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U.S.Departmen t o ( ^ ' • ' ' ' • • " • !;::'/':' - Transportatio n ' ' ' .- = J Offic e o f th e Secretar /

Augus t 23 , 201 0 o f TransportoTio n : . ^ '

r"T T :;-?:•>;: ' Hi e I loiionihl c (ircgoii o Kilil i C'ainacli o Sabhi n " ^ r-ri^c ^ pCJ : U . S . Hous e o f

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~ O Washinmoii , D C 2051 5 ~ go Q Dear Congressma n Sahlan : j r Than k yo n fo r you r lette r o f Jul y 2 8 addresse dt o Seerelar y La i ioo dsupportin g th e applicatio n o f

Aviatio n Services , Ltd . d/b/ aFreedon i Ai r (Freeilon i Air) , fo r

authorit y t o engag e i n foreig n eiurtc r ai r iransporlalion . A s yo u ar e aware . Freedo mAi r ha s applie dt o th e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n fo r acertificat e t o provid e foreig n charte r ai r service . Severa l pleading s fro mintereste d partie s hav e bee n file di n respons e t o Freedo mAir' s application . Presently , th e Departmen t

i s reviewin g th e informatio n submitte db y Freedon t Ai r in suppor t

o f it s fitnes s an dal l comment s o n th e record . Sinc e thi s matte r

i s contested , I a munabl e t o commen t o n th e merit s o f

th e case . 1 assur e you . however , tha t

th e Departmen t

i s workin g a s expeditiousl y a s possibl e an dgivin g ful l consideratio n t o Freedo mAir' s applicatio n an dal l comment s o n record . A s i s ou r n(nma 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-2( ) 10-015. 1 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor do f

ihi s matter . I appreciat e you r interes t i n thi s proceeding . Sincerel y yours .

jusa n L . Kurlan d /Assistan t

Secretar y for Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair sS I 0-100802-00 3

ull l (.(.KI'iKI l M U \ M M IH)-.\I1 I \ '

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## (Cinuu*i*iU i lit* tli c Ituitc ^ i>tatci i ^jiniu c iifiKci-ircyLnitattuci i ,'.-;>. ; Ulaiihmiilmi , DU

: 21131 5 ; ; Jul y 28 , 201 0 Th e Honorabl e Ra

y LaHoo d Secretar y o f Transportatio n U.S . Department

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E Washington , DC 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : i write i n ful l support ofth c applicatio n (DOT-OST-2010-0153 ) submitte db y .Aviation Services , Ltd . (d/b/ aFreedo mAir ) for acertificat e o f

publi c convenienc e an dnecessity authorizin g Freedo mAir

t o initiat e foreig n charte r ai r transportation . I'reedo mAir i s attemptin g to undertake amajo r

ste p in it s growth a s a

n ai r earne r servin g th e Northern Marian aIsland s an d Guamb y providin g longer-range charie r servic e o n large r

je t aircraft . No t

onl y wil l th e authorizatio n o f

charte r servic e .suppor

t th e mobility o f

peopl e i n th e region , bu t

i t will als o promote aloca

l ai r transportatio n resourc e to th e benefit o f th e regio n an dth e U.S . air transportatio n infrastructur e i n th e Pacific . Th e econom

y o f th e Norther n Marian aIsland s i s heavil y dependen t upo n tourism , especiall y fro

mth e Asian region . Authorizin g I'reedo mAir t o provid e charte r

air servic e beUvecn Gua

mandPalau , Manila , Hon g Kong . Taipe i andShangha i wil l allo w fo r mor e acces s fo r tourist s t o visi t pu r island s fosterin g economi c growth , employmen t an dre\cnues . I

n addition , th e alternativ e pricin g an dscr\ic e option s propose db y l-'recdomAi r wil l benefit resident s o f

th e Marian aIsland s b y providin g viabl e option s t o foreig n destinations . Freedo mAi r

i s alocal , U.S . citize n owne dcompan y tha t ha s provide dvaluabl e service s to Saipan , Tinian an dRot ao f th e Northern Marian aIsland s sinc e 1976 , offerin g schedule dan d deman dpassenge r

ser\'ices , a s wel l a s carg o operations . Whil e othe r airline s hav e com e an

d gone . Freedo m.Ai

r ha s prove n loyal t o th e regio n whil e providin g \ita l commute r air scn'ic c betwee n th e islands . Considerin g th e potentia l benefit s t o th e regio n fro

mth e expansio n o f

operational routes , I a mi n complete suppor

t o f l-recdo mAir' s applicatio n an durg e you r

favorabl e consideration . Sincerely , GRHGORI O KILIL I CAMACH O SAI3LA N Member o f Congres s