U.S. Department Assistant Secretary OFJ(lY~SPORrATf\mNew Jersey Avenue, SE I ,I,{ \' U"'-C' W h' DC 20590 of Transportation Ilrl,.i\1::! ,) as IOglon, 

Office of the Secretory March 25. 2010 

of Transportation 

Mr. Patrick S. Graham, A.A.E. 

Executive Director 

Savannah Airport Commission . 

400 Airway-s Avenue 

Savannah, GA 31408 

f~'eL DearMr.~: 

Thank you for your letter ofFebruary 23 supporting the application for antitrust immunity filed 

by American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on behalf of Secretary LaHood .. 

As you may know, the applicants-members ofthe 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 of transpacific 

traffic. 

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

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

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

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

with the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division following a thorough analysis of 

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

comment on the merits of the 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..-as a contact outside the record in this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this proceeding. 

Sincerely yours, 

~~VL- Susan L. Kurland 


Assistant Secretary 


for Aviation and International Affairs 

S t0-1 00302-049 

....-~, 

SAVANNAH 

AIRPORT 

COMMISSION 

CHAIRMAN 

Sylvester C. Formey 

VICE-CHAIRMAN 

Jay ItTurner 

COMMISSIONERS 

Stephen S. Green 

, Shirley B. James 

SheldonTenenbaum 

LEGAL COUNSEL 

James B. Blacl<burn 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

Patrick S. Graham,AA E. 

Februal1 23, 2010 

The l"lonorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secretary, U.s. Department ofTransportation 

1200 NewJersey Ave, SE 

Waslllngton, DC 20590 

RE: Docket DOT-OST-2010-" 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

Thank you for the opportunity to express our support for the application for 

antitrust immunity and proposed joint business agreement filed by American Airlines 

and Japan Airlines. The proposed alliance between these two airlines is vital for the 

oneworld alliance to compete effectively with the Star and SkyTeam alliances. This 

competition will enhance the benefits of the Department's Open Skies policy ~ first 

by solidifying U.s. ~ Japan Open Skies, then by serving as a foundation for further 

liberalization across Asia. 

After a thorough review. we encourage the Department 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 AA/JAL alliance will have a positive ilnpact on air travel by offering customers 

more service. scheduling and pricing options and will help to ensure that customers 

continue to benefit from the competition afforded by three competitive air alliances. 

We encourage the quick approval of this application. 

...... 400 AIRWAYS AVENUE' SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31408 • 912.964.0514 P • 912.964.osn F • WWVII.SAVANNAHAIRPORT.COM