BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

______________________________________

)

In the Matter of )

2013/2014 U.S./ BRAZIL COMBINATION ) Docket DOT-OST-2013-0072

FREQUENCY PROCEEDING )

______________________________________)

ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION OF US AIRWAYS, INC.

FOR AN EXEMPTION AND FREQUENCY ALLOCATION

TO SERVE PHILADELPHIA - SÃO PAULO

Communications with respect to this document should be sent to:

Rina Cutler Mark Gale, A.A.E.

Deputy Mayor, Transportation & Chief Executive Officer 

Utilities Philadelphia International Airport

City of Philadelphia Executive Offices

Municipal Services Building Terminal D/E

1401 JFK Blvd, Suite 1430 3rd Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19102 Philadelphia, PA 19153 

rina.cutler@phila.gov mark.gale@phl.org

Direct phone: (215) 686-9002 Direct Phone: (215) 937-6760

May 3, 2013

ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................................1

1. PHILADELPHIA IS THE MOST POPULOUS METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA 

STILL LACKING NONSTOP SERVICE TO BRAZIL.......................................................................................................3

2. PHILADELPHIA HAS SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL TIES TO BRAZIL...............................................................................4

3. THE ECONOMY OF PHILADELPHIA REQUIRES AND CAN SUPPORT NONSTOP SERVICES TO BRAZIL ..............4

4. PHILADELPHIA IS A RAPIDLY GROWING CENTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND A LARGE 

EXPORTER TO BRAZIL ................................................................................................................................................8

5. TOURISM IS AN IMPORTANT AND GROWING INDUSTRY IN THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA REGION.................9

6. THE PHILADELPHIA REGION CONTAINS WORLD-LEADING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.................................10

7. PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THIS REGION’S GREATEST ECONOMIC ENGINE.........................11

8. US AIRWAYS AND THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HAVE A CLOSE AND EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP.....................14

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE................................................................................................................................................18

PHL-1 Testimony of Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter ..............................................................................................20

PHL-2 Philadelphia is the 5th Largest Metro Area in the U.S., but is the Largest Without Non-Stop Service to Brazil.......22

PHL-3 Philadelphia Ranks Higher than Atlanta and Detroit* in Terms of Brazilian Population ..........................................23

PHL-4 Brazil is the Largest Overseas Latin American Traveler Market to Philadelphia ...................................................24

PHL-5 Brazil Ranks in the Top 10 Overseas Visitor Expenditures for Philadelphia..........................................................25

PHL-6 Pennsylvania Ranks 2nd Among Fortune 500 Headquarters States With No Nonstop Service to Brazil................26

PHL-7 Fortune 500 Companies Headquartered in Greater Philadelphia..........................................................................27

PHL-8 Philadelphia Ranks 5th for Total Personal Income and is the Largest Metro Area Without Nonstop Service 

to Brazil ................................................................................................................................................................28

PHL-9 Philadelphia Ranks 6th for Income Per Capita Among Top U.S. Metro Areas .......................................................29

PHL-10 Philadelphia Ranks 7th for Gross Metro Product and is the Largest Metro Area Without Nonstop Service 

to Brazil ................................................................................................................................................................30

PHL-11 Philadelphia Ranks 5th in the Nation for Financial Employment and is the Largest Applicant City in this 

Route Proceeding.................................................................................................................................................31

PHL-12 Philadelphia has Witnessed Major Growth in International Trade Since 2000 .......................................................32

PHL-13 Brazil Ranks as the Largest Export Market from Philadelphia Among Latin American Countries...........................33

PHL-14 Brazil is the Largest South American Country for Imports to Philadelphia .............................................................34

PHL-15 There are Significant Corporate Links Between Philadelphia and Brazil by Multi-National Companies..................35

PHL-16 Brazilian-Owned Companies Play a Significant Role in Philadelphia.....................................................................36

PHL-17 The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Ranks 7th for International Student Enrollment by State .............................37

PHL-18 Philadelphia International Airport Has Undertaken and Completed Over $1 Billion in Capital Improvement 

Efforts Since 2001, Expanding the Facility by 59 Gates ........................................................................................38

PHL-19 The Additions of Commuter Terminal F with 38 Gates in 2001, Terminal D Hammerhead Expansion and 

Terminal E Expansion with 4 Gates Each, as well as International Terminal A-West with 13 Gates in 2003, 

Added 59 New Gates, Practically Doubling the Size of the Facility........................................................................39

ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
PHL-20 Terminal A-West Opened With State of the Art Facilities in Spring 2003, Providing Capacity for 

US Airways to Significantly Expand its International Service .................................................................................40

PHL-21 Terminal A-West Eases International Travelers Both Into and Out of the Country with 60 Check-In 

Positions in the Expansive Ticket Lobby and 56 Passport Booths.........................................................................41

PHL-22 Terminal A-West’s Sweeping Architecture Covers Four Levels, Spreads Over 800 Thousand Square Feet, 

and Contains Award-Winning Concessions...........................................................................................................42

PHL-23 Philadelphia’s International Arrivals Hall Welcomes Visitors with Quotes from the Seminal Piece of

American Literature, the Declaration of Independence..........................................................................................43

PHL-24 US Airways Market Entry Facilitated Extraordinarily High Levels of Stimulation Every Time New 

International Service Was Added at Philadelphia ..................................................................................................44

SUPPORT LETTERS ...........................................................................................................................................................45

ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
1 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

BEFORE THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

______________________________________

)

In the Matter of )

2013/2014 U.S./ BRAZIL COMBINATION ) Docket DOT-OST-2013-0072

FREQUENCY PROCEEDING )

______________________________________)

INTRODUCTION

The City of Philadelphia (“City”) strongly supports the application by US Airways, 

Inc. (“US Airways”) for a route exemption and frequency allocation to operate a daily 

nonstop flight between São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport and Philadelphia 

International Airport (“PHL”). The proposed US Airways service would have a number 

of positive effects on the City, its region, the nation, and Brazil. Among other benefits, 

the proposed service would:

1) Create an all-new intercontinental gateway between Brazil and the 

United States to serve numerous communities and increase 

competition;

2) Promote trade, tourism, and the peaceful exchange of knowledge between 

one of America’s largest and most prominent urban destinations and a 

country of significant global importance and immense, growing potential
2 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

3) Strengthen Philadelphia’s large educational and finance sectors, positioning 

them to better compete not only in Brazil, but throughout all of South 

America;

4) Link America’s leading center of life sciences with the world’s fifth most 

populous nation, with over 200 million citizens;

5) Reinforce Philadelphia’s growing role as a commercial gateway to the world, 

both for passengers and cargo; and

6) Build on the enduring partnership between the City and US Airways that has 

brought many exciting and successful new international opportunities to 

Philadelphia and other points throughout the nation.

New Philadelphia-São Paulo service will benefit the people of both the United 

States and Brazil in their capacity as tourists, entrepreneurs, businesspeople, 

students, medical specialists, engineers, and researchers. Therefore, the City of 

Philadelphia respectfully requests that the Department of Transportation (“DOT”) grant 

expedited approval to US Airways’ application for nonstop daily, year-round 

Philadelphia-São Paulo rights.

Numerous considerations combine to demonstrate that the Philadelphia-São 

Paulo service proposed by US Airways will provide the maximal public benefits 

available in this proceeding. Each section below provides more details on these 

considerations.
3 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

1. PHILADELPHIA IS THE MOST POPULOUS METROPOLITAN 

STATISTICAL AREA STILL LACKING NONSTOP SERVICE TO BRAZIL

The Philadelphia Metropolitan Statistical Area (“Metro Area or MSA”) is the 

fifth-most populous in the nation, exceeded only by New York, Los Angeles, Chicago

and Dallas/Fort Worth (Exhibit PHL-2). It is the largest urban region served by a 

single airport, and the largest still lacking nonstop services to South America. 

Additionally, among the set of gateway cities proposed by the airlines that applied on 

March 4, 2013 for nonstop São Paulo service—American Airlines from Chicago and 

Los Angeles; Delta Air Lines from Atlanta, Detroit and New York JFK, and US Airways 

from Charlotte —Philadelphia is the only city without Brazil service. 

The Philadelphia region’s lack of services to South America in general, and 

Brazil in particular, has forced the residents of the nation’s fifth largest metropolitan 

area to rely on other intercontinental gateways. Because of this lack of air access to 

restricted nations/cities, e.g., Brazil and São Paulo, Philadelphia area residents are 

forced to find alternative routes to South America’s most populous city and nation. As 

a result, Philadelphia International Airport only captures 48% of its primary catchment 

area traffic to São Paulo, and only 46% of its primary catchment area traffic to all of 

South America.1

Philadelphia’s tourism industry and other businesses face a disadvantage in 

competing with similar firms in other cities. The US Airways proposal would restore 

a competitive balance, correct the historical aviation bias towards New York and 

Miami for Brazilian service, and provide the only opportunity for the Department to 

create a new gateway to Brazil.

 1 Philadelphia International Airport Market Share Study, 2011
4 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

2. PHILADELPHIA HAS SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL TIES TO BRAZIL

The Philadelphia region is home to almost eight thousand residents of Brazilian 

descent, which has supported cultural, business and tourism links between the two 

regions for years. In terms of this Brazilian population, Philadelphia ranks fourth

among cities lacking Brazilian nonstop services, however, the three that are larger 

than Philadelphia – Boston, Bridgeport, CT, and San Francisco, are not applicant 

cities under this proceeding. A number of MSAs with smaller Brazilian populations -

including Detroit and Atlanta – enjoy nonstop flights to Brazil. (Exhibit PHL-3).

The Philadelphia region’s Brazilian community, which is led by the Honorary 

Consul Paul Johnson, can contribute a significant “visiting-friends-and-relatives” 

element to the overall Philadelphia-São Paulo traffic, while inviting new business ties 

between the U.S. and Brazil. Brazilians represent the largest overseas Latin 

American travel group to Philadelphia and rank in the top 10 globally in numbers and 

direct expenditures per trip (Exhibits PHL-4 and PHL-5). The strong PhiladelphiaBrazil ethnic ties will ensure the success of US Airways’ proposed Philadelphia-São

Paulo flights, and a supportive, visible minority will benefit from better air services.

3. THE ECONOMY OF PHILADELPHIA REQUIRES AND CAN 

SUPPORT NONSTOP SERVICES TO BRAZIL

The economic rationale for an award of an exemption and frequencies to US 

Airways is compelling. Philadelphia has a large, diversified, and dynamic economy that 

can readily justify an award of scarce U.S.-São Paulo (and Brazil) route authority. The 

Greater Philadelphia region has become one of the major corporate centers in the 

United States. Many companies are locating or expanding facilities in the area. They are 
5 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

attracted by the area's location at the center of the country's largest market, the access 

to transportation, the availability of medical, engineering, and business schools to 

supply technical talent, and the open land for industrial park development. Center City 

Philadelphia is still the financial, governmental, and cultural hub of the region. 

Concerted efforts over the last several years by government, business leaders, and 

concerned citizens to improve Philadelphia's reputation as a corporate host have borne 

fruit, and the city is continuing to be discovered as an attractive place to live and work.

Many of America’s leading corporations have headquarters in the Philadelphia region. 

While Philadelphia ranks tenth in the nation in housing headquarters of Fortune 500 

companies, it ranks third for cities without service to Brazil, and Pennsylvania is second 

among states without service to Brazil (Exhibits PHL-6). All of those cities tied with or 

exceeding Philadelphia have nonstop Brazil services and/or are not an applicant city for 

Brazil service in this proceeding. Philadelphia is alone among applicants in this route 

case in a) not having nonstop service to São Paulo, b) not having nonstop service to 

South America, and c) not having its hub carrier, in this case US Airways, have service 

from the hub and/or the guaranteed future of service from any of its hubs.

The Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Philadelphia are Aramark, 

Comcast, Crown Holdings, and Sunoco.

2 Additionally, the Greater Philadelphia region 

houses many more Fortune 500 companies These include: DuPont in Wilmington, 

Delaware and SLM in Newark, Delaware; Lincoln National, Universal Health Services, 

UGI, and AmerisourceBergen in eastern Pennsylvania, and Campbell Soup and NRG 

Energy in Southern New Jersey (Exhibit PHL-7). Pennsylvania as a state with 

 2 Select Greater Philadelphia, Fortune Magazine, 2012
6 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia as a gateway contains 23 Fortune 500 companies in total. Given the 

preponderance of Fortune 500 headquarters throughout the northeastern U.S. (over 

26%)3 and given the Philadelphia Airport’s numerous connections to the northeastern 

U.S., a large part of corporate America would benefit from the US Airways proposal.

As is the case with its population, Philadelphia ranks fifth when compared with 

other leading cities in the United States in total personal income (Exhibit PHL-8).

 This 

places Philadelphia well above Atlanta and Detroit, and makes it the highest ranked 

applicant gateway without nonstop service to Brazil.

At the per capita income level, Philadelphia ranks sixth in the country, ahead of 

Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta (Exhibit PHL-9). Philadelphia ranks seventh

when compared with the other cities in gross metro product (Exhibit PHL-10). Again, 

this places Philadelphia well ahead of Atlanta and Detroit and makes Philadelphia the 

highest ranked applicant gateway without nonstop service to Brazil.

The City is a leading financial center, outranked only by New York, Los Angeles,

Chicago, and Dallas/Ft. Worth (all of which already have non-stop Brazilian service) in 

financial employment, with nearly 200,000 employees (Exhibit PHL-11). The financial 

sector will be pivotal to any expansion of U.S.-Brazil trade or investment. While 

modern electronic funds transfer mechanisms have greatly accelerated the pace of 

international business, there are no substitutes for direct negotiations, visiting the 

premises of a prospective partner, and shaking hands to conclude an agreement. 

High quality air service to one of the world’s largest, most populous, mineral-rich and 

economically-vibrant countries will therefore remain an absolute prerequisite for the 

City’s financial community to remain competitive. The realities and dynamics of 

 3 Ibid.
7 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

today’s international business account for the enthusiasm of the City’s financial sector 

for the US Airways proposal.

“The growth of Greater Philadelphia’s life sciences cluster is primarily the result 

of its position as a major center for the U.S. pharmaceutical industry and its strong 

local research infrastructure, which includes some of the nation’s top-ranked 

universities. The region’s eclectic mix of university research, world-renowned teaching 

hospitals, technology spin-out companies, and other start-ups, all interacting in a 

network, encourages companies to establish operations and grow in Greater 

Philadelphia. Underpinning all this interconnected activity is an evolving support 

network for entrepreneurs, including venture capitalists, high-tech absorptive capacity, 

and providers of professional services.” Innovations in genetic therapy, microsurgery, 

preventive medicine, better management of the immune system, and all other aspects 

of health care are occurring rapidly, spurred by an aging population, increasing costs, 

and the need to extend modern medicine to everyone. According to studies by the 

Milken Institute, Philadelphia is second among the leading centers of the life sciences 

industry in the U.S. in the composite index ranking the nation’s medical clusters. In 

addition, Philadelphia leads the nation in terms of the economic impact on 

Philadelphia and the growth of the industry in the region.

4 

 Many pharmaceutical companies in the Global 500 have large operations in the

Philadelphia region, including Astra-Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi. The life 

sciences industry accounts for nearly 400,000 jobs, over $20 billion in earnings, and 

nearly $40 billion in output in 2007.5 The health care industry relies on the rapid 

 4 Milken Institute, 2009

5 Ibid.
8 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

development and dissemination of ideas, frequently by direct face-to-face contact. US 

Airways’ proposed Philadelphia-São Paulo flight would stimulate growth of the local 

life sciences industry. It would link the City’s world-class health care and research 

institutions with one of the world’s largest number of potential beneficiaries.

4. PHILADELPHIA IS A RAPIDLY GROWING CENTER OF INTERNATIONAL 

TRADE AND A LARGE EXPORTER TO BRAZIL

Philadelphia is one of America’s premier and growing gateways for 

international trade. Its excellent port and airport have earned the growing recognition 

of shippers, consignees, carriers, and freight forwarders. Since 2000, total imports 

and exports from Philadelphia have almost tripled (Exhibit PHL-12). Trade with 

Brazil is a large part of this growth, not only in the City, but across the state. Brazil is 

the largest Latin export nation for Philadelphia, and the second largest for imports 

(Exhibits PHL-13 and PHL-14). Pennsylvanian exports to Brazil have steadily grown 

and now exceed $2 billion annually (fourth most in the country).

6 Brazil now ranks 

seventh in trading partners with the state of Pennsylvania, driven by the commonality 

of interests in the chemical, machinery, metal manufacturing, and mineral/ore

industries.

7,8 Many large Pennsylvania-based companies like US Steel, TIMET, 

Crown Holdings, GE Transportation and Air Products have long established joint 

ventures, manufacturing and production facilities in Brazil. Likewise, numerous 

Brazilian companies have set up shop in Pennsylvania, including Braskem, the 

global Brazilian petrochemical concern, which acquired Sunoco’s chemical business 

in 2010, Conshohocken (PA)-based meat processor Marfrig Alimentos, Wilmington, 

 6 Select Greater Philadelphia

7 U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, 2012 8 Export.gov, 2011
9 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

DE-based orange juice producer, Citrosuco North America and Gerdau Ameristeel

(Exhibit PHL-15 and PHL-16). As a result of this burgeoning trade, the 

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has had a trade representative in Brazil since 1998.

While the City’s airport and port offer access to much of the globe, a 

conspicuous gap remains—lack of direct air access to South America. A US 

Airways Philadelphia-São Paulo daily, year-round nonstop flight would operate on 

US Airways’ newest and one of its largest widebody aircraft (larger than most of the 

applicant’s aircraft choices for this proceeding), allowing importers and exporters to 

benefit from a large quantity of available space, with full capabilities for 

containerization. The route would be particularly valuable for high value per weight 

or perishable items, which are often considered “air prone.” US Airways’ proposal 

would improve the City’s position in the high-value, high-growth South American air 

freight trade.

5. TOURISM IS AN IMPORTANT AND GROWING INDUSTRY IN THE 

GREATER PHILADELPHIA REGION

As part of President Obama’s tourist initiative launched in January, 2012, he 

proclaimed “Every year, tens of millions of tourists from all over the world come and 

visit America. And the more folks who visit America, the more Americans we get back 

to work. We need to help businesses all across the country grow and create jobs; 

compete and win. That’s how we’re going to rebuild an economy where hard work 

pays off, where responsibility is rewarded, and where anyone can make it if they try.”

In Philadelphia, led by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing 

Corporation (GPTMC), the community has put forth a massive effort over the last
10 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

decade to attract more visitors to the state and to the Philadelphia region

specifically. The efforts of the GPTMC have been successful. The travel industry 

was estimated to have a $9.75 billion economic impact to the Greater Philadelphia 

Region in 2012, making tourism one of the region’s strongest economic engines. 

Of this impact, $6.5 billion was estimated to come from leisure travel, and the 

leisure travel industry created over 89,000 jobs in the region.9

In addition to Philadelphia’s traditional historic and cultural attractions that 

draw visitors interested in American history, visitors to Philadelphia cite the City’s 

easily negotiable downtown, outstanding food, and diverse cultural attractions as 

reasons to stay in the region.

However, with no current service to Brazil or South America—the efforts of 

Philadelphia to attract tourists are severely hampered when compared to other 

prominent U.S. cities. The proposed US Airways service will allow Philadelphia to 

compete with these other cities for this vital component of the City’s economy.

6. THE PHILADELPHIA REGION CONTAINS WORLD-LEADING 

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Another key attraction of the City around the globe is its cluster of worldrenowned educational institutions. The City of Philadelphia is the site of leading 

colleges and universities, including the University of Pennsylvania and its Wharton 

School of Business, Temple University, and Drexel University. Additionally, 

Philadelphia’s surrounding area includes Princeton University, which was recently 

ranked in the top 10 of the world’s best universities and tied for tops in the U.S. in the 

acclaimed U.S. News and World Report annual survey. The University of 

 9 Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation
11 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

Pennsylvania ranked twelfth in the world and eighth in the U.S. in the same polls. 

Suburban Philadelphia colleges Swarthmore, Haverford, and Bryn Mawr were all 

ranked in the same survey’s Top 20 Liberal Arts Colleges.

10

All told, there are over 80 colleges and universities in the Philadelphia region, 

making it a sought-after destination for foreign students. Brazil has over 14,000 

enrolled international students in the U.S., and Pennsylvania ranks seventh for the 

greatest number of international student enrollment by state. (Exhibit PHL-17). 

7. PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THIS REGION’S 

GREATEST ECONOMIC ENGINE

The City has long recognized the importance of aviation and its international 

airport in helping to drive the regional economy to prosper and grow. From PHL’s 

founding in 1925 as a training facility for the Pennsylvania National Guard, the Airport 

has continually expanded to meet the needs of the growing economy in the region. 

The Airport, which is self-sustaining and does not use any local tax dollars, is one of 

Pennsylvania’s major economic engines, generating $14.4 billion annually into the 

region’s economy, accounting for 141,000 jobs including 22,000 directly at PHL.

In 2012, some 30.2 million passengers traveled through PHL. The Airport was the 

10th busiest in North America in operations with 433,000 aircraft take offs and landings. 

Some 389,000 metric tons of cargo was carried on commercial airlines and a halfdozen cargo carriers at PHL.11

The City’s continuing investments in the Airport testify to the importance of 

increasing air links (Exhibits PHL-18 and PHL-19). Since 2001, the Airport has 

 10 U.S. News and World Report, 2012 11 Philadelphia International Airport
12 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

expanded its boarding gates by 89% from 67 to 126. Of note, Terminal F (opened in 

2001) added 38 gates for commuter aircraft and regional jets. A hammerhead 

extension to Terminal D (opened in 2003) added four gates. The Terminal E 

expansion (opened in 2010) added 4 new gates, a 500-seat waiting area, new 

concessions and new restrooms.

US Airways’ proposed Philadelphia-Sao Paulo flight will be facilitated in the 

spectacular International Terminal A-West, which was opened in May 2003 (Exhibits 

PHL-20 to PHL-23). The impressive $550 million terminal is a four-level, 800,000 

square-foot facility with 13 new international gates, 26,000 square feet of concession 

space, and exciting original artwork. A dynamic part of the terminal is a spacious 

Arrivals Hall that functions as the welcome point for arriving passengers. The building 

serves as the cornerstone and grand entrance to the Airport, and provides the first 

look at Philadelphia for international travelers. The terminal’s expanded federal 

inspection facilities have greatly improved the arrival experience for international 

passengers and are acclaimed for being among the easiest and most pleasant to 

transit when entering the United States. Terminal A-West stands ready to welcome 

its first passengers from South America in 2014.

Other major capital improvements of note are: The $341 million Terminal D/E 

Expansion. This multi-phased project includes the D/E Connector (opened in 2008) 

featuring a 14-lane security checkpoint equipped with state-of-the-art screening 

technology, 15 food, beverage and retail shops, and a connecting concourse that 

enables passengers to access Terminals D and E without having to go through 

security screening a second time; a newly combined 9,000 square foot D/E baggage 

claim (opened in 2010) featuring 2 new carousels and new restrooms, a new 
13 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

combined ticketing area with 23 counters and expanded public circulation space 

(estimated completion Fall 2013). A new deicing facility (opened in 2002) was built to 

streamline aircraft deicing operations and meet strict environmental standards, and a 

new firefighting training center (opened in 2002) began operations. 

In 2009, the City also commissioned a new runway extension. Runway 17/35 

was extended by 1,400 feet to 6,500 feet, which allows larger jets to use the runway. 

The $75 million project improves the operational capability of the Airport, easing 

congestion during peak times and poor weather. The flexibility that the extended 

runway provides is estimated to save $38 million per year in delays to travelers, as 

well as $24 million per year in operational costs to the City. 

In 2011, work began on the $117 million renovation of Terminal F. The project, 

estimated completion 2015, includes a brand new central hub with new concessions, 

centralized airline facilities, and more space, a new baggage claim, a new security 

checkpoint with double the number of screening lanes with advanced screening 

technology and a secure-side connector enabling passengers to travel from 

Terminal A to Terminal F without having to leave the secure area.

While the City has made huge strides in obtaining services to new destinations in 

the U.S., Caribbean, and Europe, the current restrictive bilateral agreements that still 

govern access to the largest and most important South American metropolis, São 

Paulo, remain as impediments. The current route case proceeding offers the City a 

unique chance to benefit from several decades of time and expense in developing the 

best possible airport. 
14 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

8. US AIRWAYS AND THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HAVE A CLOSE AND 

EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP

The City and US Airways have a lengthy history of teamwork. As the hub 

carrier at PHL, US Airways plays a pivotal role in the development of domestic and 

international services for the City and has developed PHL as its premier international 

gateway. Through its continuing development of PHL and its support of US Airways’ 

application, the City reaffirms this partnership.

Transatlantic services best reflect the success of the US Airways-Philadelphia 

partnership. In 1990, Philadelphia was a “mature” transatlantic destination, with over 

30 years of continuous service. Growth had shifted to other hubs, particularly Atlanta, 

Chicago, and Dallas/Fort Worth. But the US Airways decision to develop PHL as its 

premier transatlantic gateway initiated 15 years of remarkable growth. Expanding 

upon this growth in dramatic fashion, Philadelphia-Europe traffic in 2012 was four 

times its 1995 value, and US Airways contributed the vast majority of this growth. The 

City’s growth as a gateway to Europe is a powerful illustration of how new nonstop 

services, and the City’s new International Terminal, can ignite the growth of previously 

under-served markets.

The transatlantic experience also demonstrates the capabilities of the 

partnership between US Airways and Philadelphia. The City expects that US Airways’ 

proposed Philadelphia-São Paulo service will build upon and reinforce this pattern of 

success. City residents and visitors have been quick to support US Airways’ air 

service innovations. Exhibit PHL-24 highlights the City’s dramatic response to US 

Airways’ buildup. It shows the percentage change in O&D passengers between 

Philadelphia and selected European gateways, between the year immediately before 
15 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

and the year immediately after nonstop service was commenced. The extremely high 

growth rates of O&D traffic show that the local population welcomes new international 

air service. This growth results from passengers shifting from foreign carriers that 

offer online connections to U.S. carriers, primarily US Airways; a reduced “leakage” of 

passengers to New York City airports; and market stimulation. In every case, new 

nonstop service from Philadelphia brought an abrupt change in passenger behavior. 

The proposed Philadelphia-São Paulo service will see an equally rapid acceptance by 

the market. In fact, because São Paulo will be the first flight to a new continent from 

Philadelphia, the market growth rate is likely to be even higher than the current trends 

for US Airways’ transatlantic expansion.

SUMMARY

The threshold question of this Proceeding is: For the scarce U.S.-Brazil rights 

to be assigned, which, among many worthy alternatives, offer the greatest public 

benefit? The City of Philadelphia is convinced that the US Airways application, for 

rights to offer a daily, year-round Philadelphia-São Paulo service in 2014, offers a 

unique and unsurpassed combination of public benefits.

Specifically, US Airways is making the only proposal that would create an 

altogether new gateway from the U.S and increase competition in the U.S.-Brazil 

market. The City—more populous and influential than many other cities that already 

enjoy nonstop service to South America—meets all the prerequisites for a successful 

service, yet now faces circuitous routings to Brazil. The service, linking the site of our 

Declaration of Independence to the historical focus city of the world’s fifth populous 

nation and the site of many major world events including the 2014 World Cup and the 
16 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

2016 Summer Olympics, would make the City a new U.S.-Brazil gateway for air 

service, adding to its status as a well-established gateway for investment capital, 

knowledge, culture, and ideas.

The City’s ethnic Brazilian population, is tangible evidence of the strong

community of interest that will benefit from, and, in turn, support US Airways’ proposed 

flight. The City’s long partnership with US Airways has proven the capabilities of the 

two entities to work together to give Americans a radically strengthened gateway. The 

success of the expanding Philadelphia-Europe service has proven the City as an 

independent international gateway. The City’s residents and visitors have quickly 

accepted improved air services. Award of Philadelphia-São Paulo rights to US 

Airways will enable this partnership to flourish to South America as well, generating 

widespread benefits to the City, its neighboring region, the Commonwealth of 

Pennsylvania, the United States, and Brazil. The City is convinced that no other 

proposal submitted to the Department offers similar benefits, or so closely meets the 

needs of so many stakeholders. Regardless of the outcome of the US 

Airways/American merger, the case for an award to US Airways for Philadelphia-São

Paulo service is extremely compelling. Without the award, Philadelphia has no nonstop Brazilian service of its own, and online hub carrier access might be in jeopardy as 

well. The application offers the Department an opportunity to make a truly 

groundbreaking allocation that will set the pattern of U.S - Brazil air services and 

promote the transition to full Open Skies.

The City therefore respectfully requests that the Department of Transportation



20 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-1

Testimony of Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter
21 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS
22 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-2

Philadelphia is the 5th Largest Metro Area in the U.S., 

but is the Largest Without Non-Stop Service to Brazil

Population by MSA (2012)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau via Select Greater Philadelphia, Innovata Schedules via Diio Online Portal 2013

0

5

10

15

20

New York City

Los Angeles

Chicago

Dallas/Fort Worth

Philadelphia

Houston

Washington D.C.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Atlanta

Boston

San Francisco

Riverside, CA

Phoenix

Detroit

Seattle

POPULATION (MILLIONS)

Service to Brazil No Service to Brazil
23 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-3

Philadelphia Ranks Higher than Atlanta and Detroit* in 

Terms of Brazilian Population

Top Brazilian Populations by MSA (2011)

*Detroit does not rank in Top 15 Brazilian populations

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American FactFinder Official Airline Guide 2013

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

New York City

Boston

Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Washington D.C.

Orlando

Los Angeles

Bridgeport, CT

San Francisco

Philadelphia

Dallas/Fort Worth

Worcester, MA

Providence, RI

Atlanta

San Diego

Tampa

POPULATION (THOUSANDS)

Service to Brazil No Service to Brazil
24 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-4

Brazil is the Largest Overseas Latin American 

Traveler Market to Philadelphia

Latin American Overseas Travelers to PHL (2011)

Source: Travel Market Insights, Philadelphia custom report based on the USDOC, Office of Travel and Tourism 

Industries "Survey of International Air Travelers" 2011 and 2010. July 2012.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Brazil

Mexico

Argentina

Dominican

Republic

Colombia

Costa Rica

Chile

Ecuador

Trinidad & Tobago

Uruguay

Travelers (Thousands)
25 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-5

Brazil Ranks in the Top 10 Overseas Visitor 

Expenditures for Philadelphia

Top 10 Overseas Visitor Markets Expenditures in Philadelphia (2011)

Source: Travel Market Insights, Philadelphia custom report based on the USDOC, Office of Travel and Tourism 

Industries "Survey of International Air Travelers" 2011 and 2010. July 2012.

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

India

Australia

South Korea

Russia

Japan

China

France

Germany

Brazil

Italy

United Kingdom

DIRECT EXPENDITURES/TRIP (USD)
26 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-6

Pennsylvania Ranks 2nd Among Fortune 500 

Headquarters States With No Nonstop Service to Brazil 

Largest Fortune 500 States (2012)

Source: Select Greater Philadelphia, Fortune Magazine 2012

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

California

Texas

New York

Illinois

Ohio

Virginia

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

Michigan

Minnesota

Florida

Georgia

Connecticut

North Carolina

Massachusetts

NUMBER OF FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES
27 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-7

Fortune 500 Companies Headquartered in 

Greater Philadelphia

Fortune 500 Companies Headquartered in Greater Philadelphia

COMPANY RANK REVENUE ($M)

AmerisourceBergen 29 80,217

Comcast 49 55,842

Sunoco 61 45,765

DuPont 72 38,719

Aramark 204 13,245

Lincoln National 247 10,636

NRG Energy 284 9,079

Crown Holdings 296 8,644

Campbell Soup 334 7,719

Universal Health Services 339 7,534

UGI 403 6,091

SLM 426 5,756

SunGard Data Systems 480 4,991

Source: Select Greater Philadelphia, Fortune Magazine 2012
28 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-8

Philadelphia Ranks 5th for Total Personal Income 

and is the Largest Metro Area Without Nonstop Service 

to Brazil

Top MSA's Ranked by Total Personal Income (2012)

Source: IHS Global Insight via Select Greater Philadelphia

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

New York City

Los Angeles

Chicago

Washington D.C.

Philadelphia

Houston

Dallas/Fort Worth

San Francisco

Boston

Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Atlanta

Seattle

Detroit

Minneapolis-St. Paul

Phoenix

USD (BILLIONS)

Service to Brazil No Service to Brazil
29 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-9

Philadelphia Ranks 6th for Income Per Capita Among 

Top U.S. Metro Areas

Top MSA's Ranked by Income Per Capita (2012)

Source: IHS Global Insight via Select Greater Philadelphia

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

San Francisco

Washington D.C.

Boston

New York City

Seattle

Philadelphia

Houston

Chicago

Los Angeles

Dallas/Fort Worth

Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Detroit

Atlanta

Phoenix

Riverside, CA

USD ($)

Service to Brazil No Service to Brazil
30 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-10

Philadelphia Ranks 7th for Gross Metro Product and is 

the Largest Metro Area Without Nonstop Service to 

Brazil

Top MSA's by Gross Metro Product (2012)

Source: IHS Global Insight via Select Greater Philadelphia

$0

$20

$40

$60

$80

$100

$120

$140

New York City

Los Angeles

Chicago

Washington D.C.

Houston

Dallas/Fort Worth

Philadelphia

San Francisco

Boston

Atlanta

Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Seattle

Minneapolis-St. Paul

Detroit

Phoenix

USD ($ BILLION)

Service to Brazil No Service to Brazil
31 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-11

Philadelphia Ranks 5

th in the Nation for Financial 

Employment and is the Largest Applicant City in this 

Route Proceeding

Top MSA's by Employment in Financial Sector (2012)

Source: IHS Global Insight via Select Greater Philadelphia

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

New York City

Los Angeles

Chicago

Dallas/Fort Worth

Philadelphia

Boston

Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Atlanta

Washington D.C.

Phoenix

Minneapolis-St. Paul

Houston

San Francisco

Seattle

Tampa

EMPLOYEES (THOSANDS)

Service to Brazil No Service to Brazil
32 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-12

Philadelphia has Witnessed Major Growth in 

International Trade Since 2000

Global Imports/Exports from Philadelphia

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division via Select Greater 

Philadelphia

$0

$5

$10

$15

$20

$25

2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012

INTERNATIONAL TRADE ($ BILLIONS)
33 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-13

Brazil Ranks as the Largest Export Market from 

Philadelphia Among Latin American Countries

Top Latin American Countries by Exports from Philadelphia (2011)

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division via Select Greater 

Philadelphia

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

Brazil

Costa Rica

Dominican Republic

Colombia

Bahamas

Peru

Honduras

Bermuda

Guatemala

Chile

El Salvador

Argentina

Trinidad and Tobago

Ecuador

Mexico

Venezuela

Panama

Nicaragua

Uruguay

Aruba

USD (MILLIONS)
34 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-14

Brazil is the Largest South American Country for 

Imports to Philadelphia

Top Philadelphia Latin American Importing Countries (2011)

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division via Select Greater 

Philadelphia

$0.0

$0.2

$0.4

$0.6

$0.8

$1.0

$1.2

$1.4

$1.6

Costa Rica

Brazil

Dominican Republic

Colombia

Bahamas

Peru

Honduras

Guatemala

Bermuda

El Salvador

Chile

Trinidad and Tobago

Venezuela

Nicaragua

Argentina

Uruguay

Panama

Aruba

Ecuador

Mexico

USD (BILLIONS)
35 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-15

There are Significant Corporate Links Between 

Philadelphia and Brazil by Multi-National Companies

Multi-National Companies with a HQ or a Major Presence in the Greater 

Philadelphia Region & Brazil

Unisys Corporation Quaker Chemical Corporation Subaru Of America, Inc.

Dow Chemical (Formerly Rohm 

And Haas)

Thomson Healthcare & 

Science

Synthes, Inc.

Gardner Denver, Inc. AmerisourceBergen 

Corporation

Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals 

Lp

Amec Earth & Environmental, 

Inc.

Berlitz Languages, Inc. Balfour Beatty, Inc.

Arkema Inc. Crown Holdings, Inc. Citicorp Banking Corporation

FMC Corporation Quest Diagnostics Clinical 

Laboratories, Inc.

Communications Test Design, 

Inc.

Knoll, Inc. Saint-Gobain Corporation Covance Inc.

SAP America, Inc. SCA Americas Inc. Ikon Office Solutions, Inc.

E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And 

Company

Siemens Medical Solutions 

Health Services Corporation

VWR International, Llc

Hill International, Inc. Smiths Group North America 

Inc.

W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Johnson Matthey Inc. Sps Technologies, Llc
36 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-16

Brazilian-Owned Companies Play a Significant Role in 

Philadelphia

Brazilian Companies with presence in Greater Philadelphia Region

ActMinds Ci&T Keystone Foods

Braskem (formerly Sunoco 

Chemicals)

Citrosuco North America, Inc.
37 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL-17

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Ranks 7th for 

International Student Enrollment by State

International Student Enrollment by State (2009)

Source: Institute of International Education via Select Greater Philadelphia 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

California

New York

Texas

Massachusetts

Florida

Illinois

Pennsylvania

Michigan

Ohio

Indiana

Washington

New Jersey

Virginia

Maryland

Georgia

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (THOUSANDS)
38 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-18

Philadelphia International Airport Has Undertaken and 

Completed Over $1 Billion in Capital Improvement 

Efforts Since 2001, Expanding the Facility by 59 Gates

Recent Expansion and Improvement Projects at Philadelphia 

International Airport

PROJECT COMPLETION

$100M Commuter Terminal F

Added 38 Gates and 185,000 Square Feet

June 2001

$17M Ramp Control Tower November 2001

$10M Fire Fighting Training Facility May 2002

$53M Deicing Facility June 2002

$20M Terminal D Hammerhead Expansion

Added 4 Gates

June 2002

$550M International Terminal A-West 

Added 13 Gates and 1,100,000 Square Feet

May 2003

$70M Runway Extension

Will Decrease Delays and Save $62M per Year

February 2009

$341 Expansion to Terminal D and E Connector Phased 2008-2013

$45M Terminal E Expansion

Added 4 Gates

2010

$117M Terminal F Improvement Project Est. 2015

Source: Philadelphia Airport
39 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-19

The Additions of Commuter Terminal F with 38 Gates in 

2001, Terminal D Hammerhead Expansion and Terminal 

E Expansion with 4 Gates Each, as well as International 

Terminal A-West With 13 Gates in 2003, Added 59 New 

Gates, Practically Doubling the Size of the Facility

Philadelphia International Airport in 2003
40 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-20

Terminal A-West Opened With State of the Art Facilities 

in Spring 2003, Providing Capacity for US Airways to 

Significantly Expand its International Service

Philadelphia International Airport Terminal A-West Aerial View
41 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-21

Terminal A-West Eases International Travelers Both 

Into and Out of the Country with 60 Check-In Positions 

in the Expansive Ticket Lobby and 56 Passport Booths

Philadelphia International Airport Terminal A-West Ticket Lobby
42 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-22

Terminal A-West’s Sweeping Architecture Covers Four 

Levels, Spreads Over 800 Thousand Square Feet, and 

Contains Award-Winning Concessions

Philadelphia International Airport Terminal A-West Concourse
43 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T 

PHL-23

Philadelphia’s International Arrivals Hall Welcomes 

Visitors with Quotes from the Seminal Piece of 

American Literature, the Declaration of Independence

Philadelphia International Airport Terminal A-West Arrivals Hall
44 ANSW ER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE AP PLICATION OF US AIRW AYS

E X H I B I T

PHL 24

US Airways Market Entry Facilitated Extraordinarily 

High Levels of Stimulation Every Time New 

International Service Was Added at Philadelphia 

AIRPORT LOCAL O&D MARKET 

STIMULATION SERVICE START

Barcelona 220% 2005

Brussels 273% 2007

Dublin 317% 2003

Lisbon 909% 2006

Madrid 313% 1996

Manchester 268% 2000

Munich 538% 1996

Rome 441% 1996

Tel Aviv 555% 2009

Venice 378% 2005

Zurich 214% 2007

U.S. Department of Transportation, via Diio Online Portal
4 5 ANSWER OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA TO THE APPLICATION OF US AIRWAYS 

APPENDIX 

Support Letters 

 Councilman Darrell L. Clarke, President, Philadelphia City Council 

 Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, 2nd District, Philadelphia City Council 

 Pennsylvania State Senator Lawrence Farnese, Jr. 1st District 

 Debra P. DiLorenzo, President and CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Southern 

New Jersey 

 Ernest J. Dianastasis, Managing Director, Computer Aid, Inc. (CAI) 

 Jack Ferguson, President & CEO, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau 

 John A. Fry, President, Drexel University 

 Matthew P. Cabrey, Global Corporate Affairs & Community Partnerships, Shire 

Pharmaceuticals 

 Meryl Levitz, President & CEO, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp 

(GPTMC) 

 Peter M. Grollman, Vice President Government Affairs, Community Relations 

and Advocacy, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) 

 Roger LaMay, General Manager, 88.5 WXPN Philadelphia 

 Thomas J. Lynch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, TE Connectivity 

 Varsovia Fernandez, President and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic 

Chamber of Commerce 

Additional support letters will be submitted through supplemental filings to 

DOT Docket OST-2013-0072 
















Tom Lynch 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 

TE Connectivity 

1050 Westlakes Drive 

Berwyn, PA 19312 

610-893-9300 tel 

610-893-9302 fax 

May 2, 2013 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Application of US Airways 

 2013/2014 US-Brazil Proceeding – OST-2013-0072 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

On behalf of TE Connectivity and its approximately 6000 employees in Pennsylvania and Brazil, I 

am writing to support US Airways’ application for the frequencies to offer a daily non-stop 

Philadelphia – Sao Paulo service. The proposed service – Philadelphia’s first to both Brazil and 

South America, would help TE with our frequent travel between the two cities and to other cities in 

South America, as well as support for the needs of our customers and suppliers. It would also 

benefit our region’s other businesses and their participation in the fast-growing Brazilian market. 

The proposed nonstop service would be a major improvement over the current connections through 

intermediate hubs or travel by surface to and from the airports of New York City. 

The region’s vigorous pursuit of ties to Brazil, our large international student population at our 101

colleges and universities, and the growing activities of the region’s businesses in South America 

symbolize a more cosmopolitan and global reach that will enrich our economic growth and culture. 

The US Airways Philadelphia – Sao Paulo service would help build business and cultural ties 

between these two important international markets. 

Greater Philadelphia is the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the largest 

without scheduled non-stop service to South America. The US Airways proposal, making 

Philadelphia International Airport America’s newest Brazilian gateway, would extend to this region 

the benefits that other regions of the country have enjoyed for years. We respectfully submit that 

the major economic benefits to our community and the United States justify an expeditious approval 

of the US Airways application. 

Thank you for your consideration of this application, which is important to TE Connectivity and the 

entire greater Philadelphia business community. 

Sincerely, 

Thomas J. Lynch 

C: Mark Gale, CEO, Philadelphia International Airport 

 Steve Johnson, EVP Government Affairs, US Airways 

 Joann Piccolo, Vice President Global Government Affairs, TE Connectivity 
May 3, 2013

The Honorable Ray LaHood

Secretary , U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

Application of US Airways

2013/2014 US-Brazil Proceeding – OST-2013-0072

Dear Secretary LaHood:

On behalf of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, I write to ask that the 

Department of Transportation approve US Airways’ request to initiate non-stop service between the 

Philadelphia region and Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

Though Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) does not yet provide such a connection to Brazil (or 

anywhere in South America, for that matter), I believe that several regional economic trends ensure 

that our City would maximize this opportunity. 

Non-stop service between Philadelphia and Sao Paulo would be a substantial boon for our regional 

tourism industry and would satisfy our City’s longstanding desire for a more direct route to and from 

South America. With our iconic historical symbols such as the Liberty Bell and National Constitution 

Center, service between Philadelphia and Sao Paulo would initiate a vibrant cultural exchange, as PHL 

bolsters its international offerings and South American visitors gain a unique, dynamic landing point 

here in the United States. 

Our world-class educational institutions and large international student population would greatly 

benefit from opportunities for more direct travel to a new, exciting part of the world. And as 

Philadelphia expands from a manufacturing hub to a leader in the medical, technology and 

sustainability fields, the opportunity for non-stop travel to the heart of one of the world’s most 

dynamic economies will open up seemingly limitless business and growth potential for local 

companies. Because so many Chamber businesses are keenly aware of and impacted by the global 

marketplace, I believe this new service would be enthusiastically embraced by our membership.

In light of these exciting potential benefits for the local tourism and hospitality industry, as well as the 

chance to finally provide service from Philadelphia to South America, I ask that the Department of 

Transportation approve US Airways’ application to provide non-stop service between Philadelphia 

International Airport and Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

Please contact me to discuss this significant opportunity in more detail.

Truly,

Varsovia Fernandez

President & CEO