.... 


qrD1" or Tf'O'~' /"')0"'" U.S, Department Assistant Secretary ULI I rn~;r~;::~~Q IifATION 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

"""!\, ;,} Washington, DC 20590 of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary Karch 25" 2010 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Horace G. Shipp 

Mayor ofTexarkana 

Texarkana, AR 71854 

Dear Mayor Shipp: 

Thank you for your letter of February 26 supporting the application for antitrustimmunityfiled 

by American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on behalf of Secretary LaHood. 

As you may know, the applicants-members ofth~ oneworld 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 administered in a public docket, which ensures that interested parties have the 

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

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

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

with the U.S. Department ofJustice'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 of the applicatiotl. 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,nonnal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-201O"'as a contact outside the record in this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this proceeding. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 


Assistant Secretary 


for Aviation and International Affairs 

S I 0-1 00304-004 


CITY OF TEXARKANA, ARKANSAS 


216 Walnut Street, Texarkana, Arkansas 71854 


P.O. BOX 2711-- TEXARKANA, ARKANSAS 75504~2711 

PHONE (870) 779-4996 - FAX (870) 774-3170 

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR 

February 26, 2010 

The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secretary, U.S. Department ofTransportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE . 

Washington, DC 20590 

Docket DOT-OST-2010-__ 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

Thanlc'you. for the opportunity to express my support as well as that of my community for the 

application for antitrust immunity and proposed joint business agreement filed by American 

Airlines and Japan Airlines. 

The proposed alliance between these two airlines is vital for .the oneworld alliance to.compete 

effectively with the Star and SkyTeam alliances. This increased alliance competition will in tum 

enhance the bene!its of the Department's Open Skies policy-first by solidifYing U.S. - Japan 

Open Skies, then by serving as a foundation for further liberalization across Asia. 

After a thorough review, we encourage the Department of Transportation to approve this 

application as it would enable these one world alliance airlines to work closely together to deliver 

highly competitive air transportation services. Approval for AAlJAL alliance will have a 

positive impact on air travel by offering customers more service, scheduling and pricing options 

and will help to ensure that customers continue to benefit from the competition afforded by three 

competitive air alliances. 

I urge you to quickly approve this application. 

Sincerely. 

~(a. J1,. rti.:rn 

Horace G. Shipp 

Mayor 

WWW.L'Ckusa.org!gr . 

shipp@LXku§a.org