BEFORE THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

_____________________________________

Application of )

)

AIRTRAN AIRWAYS, INC. )

) Docket OST-2005-21134

under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 for renewal of )

exemption authority between Atlanta, Georgia )

and Cancun, Mexico; and between Baltimore, )

Maryland and Cancun, Mexico )

_____________________________________ )

APPLICATION OF AIRTRAN AIRWAYS, INC.

FOR RENEWAL OF EXEMPTION AUTHORITY

Communications with respect to this document should be sent to:

Bob Jordan Robert W. Kneisley

 President Associate General Counsel

AIRTRAN AIRWAYS, INC. Leslie C. Abbott

9955 AirTran Boulevard Senior Attorney

Orlando, FL 32827 SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

 1901 L Street, N.W., Suite 640

Washington, D.C. 20036 

 bob.kneisley@wnco.com

(202) 263-6284

June 4, 2012

NOTICE: Any person may file an answer to this Application in this docket and 

served on the persons listed above, on or before June 19, 2012. AIRTRAN WILL 

POLL THE U.S. CARRIERS ON THE ATTACHED SERVICE LIST REGARDING THIS 

APPLICATION AND WILL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE RESULTS AS 

SOON AS POSSIBLE.
1

BEFORE THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

_____________________________________

Application of )

)

AIRTRAN AIRWAYS, INC. )

) Docket OST-2005-21134

under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 for renewal of )

exemption authority between Atlanta, Georgia )

and Cancun, Mexico; and between Baltimore, )

Maryland and Cancun, Mexico )

_____________________________________ )

APPLICATION OF AIRTRAN AIRWAYS, INC.

FOR RENEWAL OF EXEMPTION AUTHORITY

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109 and Subpart C of Part 302 (14 C.F.R.), AirTran 

Airways, Inc. (“AirTran”)1hereby files this Application for Renewal of Exemption with the 

Department of Transportation (“DOT” or “the Department”) to allow AirTran to continue 

to provide carriage of persons, property and mail in scheduled combination service 

between: (1) Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport (“ATL”) and Cancun, Mexico 

(“CUN”) and (2) Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (“BWI”) 

and Cancun, Mexico (“CUN”). By Order dated October 17, 2008, the Department 

granted AirTran authority to serve both markets. DOT renewed the exemption authority 

for a two year period by Notice of Action Taken on August 6, 2010 in this Docket. The

current exemption is scheduled to expire on August 6, 2012.2To ensure no interruption 

 

1

AirTran Airways, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co.

2

To the extent necessary, AirTran relies upon the automatic extension provisions of 5 U.S.C. § 558(c) to maintain the 

subject authority in effect beyond the expiration date, pending DOT action on this Application. 
2

of scheduled service, AirTran respectfully requests prompt renewal of its exemption 

authority for a minimum of two years. 

Renewal of the subject exemption is in the public interest for the same reasons 

that supported the original issuance of authority for AirTran’s ATL-CUN and BWI-CUN 

service. AirTran’s service has provided consumers in both of these markets with highquality, low-cost travel options and low-fare competition. AirTran provides this service 

with Stage III Boeing 737-700 aircraft configured for 137 seats. Continuation of this 

service is in the public interest. 

AirTran continues to be fit, willing and able to conduct the services described in 

this Application. In fact, the Department recently granted AirTran exemption authority to 

provide service in several other U.S. – Mexico markets including MDW-CUN, AUSCUN, DEN-CUN, SAT-CUN, SAT-MEX, SNA-MEX, and SNA-SJD. See Dockets OST2012-0001 (MDW-CUN), OST-2012-0007 (AUS/DEN-CUN) and OST-2011-0205 (SATCUN/MEX and SNA-MEX/SJD). AirTran requests that the Department take official 

notice, pursuant to Rule 24 of the Department's Rules of Practice, of all data on file with 

the Department necessary to establish AirTran's fitness.

The requested renewal of exemption authority is fully consistent with the United 

States – Mexico Air Transport Agreement (“Agreement”), as amended by the two 

governments on December 12, 2005. The Agreement authorizes air carriers 

designated by the United States to operate “[f]rom a point or points in the United States 

to a point or points in Mexico.” Annex I(A)(1)(a). Pursuant to the amended Agreement, 

three U.S. carrier designations are authorized on U.S. – CUN routes, Annex I(B)(5), and 

AirTran serves both ATL-CUN and BWI-CUN as one of three designated U.S. airlines. 
3

AirTran requests that the Department renew its authority so that it can continue to 

provide this service under the Agreement. 

WHEREFORE, AirTran Airways, Inc. respectfully requests renewal of its

exemption authority under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 for a minimum of two years to provide 

scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between Atlanta and 

Cancun, Mexico and between Baltimore and Cancun, Mexico.

Respectfully submitted,

______________________

Robert W. Kneisley

June 4, 2012
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on June 4, 2012, a copy of the foregoing was served via email on the following persons:

msinick@ssd.com (Alaska Airlines)

carl.nelson@aa.com (American Airlines)

Robert.wirick@aa.com (American Airlines)

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com (Delta Air Lines)

robert.cohn@hoganlovells.com (Frontier Airlines)

Patrick.rizzi@hoganlovells.com (Frontier Airlines)

jhill@dowlohnes.com (JetBlue Airways)

dkirstein@yklaw.com (Spirit Airlines)

John.Fredericksen@suncountry.com (Sun Country Airlines)

dan.weiss@united.com (United Air Lines)

howard_kass@usairways.com (US Airways)

ben.slocum@usairways.com (US Airways)

pmurphy@lopmurphy.com (USA3000)

jegillick@zsrlaw.com (Virgin America)

barbara.russell@virginamerica.com (Virgin America)

susan.kurland@dot.gov

paul.gretch@dot.gov

esta.rosenberg@dot.gov

brian.hedberg@dot.gov

brett.kruger@dot.gov

Louis Miller

Aviation General Manager

City of Atlanta Department of Aviation

 Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Louis.Miller@atlanta-airport.com

Paul Wiedefeld

Executive Director

Maryland Aviation Administration

 BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport

pwiedefeld@bwiairport.com

info@airlineinfo.com

__________________________

Leslie C. Abbott