, and travel distributors throughout the world.
  • We represent aviation industry clients before government agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice, the Department of State, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Communications Commission.
• Airline Representation
  • We represent U.S. and foreign air carriers on regulatory, legislative, enforcement, compliance, safety and employment matters. Our experience includes foreign ownership restrictions, certification and licensing, route proceedings, contract negotiations, commercial agreements, disputes between airlines and tour operators, cruise lines, hotels and casinos. Our Aviation Regulatory practice covers certification, licensing, administrative adjudication, rulemakings, legislation, enforcement, air service negotiations, antitrust, environmental, export licensing, customs and tax matters, and airline safety and accident investigations.
• Antitrust
  • Pillsbury lawyers regularly advise aviation industry clients on the full range of antitrust and competition issues. From the global defense of civil and criminal antitrust proceedings to antitrust counseling on all types of cooperative ventures and unilateral practices, to assisting with antitrust immunity applications and providing antitrust training and crafting compliance procedures, we have helped our clients prevent and resolve antitrust complications. We have also represented clients in many of the most significant aviation antitrust proceedings since the advent of deregulation, including computer reservations systems litigation, “electronic price-fixing” litigation, travel agent commission lawsuits, air cargo and transpacific passenger price-fixing litigation.
  • We have advised and represented airlines participating in the world’s major airline alliances including the Star Alliance, oneworld and SkyTeam. Our work includes preparation and prosecution of airline antitrust immunity applications and JVs, direct negotiation with government authorities in connection with antitrust issues, advising on commercial strategies designed to minimize antitrust risk, and representing clients in discussions with their strategic airline partners.
• Unmanned Aircraft Systems
  • Pillsbury’s UAS team is composed of lawyers who are authorities on legal issues impacting the UAS industry. We serve as legal counsel to numerous world-class companies and universities actively seeking to leverage and realize the full commercial potential of UAS. We provide guidance on USA licensing and operation to clients in multiple industries, including social media, mining, commercial building inspections, electrical and nuclear utilities, higher education/research and development applications, news and entertainment, telecommunications, retail, professional sports and UAS manufacturers.
• Transportation Finance & Insurance
  • We handle financing (including pre-delivery financing) of new and used aircraft, engines and parts. Pillsbury represents a wide range of international banks, leasing companies, trading companies and aircraft financing specialists regarding loans, leases, leveraged leases, receivables financings, capital markets securitization and progress payment facilities. We are familiar with all aspects of aircraft hull, liability, war risk and political risk insurance. Few firms have greater experience in aircraft repossession/deregistration insurance, which has served as a commercial substitute for export credit agency guarantees.
• Travel Distribution
  • We advise travel industry clients (airlines, cruise lines, hotels, casinos, major travel agencies, online travel companies and tour operators) on federal and state travel advertising regulations, and we assist clients in defending DOT compliance investigations and enforcement actions/civil penalty proceedings.
• City and Airport Representation
  • We represent cities and airport authorities on issues such as grant agreements, airport lease and use agreements, international air service, slots, revenue retention, rates and charges, collateral land use, environmental law, congestion, finance, competition, and in Part 13 and Part 16 proceedings, enforcement and litigation matters, and grant compliance.
• Corporate Aviation
  • We possess a thorough understanding of issues regarding corporate flight departments, charter operators, aircraft management companies, fractional ownership programs, manufacturers and airports, and offer a wide variety of services, which include developing ownership and operating structures. The Aviation team works closely with lawyers in our Transportation Finance practice to counsel clients on all matters related to aviation finance and leasing, asset acquisitions and dispositions, structured finance, and restructurings and enforcement.
• Obstruction Evaluation
  • Pillsbury has extensive experience in FAA obstruction evaluation and airspace analysis for structures located near airports. We regularly work with airspace engineers, developers and the FAA to develop alternative air traffic procedures and mitigation measures to address FAA-related air traffic concerns.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Our legal teams have conducted regulatory due diligence on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) involving aviation interests. We regularly advise clients on DOT and FAA aspects of restructurings in bankruptcy proceedings, mergers/acquisitions and certificate transfers. We also provide advice to clients on DOT foreign ownership and economic requirements and FAA requirements in the context of M&A transactions.
• Litigation
  • We have litigated in the United States and abroad virtually every type of claim or dispute that an aviation company might face, including claims relating to air accidents, aircraft purchase agreements, antitrust, patent, trade, export controls, transfer of technology, maintenance repair organizations, cargo, bankruptcies and aircraft repossessions. With vast experience representing non-U.S. companies, we have uncommon familiarity with issues relating to service of process and discovery across borders, jurisdiction over foreign entities, forum non conveniens and multidistrict litigation.
• General Commercial Matters
  • Our team advises on and assists with a wide range of commercial issues and agreements, including office and airport leases, airport terminal development, architect and construction contracts, ground and ramp handling agreements, catering contracts, contracts for telephone equipment, computer software and hardware, and other office and airport equipment and furnishings, CRS agreements, fuel agreements, advertising contracts, agreements relating to promotional programs and marketing agreements.
• Aviation Security
  • Pillsbury lawyers have experience in virtually all matters related to airport security. We have represented dozens of airlines in TSA regulatory and enforcement matters involving claims in the millions of dollars. Our firm has played a leading role in advising a wide variety of aviation clients on legislation, regulation and litigation involving security.
• Aerospace Manufacturers and Repair Stations
  • We represent several U.S. and European aircraft and engine manufacturers and repair stations in connection with the sale of their equipment, various manufacturer-assisted financing structures, applications for equipment certification before U.S. regulatory agencies, FAA enforcement and regulatory matters, NTSB investigations, litigation, accident liability, hazardous materials issues, and export licensing requirements.
• Environmental
  • Our aviation work includes assisting in environmental assessments and monitoring of international and national standards related to aviation greenhouse gas emissions. We have also represented clients in petitions for review in the U.S. courts of appeal in a range of administrative and environmental challenges to DOT and FAA actions.
• Public-Private Partnerships (P3s)
  • Our aviation privatization team possesses experience in all of the disciplines necessary to structure, finance, negotiate and document aviation P3s and privatization projects. Our experience includes representation of Aerostar in the successful privatization of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, under the FAA’s Airport Privatization Pilot Program. We have represented government and private entities around the world in P3 transactions ranging from infrastructure development projects to privatizations and outsourcing arrangements.