BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

__________________________________________ )

Application of )

)

MASTER TOP LINHAS AEREAS LTDA. ) Docket OST

- 20 0 6

- 25971

)

for Renewal of an Exemption from )

49 U.S.C. § 41301 (Brazil

- U.S. Cargo Charters) )

)

APPLICATION OF MASTER TOP LINHAS AEREAS LTDA.

FOR RENEWAL OF EXEMPTION AUTHORITY

Communications with respect to this

document may be served upon:

John R. Mietus, Jr.

William C. Evans

LAW OFFICE OF JOHN MIETUS, LLC

6701 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 300

Bethesda, MD 20817

- 7500

( 202 ) 747

- 5212

john@mietuslaw.com

bill@mietuslaw.com

Counsel for Master Top Linhas Aereas L tda.

NOTICE: Any person may support or oppose this application by filing an

answer and serving a copy of the answer on counsel for Master Top and upon

persons served with this ap plication no later than March 1 , 20 10.

DATED: February 1 2 , 2010

4818

- 4040

- 8834, v. 2BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

__________________________________________ )

Application of )

)

MASTER TOP LINHAS AEREAS LTDA. ) Do cket OST

- 20 0 6

- 25971

) February 1 2 , 2010

for Renewal of an Exemption from )

49 U.S.C. § 41301 ( Brazil

- U.S. Cargo Charters ) )

)

APPLICATION OF MASTER TOP LINHAS AEREAS LTDA.

FOR RENEWAL OF EXEMPTION AUTHORITY

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109(c), Maste r Top Linhas Aereas Ltda. (" MTA ")

respectfully requests renewal of the exemption authority granted by Notice of Action

Taken dated February 13, 2009, to engage in charter foreign air transportation of property

and mail between points in the Federal Republi c of Brazil and points in the United States,

and other charters in accordance with 14 CF R Part 212. The exemption authority

currently is set to expire February 13, 2010

. By this application, MTA intends to invoke

the automatic extension provisions of 5 U .S.C. § 558(c) and Part 377 of the Department's

Special Regulations. The renewal is requested for one year. In support of this

application, MTA states as follows:

1. MTA is a flag carrier of the Federal Republic of Brazil and currently holds

exemption a uthorit y which authorizes cargo charter service between points in Brazil and

points in the U.S. and other charters in accordance with Part 212. Pursuant to its

exemption authorit y

, MTA operates cargo charter service between Brazil and Miami.- 2

- Master Top Linhas Aereas

Exemption Renewal

ND: 4818

- 4040

- 8834, v. 1 2. By this a pplication, MTA seeks renewal of the cargo charter exemption

autho rity granted by Notice of Action Taken, dated February 13, 2009, which currently is

set to expire on February 13, 2010. MTA currently is utilizing the exemption authority to

provide cargo c harter service between Brazil and the U.S. T he response to th e service

has been satisfactory, and MTA wants to continue the service for another year.

3

. Under the Air Transport Agreement between the Government of Brazil an d the

Government of the United States

, a carrier designated by the Government of Brazil is

entitled to operate third and fourth freedom charters between Brazil and the U.S. MTA

has been designated under Annex II and it continues to hold the requisite authority from

the Government of B razil.

4. Under 49 U.S.C. § 40109(c), the Department may grant or renew an

exemption if it finds that such is consistent with the public interest. It is clear that the

designation of a carrier by its homeland government is the most significant factor in

determining whether grant of an application is in the public interest. For example, in

Linea Aerea Nacional de Chile, Foreign Permit , 26 C.A.B. 604 (1958), the Civil

Aeronautics Board stated as follows:

Where, as here, the applicant has shown that it hol ds the

appropriate designation under an effective bilateral

agreement to operate the route embraced by the application,

the applicant has presented highly significant evidence

bearing on the public Interest.

See also Application of Aerovias Venezolanas S. A. , Order 86

- 8

- 88 at 3 (provision for

authority in a bilateral is prima facie evidence that grant thereof is in the public interest);

Aerolineas Peruanas Foreign Permit , 31 C.A.B. 181 (1960). The same findings are

### "3**■ Master** **Top Linhas** **Aereas Exemption** **Renewal**

### warranted**here, where** **MTA has** **been designated** **for the** **authority sought** **to be** **renewed. 5.** **Given the** **fact that** **under the** **bilateral agreement** **MTA has** **been designated** **for**

### the**authority requested** **herein and** **the fact** **that the** **exemption will** **only be** **effective for** **one year,** **the request** **is limited** **in scope** **and should** **be noncontroversial.** 

### WHEREFORE,**Master Top** **Linhas Aereas** **Ltda. respectfully** **requests that** **the Department** **grant renewal** **of the** **exemption authority** **as requested** **herein. Respectfully** **submitted, John** **R. Mietus,** **Jr. William** **C. Evans** **LAW OFFICE** **OF JOHN** **MIETUS, LLC** **6701 Democracy** **Boulevard, Suite** **300 Bethesda,** **MD 20817-7500** **(202)747-5212 john@mietuslaw.com** **bill@mietuslaw.com Counsel** **for Master** **Top Linhas** **Aereas Ltda.** **DATED: February** **12,2010 ND:** **4818-4040-8834, v.** **1 CERTIFICATE** **OF SERVICE** 

### I**hereby certify** **that I** **have this** **12th day** **of February,** **2010 caused** **a copy** **of the** **foregoing Application** **of Master** **Top Linhas** **Aereas Ltda.** **to be** **served by** **electronic mail** **upon those** **persons on** **the attached** **list.**BRAZIL SERVICE LIST

Carl Nelson, American Airlines

carl.nelson@aa.com

Pierre Murphy for Arrow Air, Inc.

pmurphy@ggh

- airlaw.com

Russ Pommer, Atlas Air

rpommer@atlasair.com

Hershel Kamen for Continental

hershel.kamen@coair.com

Sascha Van Der Bellen, D elta and

Northwest

s ascha. vanderbellen@ delta. com

(alt. jeff.morgan@ delta .com)

Kevin Montgomery, Polar Air Cargo

kevin.montgomery@polaraircargo.com

(alt. peter.beckett@polaraircargo.com)

Angie Bird , Federal Express

anbird@fedex.com

Jeff Manley, United A ir Lines

jeffrey.manley@united.com

David Vaughan, Kelley Drye & Warren,

for United Parcel Service

dvaughan@kelleydrye.com John Richardson for Amerijet

jrichardson@johnlrichardson.com

Steve Lachter, Lachter & Clements,

for Astar Air Cargo

lachter@starp ower.net

Malcolm Benge for World Airways

mlbenge@zsrlaw.com

Bob Silverberg, Silverberg Goldman,

for ABX

rsilverberg@sgbdc.com

John Palo, Evergreen

john.palo@evergreenairlines.com

Tom Gillies, Southern Air

tgillies@southernair.com

Sandy Sinick, Squire Sanders,

for Florida West

msinick@ssd.com

Bill Evans for Centurion Air Cargo

bill@mietuslaw.com

Mark Atwood, Sher Blackwell,

for Custom Air, Kalitta, and Murray Air

matwood@sherblackwell.com

ND: 4845

- 9784

- 9089, Ver 1

4845

- 9784

- 9089, v. 1