BEFOR E TH E DEPARTMEN TO F TRANSPORTATIO N

WASHINGTON , D.C . 

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I n th e Matte rof : FOR M 4 1 AIRFRAM E AN D AIRCRAF TENGIN E FINANCIA L DATAREPORTIN G Docke t OST-96-164 0

MOTIO N O F SOUTHWES TAIRLINE S CO . T O WITHHOL D FRO M PUBLI C DISCLOSUR E Communication s wit h respec t t o tlii s documen t slioul d b e sen t to : Lesli e C . Abbot t Senio rAttorne y SOUTHWES TAIRLINE S CO . 190 1 L Street , N.W . Suit e 64 0 Washington , D.C . 2003 6 (202 ) 263-628 5 leslie.abbott@wnco.co m

Novembe r10 , 201 1BEFOR E TH E DEPARTMEN TO F TRANSPORTATIO N

WASHINGTON , D.C . I n th e Matte rof : FOR M 4 1 AIRFRAM E AN D AIRCRAF TENGIN E FINANCIA L DATAREPORTIN G Docke t OST-96-164 0

MOTIO N O F SOUTHWES TAIRLINE S CO . T O WITHHOL D FRO M PUBLI C DISCLOSUR E Pursuan t t o Rul e 1 2 o fth e Department' s Rule s o fPractic e (1 4 C.F.R . § 302.12) , Southwes t Airline s Co . ("Southwest" ) herebyfile s thi s Motio n t o Withhol d fro m Publi c Disclosure th e informatio n an d dat a incorporate d withi n th e accompanyin g seale d envelop e captione d For m 41 , Schedul e B-7 Airfram e an d Aircraft Engin e Acquisition s an d Retirements . Thi s informatio n an d dat a are bein g reporte d t o th e Departmen t i n accordanc e wit h th e requirement s of1 4 C.F.R . Par t 24 1 wit h respec

t t o th e third quarte r of2011 . Th e materia l fo rwhic h confidentialityi s sough t include s Southwest' s acquisitio n cost s an d relate d financia l informatio n wit h respect t o airframes , aircraft , an d aircraft engines . Thi s informatio n ma yproperl yb e withhel d fro m publi cdisclosur e unde r Exemptio n 4 o fth e Freedo m ofInformatio n Act , 5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(4) , whic h permit s protectio n fro m disclosur e fo r"trad e secret s an d commercia l o rfinancia l informatio n obtaine d fro m a perso n an d privilege d o rconfidential. " See , e.g. , Gul f& Wester n Industries . Inc . v . Unite d States . 61 5 F.2 d 52 7 (D.C . Cir . 1979) ; Critica l Mas s Energ y Proiect v . NRC . 97 5 F.2 d 87 1 (D.C . Cir . 1992) . Thre e element s mus t b e satisfie d i n orde rt o protect informatio n fro m publi cdisclosur e unde r5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(4) . Th e informatio n mus t be : (1 ) financia l o r

commercia l i n nature , (2 ) obtaine d fro m a perso n outsid e th e government , an d (3 ) confidentia l o rprivileged . Gul fan d Wester n Industries , supra . 61 5 F.2 d at 529 . Informatio n wil l b e deeme d "confidential " if , inte ralia , publi cdisclosur e i s likel yt o caus e substantia l har m t o th e competitiv e positio n ofth e submittin g party . Se e Nationa l Park s & Conservatio n Ass' n v . Morton . 49 8 F.2 d 76 5 (D.C . Cir . 1974) ; Critica l Mass . supra . 97 5 F.2 d at 879 . Th e informatio n whic h Southwes t seeks t o protect fro m publi cdisclosur e satisfie s thes e thre e elements . Th e acquisitio n cos t an d financia l dat a tha t Southwes t i s reportin g t o DOTresult s fro m negotiation s betwee n Southwes t an d commercia l vendors o f aircraft , aircraft engine s an d relate d components . Thes e price s an d term s are clearl y "financia l o rcommercia l i n nature. " Further , becaus e thes e price s an d term s are establishe d entirel ythroug h negotiation s betwee n Southwes t an d it s commercia l suppliers , th e informatio n i s obtaine d "fro m a perso n outsid e th e government. " Non e o f thi s informatio n i s provide d b yan ygovernmenta l agenc yo rofficial . Finally , thi s financia l informatio n woul d not normall yb e mad e publi cbySouthwes t o rit s negotiatin g partners sinc e publi cdisclosur e woul d caus e substantia l competitiv e har m t o Southwest . Confidentia l treatmen t ofthi s commerciall ysensitiv e informatio n i s particularl yappropriat e i n ligh t ofSouthwest' s purchas e agreement s wit h its vendors . Suc h agreement s customaril ycontai n languag e requirin g tha t Southwes t maintai n th e confidentialityo fcertai n materia l tenns , includin g acquisitio n costs . Therefore , th e releas e ofsuc h informatio n woul d significantl yhinde rSouthwest' s abilityt o negotiat e favorabl e cost s an d term s fro m commercia l vendors o fairframes , aircraft an d aircraft engines .WHEREFORE , Southwes t hereb yrequest s tha t confidentia l treatmen t b e give n

t o al l informatio n i t file s wit h th e Departmen t unde rFor m 41 , Schedul e B-7 , includin g thi s Schedul e B- 7 filin g pertainin g t o th e third quarte ro f2011 . Respectfull ysubmitted , Lesli e C . Abbott Attorne y SOUTHWES TAIRLINE S CO . 190 1 LStreet , N.W . Suit e 64 0 Washington , D.C . 2003 6 202-263-628 5

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