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 a joint 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 ofJustice'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 recentOpen 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· ofthe 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