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1200 New Jel'$ey Avenue. SE Assistant Secretary U.S. Department Washington, DC 20590 of Transportation 

### L1 Office of the Secretary ofTransportation

The Honorable Mark Parkinson Governor ofKansas Topeka. KS 66612-1590 Dear Governor Parkinson: Thank you for your letter supporting the. application for antitrust immunity filed by American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on behalfofthe Secretary. As you may kno\\?, the applicants-members ofthe oneworld Alliance-are seeking antitrust immunity to closely coordinate nights betweenthe United States and Asia. According to the application, the alliance partners plan to launch ajoint venture for transpacific traffic. The application is administered in a public docket, which ensures that interested parties have the opportunity to comment. The U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) will evaluate the application according to rigorous statutory standards, beginning with a review ofthe record to detennine 

### ifit is substantially complete. Decisions on the application are made in consultation with the U.S. Department ofJustice's Antitrust Division following a thorough analysis of competitive factors. As this matter is now pending, 

## rhope you understand that I cannot comment on the merits oflhe application. I cal] assure you, however, that DOT will give full and fair consideration to the application as wellas any comments filed in the docket. As is our normal practice, Jam placing a copy 

### of your letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2010-0059 as a contact outside the record in this malter. I appreciate your interest in this proceeding.

u an 

### L. Kurland ssistant Secretary for AVI tion and International Affairs

### S 10-]00309-033

Mark Parkinson, Governor OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR www.governor.ks.gov



### March 1, 2010 The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood. Secretary U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New JerseyAve, SE
. Washington, DC 20590 Docket DOT-OST-2010-_ 

### DearMr. Secretary: Thankyou for the opportunity to express my support for the application for antitrust immunity andproposedjointbusiness agreement filed byAmerican Airlines and Japan Airlines. The proposed alliance betweenthese two airlines is vital for oneworld to compete effectivelywith the Star and SkyTeam alliance. This increased interalliance competitionwill in turn. 

### enhance the benefits ofthe Department's Open Skies policy

- first by solidifying U.S.-Japan Open Skies. then by serving as afoundation for further liberalization across Asia. After athorough review, I encouragethe Department ofTransportation to approve this application as itwould enable these oneworld alliance airlines to work closelytogetherto deliver highly competitive airtransportation services. Approval for AAlJAL alliance will have a positive impact on airtravel by offering customers more service, scheduling andpricing options and will help to ensure that customers continue to

### benefit from having three competitive air alliances to choose from. I urge you to quickly approve this application.

Capitol Building, Room2128,Topeka, KS 66612-1590
.. (785) 296-3232 " Fax: (785) 296-7973 e-mail: governor@ks.gov