BEFOR E TH E DEPARTMEN T O FTRANSPORTATIO N RESEARC H AN D SPECIA L PROGRAM S ADMINISTRATIO N

WASHINGTON , D.C . Motio n o f MESAB A AVIATION , INC . fo r confidentia l treatmen t

o f document s unde r Rul e 3 9 o f

th e Rule s o f

Practic e o f th e Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 1 4 C.F.R . 302.3 9 Docke t OS T oLOl I " 007 1 .. J

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MOTIO N O F MESAB A AVIATION , INC . FO RCONFIDENTIA L TREATMEN T PURUSAN T T O RUL E 3 9 Al l communication s with respec t t o this documen t

ar e t o b e forwarde dto : Mr . Pau l M . Lope z Vic e Presiden t

an dControlle r Pinnacl e Airlines , Inc . 168 9 Nonconna h Blvd . Memphis , T N 3813 2 (901)348-410 0

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WASHDsIGTON , D.C . ) Motio n o f

) ) MESAB A AVIATION , INC . ) Docke t OS T for confidentia l treatmen t

o f document s unde r Rul e 3 9 o f

th e Rule s o f

Practic e o f th e Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 1 4 C.F.R . 302.3 9

MOTIO N O F MESAB A AVIATION , INC . FO RCONFIDENTIA L TREATMEN T PURUSAN T T O RUL E 3 9 Mesab aAviation , Inc . ("Mesaba" ) hereb y submit s thi s motio n t o withhol dfro mpubli c disclosur e certai n informatio n containe di n Mesaba' s For m41 , Schedul e B- 7 an dSchedul e B-43 , for th e quarte r

endin g Decembe r

31 , 201 0 submitte dherewith unde r seal , pursuan t

t o Rul e 3 9 o f th e Rule s o f

Practic e o f

th e Departmen t

o f Transportatio n ("DOT") . Mesab aseek s t o b e treate d a s confidentia l informatio n relatin g t o transaction s o r modification s o f

transaction s i t

ha s entere d int o with Bombardier , Inc. , an dal l previousl y submitte drequests . Mesab abelieve s that informatio n containe di n it s Schedule dB- 7 an dSchedul e B-4 3 repor t i s confidentia l an d commercially-sensitiv e data , th e prematur e publi c disclosur e o f whic h woul dcaus e substantia l injur y t o Mesaba . Mesab arequest s tha t th e dat aa

t issu e b e withhel dfrompubli c disclosur e for a perio do f te n (10 ) years . In support o f thi s motion , Mesab astate s a s follows : 1 . Th e dat afiledtoda y i s pursuan t t o Par t 24 1 o f th e DOT' s economi c regulations . Th e grea t majority o f

Mesaba' s Par t

24 1 filings ar e submitte da s publi c documents , availabl e fo r Pag e 2 o f 4 MOTIO N O F MESAB A AVIATION . INC . FO R CONFIDENTIA L TREATMEN T

PURSUAN T T O RUL E 3 9inspecfio n an dcopyin g b y member s o f th e public , includin g foreig n an ddomesti c competitor s o f Mesab aan dcompetitor s o f Mesaba' s aircraf

t an dengin e suppliers . 2 . A smal l portio n o f th e infonnatio n require dt o b e filedpursuan t t o Par t 24 1 i s o f a commercially-sensifiv e an dconfidentia l nature . I n thi s case , certai n pric e an dcos t dat acontaine d i n Mesaba' s Schedul e B- 7 an dSchedul e B-4 3 i s highly sensitiv e an dconfidential . Publi c disclosur e o f

thes e dat awoul dhav e a n advers e financial impac t o n Mesaba . Withholdin g th e dat afrompubli c disclosur e i s consisten t with th e Freedo mo f

Informatio n Ac t

( 5 U.S.C . 552 ) (th e "FOIA") , an dprecedent s thereunder . 3 . Th e reason s why thes e cos t an dpric e dat aar e commerciall y sensitiv e t o adegre e tha t require s the y b e withhel dfrompubli c disclosur e ar e a s follows :

(a ) Disclosur e o f

th e dat adiminishe s competitio n amon g th e majo r aircraf t manufacturers ; an d (b ) Disclosur e o f

th e dat aimpair s competitio n i n th e internationa l arena , becaus e Unite dState s airline s ar e require dt o revea l majo r element s o f

thei r cos t structure s whe n thei r

foreig n competitor s ar e not . 4 . Accordingl y th e dat ashoul db e withhel dfrompubli c disclosur e b y th e DOT , pursuan t t o Exemption s 3 an d4 o f th e FOI A ( 5 U.S.C . 552(b ) (3 ) an d(4)) . 5 . Unde r

Exemptio n 3 o f

th e FOIA , infonnatio n i n agenc y record s ma

y b e withhel d i f i t i s specificall y exempte dfro mdisclosur e b y astatute , provide dthat th e statut e "(A ) require s that th e matter s b e withhel dfromth e publi c i n suc h amanne r a s t o leav e n o discretio n o n th e issue , o r (B ) establishe s particular criteri afor

witliholding , o r

refer s t o particular

type s o f matter s t o b e withheld. " Sectio n 1104 o f th e Federa l Aviatio n Ac t (4 9 U.S.C . 1504) . i s exactl y th e typ e o f statut e t o whic h Exemptio n 3 refers , becaus e Sectio n 1104 require s that infonnatio n b e Page 3 o f 4 MOTIO

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E 3 9withhel db y th e DO T i f it s releas e woul d"adversel y effec t th e competitiv e positio n o f an y carrie r i n foreig n ai r

transportation. " A s se t

fort h above , th e dat awoul dhav e exactl y thi s advers e effect . 6 . Unde r

Exemptio n 4 o f

th e FOI A ( 5 U.S.C . 552(b ) (4)) , informatio n i n agenc y record s may b e withhel dtha t i s "commercia l o r

financial informatio n obtaine dfromaperso n an d privilege do r

confidential. " A s se t

fort h above , thes e dat aare o f precisel y this nature . Se e Nationa l Park s an dConservatio n Associatio n v . Morto n 49 8 F . 2 d765 , 76 9 (D.C . Cir . 1974) . WHEREFORE , Mesab arespectfull y move s that th e Departmen t

o f Transportatio n withhol dth e attached , seale ddat afrompubli c disclosur e fo r aperio dofte n (10 ) year s pursuan t t o Rul e 3 9 o f

th e Departmen t

o f Transportation' s Rule s o f Pracfice , an dgran t

suc h othe r

further relie f a s may b e deeme djus t

an dnecessary .

Respectfull y submitted , /s / Pau l M . Lope z Pau l M . Lope z Vic e Presiden t

an dControlle r Pinnacl e Airlines , Inc . 168 9 Nonconnah Blvd . Memphis , TN 3813 2 (901)348-410 0

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