U;S.~of 1200 New Jt)r$QY Av(II1I.1I!. Sf 

~tkln W<»hillglon, DC 20590 

OffIceor·tf:leSeaetary JUN 08 or~ion 

TIle Honorable Richard M. Duley 

Mayor (]f Chicago 

Chicago, II. 60602 

Dear Mayor Daley: 

Thank you fOl'YOUf letter to Secretary LaHood supporting the application tor antitrust immunity 

filed by Americnn Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on benalfoftheSecretary. 

As you may know, the applicants"':"""'lilcmbers ofthe otlcworld Alliance-are seeking antitrust 


immunity to closely coordinate flights bet.veen the United States and Asia. A~cording to the 


application, the alliance partners pI un to launch ajoinl vent(Irefor ttanspac.ific traffic. 


TheappHcation is administered ina public docket. which ensures that interested pID't.ies have the 

opportUl1ity tocomrnent. TbeU.S. Department ofTrnnsportatiQO (DOT) will evaluate the 

appIiciation according. to rigorous statutory Standards, beginning with a review ofthe record to 

determineifitls substantiaUycomplete. Decisi()Jls on theapplicatitmare nuu,.ie iticonsultation 

wi.th thelJ.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust DivisiotltbHowing a thorough analysis of . competitive factors. As this matter is now pending. I hope yOll understand that the Department 

cannot comment on the Ineritsof the application. luan assure YOll, however,thatDOT will give 

full unafmr consideration to the application as well as any comments filed in the docket. . 

As is our normalpractice~ a copy of your letter and this response is being placed in Docket 

. DOT;..OST·2010·00.59 as Hconlact outside the record in this matter. We apprecia.teyour interest 

in this proceeding. 
.. . ----------­

S I 0-1 O()."j 30-0 I (. 

OFFICE OF THE KAYOR 

CITY 01' CBICA,OO 

mCBAlm :N. D.6.LEY 


MAYOR 
 March 3,2010 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary laHood: 

I write you to ufge the expeditious approval of the application for antitrust Immunity 

filed by American Airlines and JAL, both members of the oneworfd Alliance. These carriers 

recently entered into a business agreement that will improve the efficiencies of moving 

people and cargo between North America and Asia. These carriers will link millions of 

business and vacation travelers between 150 airport markets In the U.S. and 65 cities in 

Japan, China, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. 

Approval of the ~titrust Immunity application will allow American and JAL to fully 

cooperate in setting schedules and fares that are competitive and convenient tothalr 

passengers. This will put these carriers on the same "evel 8S competitors ~ho already have 

antltNlt Immunity or have petitions flied with, your office and serve many of these same 

markets. The resulting airline ,competition will be a boon to U.S. companies that will use 

the O'Hare International Airport gateway to expand further Into Asian markets. Further 

penetration into these markets will strengthen our local economy which has been damaged 

recently by the severe global recession. Our fellow citizens' Jobs will be made more secure 

and those who lost Jobs will find new opportunities for work. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation has wisely recognized the value of airlines 

being granted antitrust Immunltv In' order to develop schedules an~'f,res that best serve 

the flying publfc. The Department has granted over 26 immunity appHcations to date 

because they ensure parity among competing airline alliances and benefit consumers. The 

application filed by American and JALls one wort~v of your approval.