### As is 

### our normal practice) 

### I am placing 

### a cop letter and this resp 

### in this matter. I 

### in Docket 

### THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590

April 61 2010

TIle Honorable Pat Quinn Governor of Illinois Chioago,IL 60601



### Dear Governor Quinn:

Thank you for your lette.r supporting the application 

### for antitrust immunity filed by All Nippon Airways; United Airlhles,and Continental Airlines.

As you may know, the applioants-members ofilie Star Alliance-are seeking antitrust inlmunity to closely coordinate flights between the United States and Asia. According to the application, the alliance partllers plan t() launch ajoint venture for transpacifio traffic.

The application 

### is administered in a public docket, whichepsures that interested parties 

### have the opportunity to comment. The 

### U.s. Departmel1t ofTransportation (DOT) will evaluate the application according to rigorous statutory standards, beginning With a review ofthe record 

### to detennine ifit is substantially complete. Decisions on the application are made in consultation 

### with the U.S. Department of Justice's AntitrustDivision following a thorough analysis of competitive factors. As this matter is now pending, Pm sure you understand that I cannot comment on the merits of the application. I assure you, however, that DOT 

### will give full and fair consideration to the application as well as any comments filed in the docket.

DOT.,OST

..2009"- as a contact outside this proceeding.

### S 1 0-091231-005

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR IRIC. 

### roo w, Sun! 16·100 (111(;\(\, I, ·IUINI)I<; 6060 I 

### PAr QUINN**G()\jEI~NOR**



### 'me HonombleRllymolldH.LaHood Secl'etary. 

### United States DeparHnent .of 

### Tt'nnsportatidn 12()O New Jersey Avenue, 

### S.E

.

.**W~shinglon,** D;C: 20590



### Dear Secretary LuHQod:

We"re writing 

### lQcXpresf\ ourstrQIlg suppqrtfor**the~\tltiuu~l** immunity (A TI) 

### appUcationfiled by United 

### Airlines, 

### ContlnentalandAUNippon Airways (ANA) 

### with 

### the U.S. Pepartmcntof**Transp~ntati()n** 

### (POT).**OOT~ppr()val** 

### wiII enable these airlines 

### t9 deliver**th~ cOnl~titiv~**  

### fligh(schedules. fal'esandscrvicescOIlsurtlcrs denuUld.

)'OlJl' 

### Jeadcrship in this**.matt~r** 

### wiHeosute Jhn(lil¢Uhit¢d**Stat~s .r~Alii~sthe**  

### benefitso( the 

### recent Open Skies 

### aviation agreement between 

### the govemmcntsof the 

### UniledSlates und 

### Japan, which 

### wUlnqt$o**int{}effe¢tunles~** 

### Wld until DOT grants the**ATlr~q[.~st.** 

### .opcnSkies 

### with**Jap~nis a.len()rmO~:f~19~ievementand**  

### will produce 

### significant.**benefi~sforeonsumers,.ccnnpetilion** 

### .andairHneemployees, .Approval 

### oftbis. imp«irtantapplicutJQl1**wilb:l)tJxoi1:~i?;e Ul¢:~~ne1'i~~** **tQth~Ulli~~** 

### St,at.es· of

### the Open Skies 

### agr@ment with 

### JapnnbyptovidingfNwelers more airline seals, 

### destinations, 

### routings. ·schedl.t:les nndprices.

.
In 

### this ehl,dlengingcconol1licenvlr(;)llment! 

### ouralrlhlcs need 

### to pursue aU oppqrtunities 

### to all()w.Utclll 

### and lbe 

### communilies**IheY$erv~tostayc()mpetitive** 

### in an incren/iinglyglobal·marketplacciApprovalofthi!-; appllciltionwouldalJow.thesc airlines**tQgeneratesi~njficaot** 

### price nnd servicebenefitsforCOll$UiJlcrs,belppreserve and 

### erihl.ttlcl} service**~pconlrnuni(ies thro~gholit**  

### tlIt':**UQit~Statell.** undcQtl1petclllore 

### effectively willlother itltcl'natiOnatl airlines**~md** 

### alliaiices.

We tht(rik 

### you for 

### your wQfk 

### toachic"cthe:**u.,S,~Jap~kn** Open 

### Skiesagreeilloot 

### and 

### look forwardtQ<yourapprovld ofthc pelldillgapplicmtion.

# f1t-cp~ Pal 

### Quinn. Governor