U.S. Department of Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation April 16, 2015 Mr. John Mietus LawOffices ofJohn Mietus LLC 6701 Democracy Blvd Suite 300 Bethesda, MD 20817 1200 NewJerseyAvenue SE Washington DC 20590

RE: Dockets DOT-OST-2014-0012113, Application ofEastern Air Lines Group, Inc. for a Certificate ofPublicConvenience andNecessity DearMr. Mietus: The purpose ofthis letter is to notify you ofour ruling on your request for confidential treatment filed in support ofthe certificate application of Eastern Air Lines Group, Inc. ("Eastern"), in Dockets DOT-OST-2014-0012/13 requesting authority to engage in interstate and foreign charter airtransportation ofpersons, property, and mail. Eastern filed a motion in the above-referenced dockets on April 15,2015,requesting that Exhibit P, the FAA license numbers ofEastern's key personnel, be considered for confidential treatment under 14 CFR 

### § 302.12 (Rule 12) ofourrules.
In support ofits request, Eastern states that the information at issue meets the requirements for exemption from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. Section 552(b)(4), and notes thatthe Departmenthad previously found that confidential treatment for this information was appropriate. Rule 12 instructs us to evaluate requests for confidential treatment by the standards ofdisclosure found in the Freedom ofInformation Act (5 U.S.C. section 552). Information may be withheld from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) ifit is (1) commercial or financial, (2) obtained from a person outside ofgovernment, and (3) privileged or confidential 

### (Gulfand Western Industries, Inc. v. UnitedStates, 615F.2d 527, 529 (D.C. Cir. 1979)). There is no question that the information for which Eastern seeks confidential treatment is financial orcommerci1:1:l in nature and that it was obtained from a person outside the government. The remaining question is whether the information is privileged or confidential--whether "disclosure ofthe information is likely to have either ofthe following effects: (1) impair the Government's ability to obtain necessary information; or (2) cause substantial harm to the competitive position from whom the information was obtained" 

### (National Parks and Conservation Association v. Morton, 498 F.2d 765,770 (D.C. Cir.1974)). Further, to be privileged or confidential, the information must not be ofthe type that is usually released to the public 

### (Gulf and Western Industries, Inc. v. United States, 615F.2d 527,530 (D.C. Cir. 1979)).2
We have reviewed the material submitted and have decided to grant confidential treatment for the information for which suchtreatment is sought. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Ifyou have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to contact Katy O'Toole of my staff at (202) 366-9998 or via email at Catherine.

### 0 'Toole@dot.gov. Sincerely,

. emo Chief, AirCarrierFitness Division Office ofAviation Analysis

cc: Dockets DOT-OST-2014-0112113

Mr. Edward J. Wegel President and CEO Eastern AirLines Group, Inc. Miami International Airport Miami FL 33142
Mr. Pat McLaughlin Mr. Brian Karns Federal Aviation Administration South Florida CMO