What powers do state governments have regarding the regulation of routes served and rates charged by airlines?

State governments have no powers over federally certified airlines when it comes to regulating routes served and rates charged. This principle stems from the federal preemption doctrine, which grants the federal government exclusive authority to regulate air transportation in order to maintain a uniform national airspace system. The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 further solidified this by removing state regulation of airline prices and routes to promote a more competitive marketplace.

This means that while states can exercise regulatory authority in some areas, such as certain aspects of airport operations, they cannot dictate or control the fundamental aspects of airline service offerings or pricing for federally certified airlines. Airline operations, including routes and rates, fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), ensuring that the industry is uniformly regulated across the country.

The other available options imply varying degrees of state power that do not exist under the current regulatory framework, thus further emphasizing the appropriateness of the assertion that states have no regulatory power over federally certified airlines.