BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON D.C.

___________________________________ In the matter of the application of ) ) LAN ARGENTINA S.A. ) ) DOCKET DOT-OST-2005-22140 for an exemption from ) 49 U.S.C. § 41301 ) ____________________________________)

APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF EXEMPTION
Communications with respect to this document should be sent to:

Facundo Rocha Marshall S. Sinick Legal Affairs Manager Edward W. Sauer LAN Argentina S.A. Squire Sanders (US) LLP Av. Rafael Obligado s/n y Jeronimo 1200 19th Street, N.W. Salguero Washington, D.C. 20036 Complejo Costas Salguero Phone: (202) 626-6651 (C1425DAA) Buenos Aires, Argentina Fax: (202) 626-6780 Facundo.rocha@lan.com Counsel for LAN Argentina S.A.

NOTICE: In filing this Application for Renewal, LAN Argentina S.A. invokes the

automatic extension provision of the 5 USC §558(c), as implemented in the Department’s Economic Regulations by 14 C.F.R. Part 377 Subpart B. Any person may file an answer in support of, or in opposition to this Application within fifteen days of the date of filing. DATED: May 2, 2012BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON D.C.

___________________________________ In the matter of the application of ) ) LAN ARGENTINA S.A. ) ) DOCKET DOT-OST-2005-22140 For an exemption from ) 49 U.S.C. § 41301 ) ____________________________________)

APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF EXEMPTION
LAN Argentina S.A. hereby requests renewal of exemption in the captioned docket permitting it to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property and mail between any point or points in Argentina and Miami, Florida, via the intermediate point Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. LAN Argentina’s existing exemption will expire on June 10, 2012. LAN Argentina requests renewal of this exemption for a one-year period on its existing terms and conditions. In support of this renewal request, LAN Argentina states the following:
1. LAN Argentina’s authority to engage in the scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property and mail between any point or points in Argentina and Miami, Florida was first granted in this docket by Notice of Action Taken dated June 14, 2005. By Notice of Action Taken dated June 14, 2006, the Department amended LAN Argentina’s exemption to allow it to serve the United States using its own aircraft and crews, consistent with Argentina’s Category 1 IASA rating.2

2. On November 3, 2006, by a further Notice of Action Taken in this docket, the Department amended LAN Argentina’s exemption to perform scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between any point or points in Argentina and Miami, via Punta Cana. The Department subsequently renewed LAN Argentina’s exemption on several occasions.
3. On June 10, 2011 the Department last renewed this exemption authority, which is set to expire on June 10, 2012.
4. Under the authorities described in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, LAN Argentina operates multiple weekly flights between Buenos Aires and Miami, with a number of them operated via Punta Cana. 5. Renewal of this exemption would be consistent with the terms of the U.S.- Argentina bilateral agreement, as amended. LAN Argentina continues to be authorized and designated by the Government of Argentina to perform scheduled services on the routes for which renewal is requested.
6. Renewal of LAN Argentina’s exemption will enable it to continue developing the range of services it offers between the United States and Argentina, while providing LAN Argentina the full operational flexibility contemplated by the United States-Argentina Air Transport Agreement.
7. This renewal application raises no environmental or energy issues. LAN Argentina’s operations are performed entirely with modern aircraft that meet all noise requirements applicable to operations at all respective airports. Since LAN Argentina is seeking authorization for scheduled service in markets where it3 already operates, the incremental environmental impact of grant of the renewal request herein can be said to be de minimis

. WHEREFORE, LAN Argentina respectfully requests that the exemption authorities requested herein be renewed for a period of at least one year, as more fully set forth above, or that the Department grant such further, different and additional relief as the Department may deem appropriate. Respectfully submitted,

Marshall S. Sinick Edward W. Sauer Squire Sanders (US) LLP 1200 19th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 626-6651 Fax: (202) 626-6780 Counsel for LAN Argentina S.A.
DATED: May 2, 20124 CERTIFICATE OF SERVCE
I hereby certify that one copy of the foregoing Application for Renewal of LAN Argentina has this day been served on each of the following individuals via e-mail.

_________________________________ Marshall S. Sinick DATED: May 2, 2012

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com ; jeff.morgan@delta.com jonathan.linde@united.com ; steve.morrissey@united.com ; dan.weiss@united.com carl.nelson@aa.com nssparks@fedex.com; cefelts@fedex.com; anbird@fedex.com anita.mosner@hklaw.com ; jennifer.nowak@hklaw.com mlbenge@zsrlaw.com rpommer@atlasair.com brian.hedberg@dot.gov ; Robert.finamore@dot.gov info@airlineinfo.com