# e

U S Deoartmen t Assistan t Secretar y 1200 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E " ' ' ''"H" ' "'"V. " Washington , D C 2059 0 o f Transportatio n " ^ Office o f th e Secretar

y ^, . ^ ^ o f Transportatio n AP R 0 2 201 0

Th e Honorabl e Edwar dG . Rendel l Governo r o f Pennsylvani a Harrisburg , P A 1712 0 Dea r Governo r

Rendell : Than k yo u for you r lette r o f Marc h 1 2 supportin g th e applicatio n fo r antitrus t immunit y filedb y America n Airline s an dJapa n Airlines . I a mrespondin g o n behal f o f Secretar y LaHood . A s yo u ma y know , th e applicants—member s o f th e oneworl dAlliance—ar e seekin g antitrus t immunity t o closel y coordinat e flight s betwee n th e Unite dState s an dAsia . Accordin g t o th e application , th e allianc e partner s pla n t o launc h ajoin t ventur e for

conveyanc e o f

transpacifi c traffic . Th e applicatio n i s administere di n apubli c docket , whic h ensure s tha t intereste dpartie s hav e th e opportimity t o comment . Th e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n (DOT ) wil l evaluat e th e applicatio n accordin g t o rigorou s statutor y standards , beginnin g wit h arevie w o f th e recor dt o determin e i f

i t i s substantiall y complete . Decision s o n th e applicatio n ar e mad e i n consultatio n with th e U.S . Departmen t o f Justice' s Antitrus t

Divisio n followin g athoroug h analysi s o f competitiv e factors . A s thi s matte r i s no w pending , I hop e yo u understan dtha t I canno t commen t o n th e merit s o f

th e application . I ca n assur e you , however , tha t DO T wil l giv e ful

l an dfair consideratio n t o th e applicatio n a s wel l a s an y comment s filedi n th e docket . A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a mplacin g acop y o f you r lette r an dthi s respons e i n Docke t DOT-OST-2010-005 9 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor di n thi s matter . I appreciat e you r interes t i n thi s proceeding . Sincerel y yours .



# y^^U^^ ; Susa n L . Kurlan d Assistan t Secretary for Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair sS I 0-100317-03 0

COMMONWEALT H O F PENNSYLVANI A OFFIC E O F TH E GOVERNO R

HARRISBUR G TH E GOVERNO R March 12 , 201 0 The Honorabl e Raymon dH . LaHoo d Secretar y U.S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Docke t DOT-OST-20104ff

H Dea r Secretar y LaHood : Pleas e suppor

t an dapprov e th e applicatio n fo r antitrus t immunit y andpropose djoin t busines s agreement

filedb y American Airline s (AA ) an dJapa n Airline s (JAL) . Th e propose d allianc e between thes e tw o airline s i s vital t o effectively operate an dcompete i n transpacifi c air service . Thi s increase dcompetitio n wil l in tur n enhanc e th e benefit s o f

th e U.S . Department

o f Transportation' s Ope n Skie s polic y - first by solidifyin g U.S.-Japan Ope n Skies , the n b y servin g a s afoundatio n fo

r furthe r liberalizatio n acros s Asia . Additionally , th e Department' s approva l of thi s applicatio n woul denabl e A A an dJAL t o wor k closely together

t o delive r highl y competitiv e air

transportatio n service s b

y offerin g customer s mor

e service , schedulin g an dpricin g option s andensure consumer choice . Again , I encourag e th e Department' s approval o f thi s application . Sincerely , Edwar dG . Rendel l Governo r