BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of

DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V.,

and

AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V.

d/b/a AEROMEXICO CONNECT

for an exemption pursuant to

49 U.S.C. § 40109 

(Houston-Monterrey)

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Docket DOT-OST-2014- 

Docket DOT-OST-1997-3289

Docket DOT-OST-2000-7708 

JOINT APPLICATION OF

DELTA AIR LINES, INC., AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V., 

AND AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V.

Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to:

John R. Mietus, Jr.

LAW OFFICE OF JOHN MIETUS, LLC

6701 Democracy Boulevard Ste 300

Bethesda, Maryland 20817

(202) 747-5212

john@mietuslaw.com

Counsel for 

AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V.

and

AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V.

Alexander Van der Bellen

Managing Director – Regulatory and International 

Affairs & Associate General Counsel

Christopher Walker

Regional Director – Regulatory and International 

Affairs

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

1212 New York Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20005

(202) 842-4184

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com

November 7, 2014

Notice: Delta intends to poll the U.S. carrier representatives on the attached service list 

regarding this Application and will notify the Department of the results as soon as 

possible.
BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of

DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V.,

and

AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V.

d/b/a AEROMEXICO CONNECT

for an exemption pursuant to

49 U.S.C. § 40109 

(Houston-Monterrey)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

Docket DOT-OST-2014- 

Docket DOT-OST-1997-3289

Docket DOT-OST-2000-7708 

JOINT APPLICATION OF

DELTA AIR LINES, INC., AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V., 

AND AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V.

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109 and Subpart C of the Department’s Rules of 

Practice, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta”) hereby applies for an exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 

41101 authorizing Delta to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, 

property, and mail between Houston (IAH) and Monterrey, Mexico (MTY) on a 

codeshare basis with Aerolitoral, S.A. de C.V. (“Aerolitoral”) as part of their codesharing 

agreement with Aerovias de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Aeromexico”, together the “Joint 

Applicants”).

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In support of this Joint Application, Delta, Aeromexico, and Aerolitoral state as 

follows:

1. Aeromexico and Aerolitoral are flag carriers of the United Mexican States 

and hold foreign air carrier permit and exemption authority for service between Mexico 

and numerous U.S. points. See, e.g., Order 91-5-25. Pursuant to this authority, 

1 Delta further requests the Department transmit the necessary codeshare designation to the 

Government of Mexico to facilitate Mexican licensing of Delta’s proposed services.

 
Joint Application

Page 2

Aeromexico and Aerolitoral provide extensive service between Mexico and the United 

States. Aerolitoral currently serves the Houston-Monterrey market, displaying 

Aeromexico’s code, twice daily with Embraer 145 aircraft.2

2. Delta holds various certificates of public convenience and necessity and 

exemptions authorizing it to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, 

property and mail, including between the United States and Mexico. See, e.g., Delta’s

Certificate for Route 901, issued by Order 2010-3-12. Pursuant to Rule 24 of the 

Department’s Rules of Practice, Delta asks the Department to take official notice of all 

data on file with the Department necessary to establish Delta’s fitness.

3. The requested exemption authority is fully consistent with the terms of the 

U.S.-Mexico Air Transport Agreement (“Agreement”) as amended by the agreement 

signed by the two governments on December 12, 2005. The Agreement authorizes up 

to ten carriers from each country to provide codeshare service on any nonstop U.S.-

Mexico city-pair segment, leaving abundant opportunities for other carriers. 

4. The proposed service will provide significant benefits to travelers and 

shippers and is clearly in the public interest. The Department has granted multiple 

similar U.S.-Mexico transborder codesharing requests, finding that the exercise of such 

codeshare rights “will benefit travelers, shippers, businesses, cities, airlines, and 

airports.” DOT Order 99-6-6, at 6. Authorizing Delta to display its code on these 

additional Aerolitoral operated transborder routes will enhance competition and expand 

price and service options for U.S.-Mexico travelers.

5. The Joint Applicants plan to introduce the proposed codeshare services

upon receipt of all necessary DOT and Mexico DGAC approvals, and request that the 

exemption is granted as soon as possible so that Delta can market this service without 

2 Aerolitoral holds exemption authority for this route via NOAT issued February 28, 2013, with 

APA renewal filed January 31, 2014, currently pending in DOT-OST-2013-0028. Additionally, 

Aerolitoral has a valid statement of authorization to carry Delta’s “DL*” code on IAH-MTY granted 

by NOAT issued March 19, 2013 in DOT-OST-2013-0052.

 
Joint Application

Page 3

delay. Delta requests that its exemption authority be effective for a period of at least two

years. 

6. The proposed codeshare services will be operated pursuant to the 

existing Delta/Aeromexico codeshare agreement previously approved by the 

Department.

WHEREFORE, Delta requests issuance of exemption authority to engage in 

scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail on the HoustonMonterrey route on a codeshare basis with Aerolitoral. 

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ John R. Mietus, Jr. /s/ 

_______________________ _____________________

John R. Mietus, Jr.

Law Office of John Mietus, LLC

Counsel for

For AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V. 

Alexander Van der Bellen

Managing Director, Regulatory and 

International Affairs & Associate General 

Counsel

DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

A copy of the foregoing Application has been served this 7th day of November, 2014, 

upon the following persons via email:

Air Carrier Name Email Address

Alaska Airlines Marshall Sinick msinick@ssd.com

American Howard Kass howard.kass@aa.com

American Robert Wirick robert.wirick@aa.com

Frontier Mark Atwood matwood@cozen.com

Frontier Steve Lachter stephen.lachter@lachterlaw.com

Hawaiian/JetBlue Jonathan Hill jhill@cooley.com

Hawaiian/JetBlue Parker Erkmann perkmann@cooley.com

JetBlue Robert Land robert.land@jetblue.com

Republic Bob Cohn robert.cohn@hoganlovells.com

Republic Pat Rizzi patrick.rizzi@hoganlovells.com

Southwest/AirTran Bob Kneisley bob.kneisley@wnco.com

Southwest/AirTran Leslie Abbott leslie.abbott@wnco.com

Spirit Airlines David Kirstein dkirstein@yklaw.com

Spirit Airlines Joanne Young jyoung@yklaw.com

Sun Country John Fredericksen john.fredericksen@suncountry.com

Sun Country Thomas Ting thomas.ting@suncountry.com

United Dan Weiss dan.weiss@united.com

United Thomas Bolling thomas.bolling@united.com

Virgin America Barbara Russell barbara.russell@virginamerica.com

Brian Hedberg brian.hedberg@dot.gov

Robert Finamore robert.finamore@dot.gov

Brett Kruger brett.kruger@dot.gov

Info info@airlineinfo.com