BEFORE TH E DEPARTMEN TO F TRANSPORTATIO N OFFIC E O F TH E SECRETAR Y WASHINGTON , D.C .

Motio n o f NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . Fo rConfidentia l Treatmen t Unde rSectio n 302.1 2 Docke t OST-96-163 8

MOTIO N O F NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . T O WITHHOL D INFORMATIO N FRO M PUBLI C DISCLOSUR E Communication s wit h respect t o \h\ s documen t shoul d b e sen t to :

Alexande rVa n de rBelle n Managin g Directo rGovernmen t Affair s & Associat e Genera l Counse l DELTAAI R LINES , INC . 121 2 Ne wYor k

Avenue , N.W . Suit e 20 0 Washington , D C 2000 5 (202)842-418 4 sascha . vanderbellen@delta . co m Specia l Counse l fo r NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC .

February s 201 0BEFORE TH E DEPARTMEN TO F TRANSPORTATIO N OFFIC E O F TH E SECRETAR Y WASHINGTON , D.C . Motio n o f NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . Fo rConfidentia l Treatmen t Unde rSectio n 302.1 2 Docke t OST-96-163 8

MOTIO N O F NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC . T O WITHHOL D INFORMATIO N FRO M PUBLI C DISCLOSUR E

Pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R 302.12 , Northwes tAirlines , Inc . ("Northwest" ) hereb yfile s thi s Motio n t o Withhol d Fro m Publi cDisclosur e certai n commerciall yan d competitivel ysensitiv e informatio n containe d i n Northwest' s For m 4 1 Schedul e B-7 , Airfram e an d Aircraf t Engin e Acquisition s an d Retirements , fo rth e quarte rendin g Decembe r31 , 2009 . Northwes t i s require d t o provid e th e confidentia l informatio n containe d i n Schedul e B- 7 pursuan tt o Par t 24 1 ofth e Department' s Economi cRegulations , 1 4 CF R 241 . Northwes t request s confidentia l treatmen t ofth e acquisitio n an d retiremen tcos t dat a o n it s Schedul e B- 7 containe d i n Column s 1 0 (Cost) , 1 1 (Amortized/Depreciate d Cost ) an d 1 2 (Realization) . Northwes t ha s delete d th e aforementione d informatio n fro m it s publi c filin g ofits Schedul e B- 7 an d ha s file d a seale d envelop e enclosin g unredacte d copie s o f Northwest' s Schedule , togethe rwit h thi s Motion , wit h th e Offic e ofAirlin e Statistics . Th e informatio n fo rwhic h Northwes ti s requestin g confidentia l treatmen tfall s withi n Exemptio n 3 o fth e Freedo m ofInformatio n Ac t 5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(3) , whic h exempt s fro m disclosur e informatio n require d bystatut e t o b e withheld . Exemptio n 3 provide s that :(b ) Thi s sectio n doe s no tappl yt o matters tha t ar e

* * * (3 ) specificall yexempte d fro m disclosur e by statut e (othe rtha n sectio n 552(b ) o fthi s title) , provide d tha tsuc h statut e (A ) require s tha t th e matters t o b e withhel d fro m th e publi ci n suc h a manne ra s t o leav e n o discretio n o n th e issue , o r(B ) establishe s particula rcriteri a fo rwithholdin g o rrefers t o particula rtype s o f matters t o b e withheld ; Sectio n 4011 5 o fTitl e 4 9 o fth e Unite d State s Code , formerl ySectio n 110 4 o fth e Federa l Aviatio n Act , provide s tha tth e Secretaryo fTransportation , upo n motion , shal l orde rinformatio n withhel d fro m publi cdisclosur e whe n disclosur e o fth e informatio n woul d "hav e a n advers e effect o n th e competitiv e positio n o fa n ai rcarrie ri n foreig n ai r transportation. " Th e Departmen tha s previousl yfoun d tha t th e aircraft dat a reporte d o n For m 4 1 Schedul e B- 7 fo rwhic h Northwes therei n seeks confidentia l treatmen t woul d produc e th e har m specifie d i n Sectio n 40115. ^ Th e Department , i n grantin g confidentialit yt o United , stated : Unite d compete s wit h foreig n ai rcarrier s tha td o no t repor t informatio n abou t th e cos t o fthei rindividua l airframe s an d aircraft engines . Thi s lac k o favailabl e aircraftcos t informatio n fro m foreig n ai rcarriers create s a n environmen t wher e foreig n carrier s ar e abl e t o acces s U.S . carrie raircraft cos t informatio n fro m th e Department' s publi crecords , bu t U.S . carrier s ar e unabl e t o acces s comparabl e dat a fo rthei r foreig n competitors . Thi s lac k o freciproca l acces s erode s th e competitivenes s o fUnite d vi s a vi s it s foreig n competitors . Therefore , th e releas e o faircraft inventor ycos t dat a reporte d o n United' s For m 4 1 Schedul e B- 7 .. . woul d ^ Se e e.g. , Lette rofOffic e ofAirlin e Statistic s grantin g Motio n o fUnite d Airlines , Inc. , date d Decembe r29 , 199 3 (Docke t 48726) . Th e Departmen t als o grante d confidentia l treatmen t t o Schedule s B- 7 o fAmerica n (bylette rdate d Novembe r1 , 1993 , Docke t 48800 ) an d Delt a (bylette rdate d Marc h 29 , 1993 , Docke t48649) .produc e th e har m specifie d i n Sectio n 1104 . Consequentl y thi s informatio n wil l b e withhel d fro m disclosur e unde r Exemptio n 3 ofFOI Aan d Sectio n 110 4 ofth e Act . Lik e United , Northwes t compete s wit h foreig n carriers tha td o no trepor tinformatio n abou t th e cos to fthei rairframe s an d aircraft engine s ye tar e fre e t o obtai n U.S . carrie r informatio n fro m th e Department . I twoul d b e damagin g t o Northwes tt o requir e i t t o divulg e t o it s non-reportin g foreig n fla g competitor s th e fmit s o fit s competitiv e effort s wit h aircraft manufacturers t o secur e th e bes t possibl e purchas e price. ^ Th e Department , whe n decidin g United' s confidentialit ymotion , grante d Unite d a ten-yea rconfidentia l perio d beginnin g o n th e dat e th e informatio n wa s require d t o b e file d pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R 241.22(a) . Northwes t deserve s t o b e treate d n o les s favorabl ywit h respect t o th e seale d Schedul e B- 7 attache d hereto .

^ Northwes t als o submit s tha t th e informatio n sough tt o b e withhel d fall s withi n Exemptio n 4 fro m th e Freedo m ofInformatio n Act , 5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(4) , whic h provide 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. . .. " Th e requeste d informatio n containe d i n Northwest' s Schedul e B- 7 satisfyal l thre e element s require d fo rprotectio n unde rExemptio n 4 .WHEREFORE , Northwes t request s tha tth e Department , pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R

302.1 2 an d 5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(3 ) an d (4) , withhol d fro m publi cdisclosur e th e informatio n containe d i n column s 1 0 -1 2 o fNorthwest' s For m 41 , Schedul e B- 7 fo ra perio d ofnotles s tha n te n years . Respectfull ysubmitted ,

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Avenue , N.W . Suit e 20 0 Washington , D C 2000 5 (202)842-418 4 sascha . vanderbellen@delta . co m

Februar y9 , 201 0 Specia l Counse l fo r NORTHWES TAIRLINES , INC .