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BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of

MESA AIRLINES, INC.

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109

(Dallas/Ft. Worth – Monterrey, Mexico)

(Dallas/Ft. Worth – San Luis Potosi, Mexico)

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Docket DOT-OST-2015-____

APPLICATION OF MESA AIRLINES, INC.

FOR EXEMPTION AUTHORITY

Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to:

Brian Gillman

Executive Vice President,

General Counsel and Secretary

Mesa Air Group, Inc.

410 North 44th Street, Suite 700

Phoenix, AZ 85008

TEL: 602-685-4000

FAX: 602-685-4350

Robert E. Cohn

Patrick R. Rizzi

HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP

Columbia Square

555 Thirteenth Street, NW

Washington, DC 20004

+1 202 637 4999/5659

robert.cohn@hoganlovells.com

patrick.rizzi@hoganlovells.com

Counsel for

MESA AIRLINES, INC.

February 6, 2015

NOTICE: Mesa will be polling the carriers on the attached service list

about this Application and will report the polling results to the Department.
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BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of

MESA AIRLINES, INC.

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109

(Dallas/Ft. Worth – Monterrey, Mexico)

(Dallas/Ft. Worth – San Luis Potosi, Mexico)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

Docket DOT-OST-2015-____

February 6, 2015

APPLICATION OF MESA AIRLINES, INC.

FOR EXEMPTION AUTHORITY

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109 and Subpart C of the Department's Rules

of Practice (14 C.F.R. Part 302), Mesa Airlines, Inc. (“Mesa”) hereby applies for

exemption authority to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons,

property, and mail between Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas, and Monterrey, Mexico

(“MTY”), and between Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas, and San Luis Potosi, Mexico

(“SLP”), beginning on or about March 29, 2015, as soon as all requisite

regulatory approvals are obtained. Mesa requests that this authority become

effective as soon as possible for a period of at least two years, subject to the

Department’s standard conditions.

In addition, Mesa requests (i) a U.S.-Mexico operating carrier designation

for these two routes and (ii) that the Department notify the Mexican authorities

confirming Mesa’s authority to serve these two routes.

In support of this Application, Mesa respectfully states as follows:

1. Mesa is a Nevada corporation with its principal office at 410 North

44th Street, Suite 700, Phoenix, Arizona, 85008.
Application of Mesa Airlines, Inc. for Exemption Authority

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2. Mesa is a citizen of the United States within the meaning of

49 U.S.C. § 40102(a)(15) and is fit, willing, and able to provide the services

contemplated by this Application. Mesa holds various certificates of public

convenience and exemption authorities (including exemption authority to serve

certain points in Mexico). See, e.g., Notice of Action Taken, dated April 8, 2013

(Phoenix–Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Mexico) (Docket DOT-OST-2009-0109); Notice of

Action Taken, dated October 24, 2014 (DFW-Leon/Queretaro) (Docket DOTOST-2014-0179). Pursuant to Rule 24 of the Department’s Rules of Practice,

Mesa requests that the Department take official notice of all information

previously filed to establish its fitness.

3. Mesa intends to operate scheduled air service in the DFW–MTY

and DFW–SLP markets using regional jet aircraft operating under the “American

Eagle” brand.1 Awarding the requested exemption authority to Mesa will enable

Mesa and American Airlines to offer public interest benefits by providing

competition to other carriers offering trans-border U.S.–Mexico services, as well

as supporting commerce and maintaining and enhancing travel options for the

public. It will also enable American to tailor capacity to demand on these transborder routes.

4. The exemption authority and designations sought herein are fully

consistent with the U.S.–Mexico Air Transport Services Agreement, as amended

1 Mesa understands that American Airlines, Inc. has DOT authority for DFW-MTY, and will

be applying for DFW-SLP separately.
Application of Mesa Airlines, Inc. for Exemption Authority

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(“the Agreement”). Annex I(A) of the Agreement authorizes carriers designated

by the U.S. under Route 1(a) to operate from “a point or points in the United

States to a point or points in Mexico”. Annex I(B)(4) permits the U.S. to

designate two U.S. carriers to operate scheduled combination services between

any point in the U.S. and San Luis Potosi, and Annex I(B)(5) permits three U.S.

carriers to be designated for such services to Monterrey. Both American and

Envoy currently hold designations for DFW-MTY, and Envoy holds a designation

for DFW-SLP. Current plans call for Mesa to substitute for Envoy on the DFWMTY route and to operate the DFW-SLP route previously served by Envoy.

Therefore, Mesa requests that Envoy’s designations for DFW-MTY and DFWSLP be re-designated to Mesa, albeit without any interruption in service.

Inasmuch as Mesa’s service will replace Envoy’s DFW-MTY and Envoy’s DFWSLP services, no additional designation will be required.2

2

To ensure that the services on the DFW-MTY and DFW-SLP routes are not disrupted, it

is requested that the existing designations remain in place until Mesa’s Application has been

approved and the new service can commence. This process is similar to that previously approved

by the Department on several recent occasions. See, e.g., Notices of Action Taken, dated May

27, 2014 (Dockets DOT-OST-2014-0058 and 2014-0059); dated May 12, 2014 (Dockets DOTOST-2014-0060 and 2013-0114); and dated July 29, 2014 (Dockets DOT-OST-2014-0100 and

2014-0101). Mesa intends to commence operations on DFW-MTY and DFW-SLP on or about

March 29, 2015, as soon as all regulatory approvals are received.
Application of Mesa Airlines, Inc. for Exemption Authority

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WHEREFORE, Mesa respectfully requests that the Department grant

Mesa’s Application for exemption authority and designations to engage in

scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between

Dallas/Ft. Worth and Monterrey, Mexico, and between Dallas/Ft. Worth and San

Luis Potosi, Mexico, for at least two years, as requested herein.

Respectfully submitted,

_____________________________

Robert E. Cohn

Patrick R. Rizzi

HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP

555 Thirteenth Street, NW

Washington, DC 20004

+1 202 637 4999/5659

Counsel for

MESA AIRLINES, INC.
Application of Mesa Airlines, Inc. for Exemption Authority

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing Application of Mesa Airlines, Inc.

for Exemption Authority has been served this 6th day of February, 2015, upon each

of the following addressees:

dheffernan@cozen.com; jeremy.ross@alaskaair.com; howard.kass@aa.com;

robert.wirick@aa.com; sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com; chris.walker@delta.com;

matwood@cozen.com; slachter@cozen.com; jhill@cooley.com;

perkmann@cooley.com; bob.kneisley@wnco.com; leslie.abbott@wnco.com;

dkirstein@yklaw.com; jyoung@yklaw.com; thomas.ting@suncountry.com;

dan.weiss@united.com; steve.morrissey@united.com;

barbara.russell@virginamerica.com; brian.hedberg@dot.gov; brett.kruger@dot.gov;

englets@state.gov; info@airlineinfo.com

______________________________

Patrick R. Rizzi