Each certificated air carrier shall retain its records according to the provisions of this section. Unless otherwise specified in the ``Schedule of Records,'' each retention period shall begin on the date when the records are created or otherwise come into the possession of the carrier.
Schedule of Records
[See footnote at end of table]------------------------------------------------------------------------
Category of records Retention period------------------------------------------------------------------------1. General and subsidiary ledgers or their
equivalents:
(a) General ledgers; subsidiary or auxiliary 3 years.
ledgers.
(b) Indexes to general and subsidiary Do.
ledgers.2. Journals and journal vouchers:
(a) General and subsidiary journals, and 3 years.
journal vouchers.
(b) Papers forming a part of, or necessary Do.
to explain, journal entries; entry numbers.3. Voucher distribution registers or their Do.
equivalent.4. Accounts receivables and payables:
(a) Traffic accounts receivable or payable, Do.
detailed journals and ledgers or their
equivalents, together with supporting
papers.
(b) General accounts receivable or payable, Do.
detailed journals and ledgers or their
equivalents, together with supporting
papers.
(c) Copies of invoices issued by the carrier 1 year.
which have been settled and all supporting
papers.
(d) Copies of Postal Service Forms: Weekly 30 days.
Summary of Airmail Dispatch (No. 2729) and
POD Airmail Exemption Record (No. 2734)
supporting mail pay claims which have been
settled.5. Subsidy records:
(a) For each calendar year, all monthly 3 years.
records of operations, such as tabulations
and summaries of miles flown and passenger-
miles flown, pertaining to or part of
operational records relevant to computation
of subsidy mail pay.
(b) For each calendar year, all basic Do.
original documents, such as pilots' flight
logs and passenger lists relevant to a
determination of the validity of a
carrier's operations described in item (a)
above.6. The papers, records, or other evidence Do.
supporting financial and statistical reports
to the BTS. These should include among others
the following specific records: Internal
administrative or operating reports; system
reports of aircraft movements by trip number,
showing arrivals, departures, flight delays
and related information; bonds and other long-
term debt records; stock records; corporate
organization records; financial data in
support of subsidy claims; minutes of
meetings; carrier internal reports on
internal controls and other internal audits
and procedural studies; operational,
management, accounting, financial, and legal
service contracts and agreements; records and
agreements relating to the lease or purchase
and sale of company assets, including title
papers, deeds, and similar records; insurance
records; property and equipment records; tax
records; accountants' and auditors' reports;
records of receipts and disbursements
including bank statements, check registers
and cancelled checks; payroll registers of
salaries and wages paid; cost accounting
records for work orders; inventories of
materials and supplies; and other source
documents.7. Funds reports and estimates of funds....... 1 year.8. Consumer complaints:
(a) Initial correspondence and record of 3 years.
action taken.
(b) Initial trip reports:
(1) Traffic Data: Basic documents showing (\1\).
the number of passengers, and pounds of
mail and property carried.
(c) Reservations reports and records:
(1) Cards and charts constituting original 2 months.
source of passengers' names, telephone
numbers, etc.
(2) Telegrams and radio messages relating 1 month.
to the clearance of space, passenger
dispatching, etc.
(d) System report of airplane movements by 3 years.
trip number showing arrivals, departures,
delays and related information.
(e) Sales reports:
(1) Sales ticket or other similar reports 2 years.
from stations, offices and agents.
(f) Auditors' coupons....................... 1 year.
(g) Air waybills............................ Do.
(h) Flight coupons.......................... Do.
(i) Ticket refund claims records and reports Do.
(j) Records and reports relating to errors, Do.
oversales, irregularities and delays in
handling passengers.9. All documents which relate to the 2 years.
furnishing of transportation to candidates
for political office or persons acting on
their behalf which are required to be
maintained following Sec. 374a.7 of the
subchapter.
10. Correspondence and working papers relating 3 years.
to rate and route proceedings.------------------------------------------------------------------------\1\ One year-mail-property; 2 years-passengers. [ER-1214, 46 FR 25415, May 6, 1981, as amended at 60 FR 66726, Dec. 26, 1995]