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- ^ BEFOR ETH E

. FEDERA LAVIATIO NADMINISTRATIO N

OFFIC EO FHEARING S WASHINGTON , D.C . 

# RECEIVE D CE P - 1 201 1 

## I-;EARIN G DOCKE T

I NTH EMATTE RO F CONTINENTA LAIRLINES , INC . FA A Docke t No . C P FA A Cas e No . 2009SVV27009 7 Judg e No t

Ye t Assigne d

ANSWE RO F CONTINENTA LAIRLINES , INC . Pursuan t

t o Rul e 20 9 o f

th e Rule s o f

Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s (l l C.F.R . Par t

13 , Subpar t

G) , Continenta l Airlines , Inc . ("Continental " o r •'Respondent") , b y th e undersigned , fde s thi s Answe r t o th e Complain t

o f th e Federa l Aviatio nAdministratio n ("F/VA" ) i nth e above-captione dcas e tha t wa s serve db y certifie dmai l o n Jul y 22 , 2011 , an dstate s a s follows ; Admission s an dDenial s 1 . Th e procedura l histor y recite di nComplain t sectio nidentifie da s I i s ADMIITED . 2 . Th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 1 ar e ADMITTED . 3 . Th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 2 ar e ADMITTED . 4 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 3 a t thi s tim e an dintend sAnswe r

of Continenta l P air e 2 t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nF/V

A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 5 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s 1 1 4 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 6 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 5 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA.' \ Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 7 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s 1 1 6 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . I 8 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 7 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 9 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 8 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order .Answe r

oi ' Continenta l Pag e 3 10 . Th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 9 ar e ADMITTED . 11 . Th e allegation s i n Complain t paragr^ip hidentifie da s J I 1 0 ar e DENIED , pendin g discover y i n thi s matter . 12 . Th e allegation s followin g Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I T 10 , an d designate da s aan db ar e DENIED , pendin g discover y i nthi s matter . 13 . Continenta l ADMIT S tha t th e maximu mpenalt y pe r violatio nunde r

th e regulation(s ) cite di n paragrap hI I 1 0 o f th e Complain t

i s $25,000 , bu t

Continenta l DENIE S tha t

i t violate dth e rcgulation(s ) cite di nth e Complaint , pendin g discover y i n thi s matter , o r

i s otherwis e subjec t

t o acivi l penalt y i nthi s case . 14 . Continenta l DENIE S an y allegatio ni nth e Complain t no t specificall y addresse di nthi s Answer . Affirmativ e Defense s 1 . Fo r it s firs t affirmativ e defense , Continenta l assert s tha t th e FA A ha s faile dt o stat e aclai mupo n whic hrelie f ca nb e based . 2 . Fo r it s secon daffirmativ e defense . Continenta l assert s tha t th e propose d civi l penalt y i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s II I 2 i s excessiv e an dno t appropriat e unde r

th e circumstance s presented .

Relie f Requeste d Continenta l respectfull y request s tha t th e Complain t

b e dismisse dwit h prejudice .Answe r

o f Continenta l Pag e 4

Plac e o f Hearin g Continenta l request s tha t th e hearin g i nthi s matte r b o hel di nHouston , Texas , whic hi s acorporat e offic e for Responden t

an dth e plac e fro mwhic hmos t Continenta l witnesse s wil l likel y b e calle dt o testify . Duratio no f

flearint ^ Continenta l expect s a t thi s tim e tha t

th e hearin g wil l las t

tw o days , bu t

ma y tak e substantiall y longe r dependin g o nth e witnesse s t o testif y an dth e evidenc e t o b e presented . Respectfull y submitted , CONTINENTA LAIRLINES , INC .

Thoma s Newto nBoilin g Vic e Presiden t

& Associat e Genera l Counse l Augus t 26 , 201 1Answe r

o f Continenta l Pag e 5 CERTIFICAT EO FSERVIC E I certif y tha t o n thi s 20'^' ' da y o f

Augus t 2011 , 1 cause datru e cop y o f th e foregoin g Answe r

t o b e served : b y U.S . certifie dmai l (origina l an don e copy) , retur nreceip t requested , to : Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D C 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Buildin g - Suit e 2W100 0

an db y U.S . certifie dmail , retur nreceip t requested , to : Ti mDuff

, Attorne y Offic e o f Regiona l Counse l Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n Southwes t

Regio n 2G0 1 Meacha mBoulevar d For t Worth , T X 76137-429 8