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# ii c y j US . Departmen t o f Assistan t Secretar y120 0 Ne wJerseyAvenue , S E Transportatio n Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e O f th e Secretar

yOctobe r12 . 201 0 o f Transportatio n 

### Th e Honorabl e Charli e Cris t Governo r o f Florid a Tallahassee , F L3239 9 Dea r Governo r

Crist : Than k yo u for you r lette r expressin g support

for th e applicatio n o f

Delt aAi r

Line s t o provid e ne w nonsto p servic e betwee n Miam i an dLondon' s Heathro w Internationa l Airport . I amplease dt o respon dt o you r

lette r o n behal f

o f Secretar y LaHood . Th e applicatio n of

Delt afollow s fro marecen t cas e at th e U.S . Departmen t

of Transportatio n (th e Department ) in whic hAmerica n Airline s an dit s partner s i n th e "oneworld " allianc e requeste da gran t o f immunit y fro mth e antitrus t law s t o mor e closel y coordinat e thei r transatlanti c flights . In that case , th e Departmen t

approve dth e reques t

o n th e condition , amon g others , that oneworl d mak e Heathro w slot s availabl e t o competitor s t o launc hfour ne w dail y roun dtri p flights . Th e conditio n - designe dt o ensur e adequat e competitio n i n th e U.S.-U.K . marke t - als o require dthat a n independen t

truste e overse e th e transfe r o f th e slots . Base do n thi s requirement , th e proces s i n whic hal l slo t transfe r application s ar e considere di s bein g administere db y th e trustee . However , give n th e importanc e of thes e ne w airlin e service s t o U.S . consumer s an dth e airlin e industry , th e Departmen t i s involve din th e proces s t o ensur e that U.S . airline s receiv e full an dfai r consideration . Th e Europea n Commissio n ha s impose dth e sam e conditio n o n th e oneworl dallianc e an dcreate dadetaile dmechanis mt o implemen t th e antitrus t remed y sinc e th e airport

i n question , Heathrow , i s subjec t t o Europea n slo t

regulation . I appreciat e you r

interes t i n Delta' s application . I f yo u hav e additiona l question s o r concerns , feel fre e t o contac t

me . Inctfrely yours .

fusa n L . Kurlan d ssistan t Secretar y for AviSftio n an dInternationa l Affair s810-100920-01 2 

## CHARLI ECRIS T GOVERNO R Septembe r15 , 201 0 Commissione rJoaqui n Almuni a Vice-Presiden t o f th e Europea n Commission , Responsibl e fo rCompetitio n Polic yEuropea n Commissio n B-104 9 Brussel s Th e Honorabl e Ra yLaHood , Secretar y Unite d State s Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne wJerse yAvenue , S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Re : Applicatio n o f Delt a Ai rLine s fo rMiami-Londo n Heathro wSlot s Dea rMr . Vice-Presiden t an d Mr . Secretary : I a m writin g t o enthusiasticall ySijppQT t th e applicatio n oLD.elta.Ai rLine s t o provid e competitiv e nonsto p servic e o n th e Mjami-Londo n Heathro wroute . Londo n i s a ver yimportan t internationa l marke t fo rMiam i busines s an d leisur e traveler s alike , an d th e introductio n o f ne wservic e b yDelt a wil l hel p t o ensur e effectiv e competitio n followin g th e gran t o f antitrus t immunit yt o America n an d Britis h Airways . Delt a operate s mor e servic e i n Florid a tha n an yothe rairlin e an d ha s a larg e bas e o f customer s an d frequen t fliers . Delta' s SkyTea m allianc e partner s Ai rFrance , Alitalia , Aeromexic o an d Ai rEurop a al l serv e Miami , an d th e additio n o f nonsto p Delt a servic e t o Londo n wil l significantl yenhanc e competitio n amon g th e thre e majo r alliances . Thi s i s particularl yimportan t sinc e SkyTea m ha s fewe rslot s a t Londo n Heathro wtha n th e Oneworl d an d Sta rAllianc e carriers . Touris m i s Florida' s numbe ron e industry , employin g ove ron e millio n Floridians , an d th e Unite d Kingdo m i s Florida' s to p internationa l visito rmarite t afte rCanada . Th e additio n o f ne wservic e b yDelt a o n th e Miami-Londo n rout e wil l serv e a s a catalys t fo r touris m an d commerce . Accordingly , w e urg e yo u t o gran t Delta' s request .

Charii e Cris t TH E CAPITO L TALLAHASSEE , FLORID

A3239 9 • (850 ) 488-227 2 • FA X (850 ) 922-429 2