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The Honorable Madeleine Z. Bordailo 

U. S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congresswoman Bordailo: 

Thank you for your letter addressed to Secretary LaHood supporting the application of 

Aviation Services, Ltd. d/b/a Freedom Air (Freedom Air), for authority to engage in 

foreign charter air transportation. 

As you are aware. Freedom Air has applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation for 

a certificate to provide foreign charter air service. Several pleadings from interested 

parties have been filed in response to Freedom Air's application. Presently, the 

Department is reviewing the information submitted by Freedom Air in support of its 

fitness and all comments on the record. 

Since this matter is contested, I am unable to comment on the merits of the case. I assure 

you, however, that the Department is working as expeditiously as possible and giving full 

consideration to Freedom Air's application and all comments on record. 

As is our normal practice, 1 am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2010-0153 as a contact outside the record of this matter. 1 appreciate your 

interest in this proceeding. 

Sincerely yours. 

>usan L. Kurlani 

'Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO /-"~\ NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE 

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(202)225-1188 Ife^iallllliarj?' ^ 

FAX : (202) 226-0341 ^\4iT^W^ 

DISTRICT OFFICE: ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE 

120 FATHE R DUENAS AVENU E „ _ ^ ^ ^,^ . ^ ,^ ^ SUBCOMMITTEE ON REAONESS 

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(671)477-4272 

FAX : (671)477-2587 

hnp://www.house.gov/borclallo 

donsress of the lanlted States 

tousEofHepresEntatinEs 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL 

June 17,2010 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, SW 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood, 

I write in support of the pending application (DOT-OST-2010-0153) of Aviation 

Services, Ltd. (Freedom Air) which seeks authority from the U.S. Department of 

Transportation to expand its charter air transportation services to and from Guam. 

Freedom Air is a US citizen owned air carrier based on Guam and it currently serves the 

islands of Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan. It enjoys a strong reputation on Guam and is 

seeking to expand its passenger services to include flights from Guam to Hong Kong, 

Manila, Shanghai, Taipei and Palau. These proposed routes would provide a substantial 

boost to Guam's local tourism economy and I ^lly support its approval. 

Freedom Air has been in operation for more than thirty years, during which time 

it has grown and steadily expanded its charter services. The pending expansion of 

Freedom Air's passenger services would provide a significant economic benefit to the 

islands of Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan. For these island economies, tourism is a 

primary source of economic growth, government revenue, and employment. 

On Guam alone, tourism accounts for a third of the Island's GDP and 

approximately one quarter of all jobs. Freedom Air's pending expansion would increase 

Guam's access to growing Asian economies and has the potential to expand consumer 

choices, stimulate price competition and reduce travel costs for consumers. These new 

choices and lower costs would make Guam and its neighboring islands a more attractive 

tourist destination, and in doing so will grow our respective tourism industries. 

Further, the support services necessary for Freedom Air to provide longer-range 

air charter service will directly create many well-paying local jobs. These new highskilled jobs will serve to diversify Guam's economy and promote its continued growth in 

the future. 
The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

June 17, 2010 

Page Two of Two 

Again, given the many direct and indirect benefits from the pending expansion of 

Freedom Air's passenger routes, I support the approval of its application. I appreciate 

your attention and consideration of this matter and hope that it will be favorably 

considered by your Department. 

Sincerely, 

lADELEINE Z^ORDALLO 

Member of Congress