U.S. Department Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 of Transportation 

Office· of the Secretary May 11,· ~OlO 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Tom Martin 

Mayor of Lubbock 

Lubbock, TX 79457 

Dear Mayor Martin: 

Thank you for your letter ofApril 12 supportingthe application for ant~trust immunity filed by 

American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on behalf ofSecretary LaHood. 

As you may know, the applicants-members of the oneworld Alliance-are seeking antitrust . 

immunity to closely coordinate flights between the United States and Asia. According to the 

application, the alliance partners plan to launch a joint venture for conveyance oftranspacific 

traffic. 

The application is administered in a public docket, which ensures that interested parties have the 

opportunity to comment. TheU.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will evaluate the 

application according to rigorous statutory stmdards, beginning with a review ofthe record to 

determine ifit is substantially complete. Decisions on the application are made in consultation 

with theU.S. Department ofJustice's Antitrust Division following a thorough analysis of 

competitive factors. As this matter is now pending, I hope you understmd that I cannot 

comment on the merits ofthe application. I can assure you, however, that DOT will give full 

and fair consideration to the application as well as any comments filed in the docket. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2010-0059 as a contact outside the record in this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this proceeding. 

for 
S I 0- ] 0041 9-008 


Tom Martin *Mayor 

April 12,2010 

The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secretary 

U.S. Department ofTransportation 


1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 


Washington, DC 20590 


Docket DOT-OST-2010-__ 


, Dear Mr. Secretary: 

Thank you for the opportunity to express my for the application for antitrust, 

immunity and proposed joint business agreement filed by American Airlines and Japan 

Airlines. The proposed alliance between these two airlinesTsVitarfor oneworld to 

compete effectively with the Star and SkyTeam alliance. This increased interalliance 

competition will in tum enhance the benefits of the Department's Open Skies policyfirst by solidifying U.S.-Japan Open Skies, then by serving as a foundation for further 

liberalization across Asia. 

After a thorough review, I encourage the Deparnnent of Transportation to approve this 

application as it would enable these oneworld alliance airlines to work closely together to 

deliver highly competitive air transportation services. Approval for AAlJAL alliance will 

have a positive impact on air travel by offering customers more service, scheduling and 

pricing options and will help to ensure that customers continue to benefit from having 

three competitive air alliances to choose from. 

I urge you to quickly approve this_lWplication. 

Sincerely, 

~~ Tom. Martin 


Mayor 


l ty Hall * 162513t1'rStreet * P.O. Box 2000 * Lubbock. Texas 194,57 * (806)775-2010* Fax (806)775-3335

Email: tmartin@mylubbock.us , 

.'