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# O U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n Offic e o f th e Secretar

y of Transportatio n Assistan t Secretar y MA R 1 0 201 0 120 0 Neft / Jsrss y Avenue , S E Wa$hlH{|lon , D C 2059 0 •4 <

Mr . Rex A . Tippetts , A.A.E . Director o f Aviatio n GrandJimctio n Regiona

l Airpor t Authorit y 282 8 Walke

r Fiel dDrive , Suite 30 1 GrandJunction , C O 8150 6 Dea r Mr . Tippetts : Than k yo u fo r your lette r o f Februar y 2 3 supportin g th e applicatio n fo r antitrus t immunit y jSle d by America

n Airline s an dJapa n Airlines . I a mrespondin g o n behal f

o f Secretar y LaHood . A s yo u ma y know , th e applicants—member s o f th e oneworl dAlliance—ar e seekin g antitrus t immunit y t o closel y coordinat e flight s betwee n th e Unite dState s an dAsia . Accordin g t o th e application , th e allianc e partner s plan t o launc h ajoin t venture for

conveyanc e o f

transpacifi c traffic . The applicatio n i s administere di n apubli c docket , whic h ensure s that intereste dpartie s hav e th e opportunit y t o comment . Th e U.S . Department o f Transportatio n (DOT ) wil l evaluate th e applicatio n accordin g t o rigorou s statutor y standards , beghmin g wit h arevie w o f

th e recor dt o determine i

f it i s substantiall y complete . Decision s on th e applicatio n ar e mad e i n consultatio n wit h th e U.S . Department

o f Justice' s Antitrus t

Divisio n follovrai g athoroug h analysi s o f competitiv e factors . A s thi s matte r i s no w pending , I hop e yo u understan dthat I canno t commen t o n th e merit s o f

th e application . I ca

n assure you , however , that DO T wil l giv e ful

l an dfai r consideratio n t o th e applicatio n a s wel l a s an y comment s filedi n th e docket . A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acop y o f

your letter an dthi s respons e i n Docket DOT-OST-2010-003 4 a s acontac t outsid e th e recordi n thi s matter . I appreciate your interes t i n thi s proceeding . Sincerely yours ,

Susa n L . Kurlan d Assistant Secretar y fo r Aviatio n an

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# GRAN D JUNCTIO N f REGIONA L AIRPOR T Gran d Junctio n Regiona l Airpor t Autiiorit y 282 8 Wallce rFiel d Drive , Suit e 30 1 • Gran d Junction , C O 8150 6 (970 ) 244-910 0 • Fox: (970 ) 241-910 3 • www.gjairport.co m

Februar y23,201 0 Th e Honorabl e Raymon d H . LaHoo d Secretar y U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse yAve , S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Docke t DOT-OST-2010-003 4 Dea rMr . Secretary : Than k yo u fo rth e opportunit yt o expres s m ysuppor t fo rth e applicatio n fo rantitrus t immunit yan d propose d join t busines s agreemen t file d b yAmerica n Airline s an d Japa n Airlines . Th e propose d allianc e betwee n thes e tw o airline s i s vita l fo rth e oneworl d allianc e t o compet e effectivel y wit h th e Sta ran d SkyTea m alliances . Thi s increase d allianc e competitio n wil l i n tur n enhanc e th e benefit s o f th e Department' s Ope n Skie s polic y- firs t b ysolidifyin g U.S . -Japa n Ope n Skies , the n b yservin g a s a foundatio n fo rfurthe rliberalizatio n acros s Asia . Afte ra thoroug h review , I encourag e th e Departmen t o f Transportatio n t o approv e thi s applicatio n a s i t woul d enabl e thes e oneworl d allianc e airline s t o wor k closel ytogethe rt o delive rhighl ycompetitiv e ai r transportatio n services . Approva l fo rAA/JA L allianc e wil l hav e a positiv e impac t o n ai rtrave l b yofferin g customer s mor e service , schedulin g an d pricin g option s an d wil l hel p t o ensur e tha t customer s continu e t o benefi t fro m th e competitio n afforde d b ythre e competitiv e ai ralliances . t urg e yo u t o quickl y approv e thi s application . Sincerely , RexA . Tippetts , A.A.E . Directo ro f Aviatio n