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Motio n o f NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . Fo rConfidentia l Treatmen t Unde rSectio n 302.1 2 Docke t OST-96-163 8

MOTIO N O F NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . T O WITHHOL D INFORMATIO N FRO M PUBLI C DISCLOSUR E Communication s witl i respect t o thi s documen t slioul d b e sen t to : Alexande rVa n de rBelle n Managin g Directo rGovernmen t Affair s & Associat e Genera l Counse l Delt a Ai rLines , Inc . 121 2 NewYor k

Avenue , N.W . Suit e 20 0 Washington , D C 2000 5 (202)842-418 4 sascha . vanderbelle n @ delta , co m Specia l Counse l fo r NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . Ma y4 , 201 0BEFOR E TH E DEPARTMEN TO F TRANSPORTATIO N OFFIC E O F TH E SECRETAR Y WASHINGTON , D.C .

Motio n o f NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . Fo rConfidentia l Treatmen t Unde rSectio n 302.1 2 Docke t OST-96-163 8

MOTIO N O F NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . T O WITHHOL D INFORMATIO N FRO M PUBLI C DISCLOSUR E

Pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R 302.12 , Northwes t Airlines , Inc . ("Northwest" ) hereb yfile s thi s Motio n t o Withhol d Fro m Publi cDisclosur e certai n commerciall yan d competitivel ysensitiv e informatio n containe d i n Northwest' s For m 4 1 Schedule s B-7 , Airfram e an d Aircraf t Engin e Acquisition s an d Retirements , an d B-43 , Inventor yofAirframe s an d Aircraf t Engines . Northwes t i s require d t o provid e th e confidentia l informatio n containe d i n Schedule s B- 7 an d B-4 3 pursuan t t o Par t 24 1 o f th e Department' s Economi cRegulations , 1 4 CF R 241 .

Th e informatio n fo rwhic h Northwes t i s requestin g confidentia l treatmen t fall s withi n Exemptio n 3 ofth e Freedo m o fInformatio n Act 5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(3) , whic h exempt s fro m disclosur e informatio n require d b ystatut e t o b e withheld . Exemptio n 3 provide s that :

(b ) Thi s sectio n doe s no t appl yt o matter s tha t ar e .. .

* # * (3 ) specificall yexempte d fro m disclosur e b ystatut e (othe rtha n sectio n 552(b ) o fthi s title) , provide d tha tsuc h statut e (A) require s tha t th e matter s t o b e withhel d fro m th e publi ci n suc h a manne ra s t o leav e n o discretio n o n th e issue , o r(B ) establishe s particula r criteri a fo rwithholdin g o rrefers t o particula rtype s of matter s t o b e withheld ; Sectio n 4011 5 ofTitl e 4 9 ofth e Unite d State s Code , formerl ySectio n 110 4 ofth e Federa l Aviatio n Act , provide s tha t th e Secretar yofTransportation , upo n motion , shal l orde rinformatio n withhel d fro m publi cdisclosur e whe n disclosur e ofth e informatio n woul d "hav e a n advers e effect o n th e competitiv e positio n o fa n ai rcarrie ri n foreig n ai rtransportation. " Th e Departmen t ha s previousl yfoun d tha t th e aircraft dat a reporte d o n For m 4 1 Schedule s B- 7 an d B-4 3 fo rwhic h Northwes t herei n seek s confidentia l treatmen t woul d produc e th e har m specifie d i n Sectio n 40115. ^ Th e Department , i n grantin g confidentialit yt o United , stated :

Unite d compete s wit h foreig n ai rcarrier s tha t d o no t repor t informatio n abou t th e cos t ofthei rindividua l airframe s an d aircraft engines . Thi s lac k

ofavailabl e aircraf t cos t informatio n fro m foreig n ai rcarrier s create s a n environmen t wher e foreig n carrier s ar e abl e t o acces s U.S . carrie raircraft cos t informatio n fro m th e Department' s publi crecords , bu t U.S . carrier s ar e unabl e t o acces s comparabl e dat a fo rthei rforeig n competitors . Thi s lac k ofreciproca l acces s erode s th e competitivenes s ofUnite d vi s a vi s it s foreig n competitors . Therefore , th e releas e ofaircraft inventor ycos t dat a reporte d o n United' s For m 4 1 Schedul e B- 7 ... , an d Schedul e B-4 3 ... , woul d produc e th e har m specifie d i n Sectio n 1104 . Consequentl ythi s informatio n wil l b e withhel d fro m disclosur e unde rExemptio n 3 of FOI Aan d Sectio n 110 4 ofth e Act . Lik e United , Northwes t compete s wit h foreig n carrier s tha t d o no t repor t informatio n abou t th e cos t ofthei rairframe s an d aircraf t engine s ye t ar e fre e t o obtai n U.S . carrie rinformatio n fro m th e Department . I t woul d b e damagin g t o Northwes t t o requir e i t t o divulg e t o it s non-reportin g foreig n fla g competitor s th e fruit s o fit s competitiv e effort s wit h aircraf t manufacturer s t o secur e th e

^ See e^ , Lette ro

fOffic e o fAirlin e Statistic

s grantin g IVIotion o

fUnited Airlines , Inc. , date d Decembe r 29 , 199 3 (Docke t 48726) . Th e Department also grante d confidentia l treatmen t t o Schedules B- 7 o fAmerica n (b ylette rdate d Novembe r1,1993 , Docke t 48800) an d Delt

a (b ylette rdated March 29,1993 , Docke t 48649) .bes t possibl e purchas e price. ^ Th e Department , whe n decidin g United' s confidentialit ymotion , grante d Unite d a ten-yea r confidentia l perio d beginnin g o n th e dat e th e informatio n wa s require d t o b e file d pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R 241.22(a) . Northwes t request s simila rprotectio n wit h respect t o th e seale d Schedule s B- 7 an d B-4 3 attache d hereto . WHEREFORE , Northwes t request s tha t th e Department , pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R 302.1 2 an d 5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(3 ) an d (4) , withhol d fro m publi cdisclosur e th e financia l informatio n containe d i n bot h Northwest' s For m 4 1 quarterl ySchedul e B- 7 an d Northwest' s For m 4 1 annua l Schedul e B-4 3 fo ra perio d o

fno t les s tha n te n years . Respectfull ysubmitted .

^ Northwes

t also submit

s tha t th e informatio n sought t o be withhel d fall s withi n Exemptio n 4 fro m th e Freedo m o

fInformatio n Act , 5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(4) , which provides protectio n fro m disclosur e fo r"trad e secret

s an d commercia l o rfinancia l informatio n obtained fro m a perso n an d privilege d o rconfidentia l " Th e requested informatio n containe d i n Northwest' s Schedules B- 7 an d B-4 3 satisf yal l thre e element

s require d fo r protectio n unde rExemptio n 4 .