49 U.S.C. § 41709 — Records of air carriers

(a) The Secretary must prescribe the form of records an air carrier must keep, including traffic movements, money received and spent, and how long records must be kept. A carrier may keep only records the Secretary prescribes or approves. It may keep extra records only if they do not harm the integrity of the required records and are not an unreasonable financial burden.

(b)(1) When necessary to decide under the listed provisions whether a carrier is fit, willing, and able, the Secretary may inspect an air carrier’s or foreign air carrier’s land, buildings, and equipment at any time. The Secretary may also inspect records that an air carrier, foreign air carrier, or ticket agent keeps or must keep. (2) The Secretary may employ special agents or auditors for this subsection.