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Assistant Secretary i;; <,.:; S 1200 New Jersey AI/enue, SE U.S. Department Washington, OC 20590 of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Tra nsportation 

MAR 1 7 2010 


The Honorable Paul A. Sarlo 


New Jersey Senator 


Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075 


Dear Mr. Sarlo: 

Thank: you for your letter of March 3 supporting the application for antitrust immuirity filed by 

All Nippon Airways, United Air Lines, and Continental Airlines. The Secretary has asked that I 

respond to your letter directly. 

As you may know, the applicants-members of the Star Alliance-are seeking antitrust 

immunity to closely coordinate flights between the United States and Asia. According to the 

application, the alliance partners plan to launch a joint venture for conveyance of transpacific 

traffic. 

The application is administ~red in a public docket, which ensures that interested parties have the 

opportunity to comment. The U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) will evaluate the 

application according to rigorous statutory standards, beginning with a review ofthe record to 

determine if it is substantially complete. Decisions on the application are made in consultation 

with the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division following a thorough analysis of 

competitive factors. As this matter is now pending, I hope you understand that I cannot 

comment on the merits ofthe application. I can assure you, however, that DOT will give full 

and fair consideration to the application as well as any .comments filed in the docket. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2009....as a contact outside the record in this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this proceeding. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

f\ssistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
S 10-100309-037 


NEW JERSEY SENATE 


PAULA SARLO COMMITTEES 

DEPUTY MAJORITY LEADER CHAIRMAN 

36TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT JUDICIARY 

207 HACKENSACK STREET - 2ND FLOOR LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTIEE 

WOOD-RIDGE, NJ 07075 VICE-CHAIRMAN 

fRONS: (201) 804-8118 BUDGET & APPROPRIATIONS 

FAX: (201) 804-8644 LABOR 


March 3, 2010 


The Honorable Ray LaHood; Secretary 

United State Department of Transportation 


1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE . 


Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

I am writing in support ofthe ContinentallUnitedlAll Nippon Airways joint application for antitrust 

immunity and approval for the three carriers to create the first ever joint airline venture between the 

U.S. and Asia. 

Last year; (supported Continental's Trans-Atlantic antitrust immunity and joint venture application 

to join the Star Alliance given the consumer benefits it would provide. Continental's subsequent 

entrance into Star has enhanced competition among all three global alliances in the NewarklNew 

York City region and, for instance, is the primary reason Continental is launching new non-stop 

service between Newark Liberty and Munich, Germany later this year. I am confident that approval 

ofthe Pacific application can also be helpful to Continental in expanding its network in the Pacific 

region once economic conditions warrant. 

I firmly believe cooperation among airlines benefits air travel consumers, airline competition, and 

drives jobs and economic growth. With the recent U.S. - Japan open skies agreement, barriers to 

new air service between our region and points in Japan have been removed. Antitrust immunity will 

enable all three airlines to make coordinate decisions that will give airline customers and shippers 

more flight choices, more itinerary options, and moreJares to choose from when traveling between 

the U.S. and Asia. . 

I encourage you to approve this joint application as promptly as possible. 

Sincerely, 

(J/'l/y., 

Paul A. Sarlo, . i:: . 


Senator,District 36 


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