BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

__________________________________________ ) Application of ) ) MITCHELL ENTERPRISES LIMITED ) D/B/A REGIONAL AIR SERVICES ) DOCKET DOT-OST-2008-0319 ) for an exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 ) (Bahamas-Florida charters and scheduled service) ) __________________________________________)

APPLICATION OF MITCHELL ENTERPRISES LIMITED D/B/A REGIONAL AIR SERVICES FOR RENEWAL OF AN EXEMPTION

Communications with respect to th is document should be sent to: John R. Mietus, Jr. Law Office of John Mietus, LLC 6701 Democracy Blvd., Suite 300 Bethesda, MD 20817-7500 (202) 747-5212 (240) 396-5362 fax john@mietuslaw.com

Counsel for MITCHELL ENTERPRISES LIMITED D/B/A REGIONAL AIR SERVICES

NOTICE: Any person may support or oppose th is application by filing an answer and serving a copy of the answer on c ounsel for Regional Air Services and upon persons served with this app lication no later than January 16, 2012.

December 30, 2011BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

__________________________________________ ) Application of ) ) MITCHELL ENTERPRISES LIMITED ) D/B/A REGIONAL AIR SERVICES ) DOCKET DOT-OST-2008-0319 ) December 30, 2011 for an exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 ) (Bahamas-Florida charters and scheduled service) ) __________________________________________)

APPLICATION OF MITCHELL ENTERPRISES LIMITED D/B/A REGIONAL AIR SERVICES FOR RENEWAL OF AN EXEMPTION

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109(c), Mitc hell Enterprises Limited d/b/a Regional Air Services (“Regional Air”) respectfully requests renewal of all authority encompassed within the above-captio ned exemption, granted by Notices of Action Taken dated January 6 and May 9, 2011 (the "Notices"), for a common, additional, one-year period. These Notices permit Regional Air: (a) to engage in charter foreign air transportation of pers ons, property, and mail between a point or points in the Bahamas a nd a point or points in Florida, and other charters pursuant to 14 CFR Part 212 of the Department’s regulations, using small aircraft; and (b) scheduled foreign air transportati on of persons, property, and mail between Nassau, Freeport, Marsh Harbour, and Bimini , Bahamas, on the one hand, and Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beac h, Florida, on the other hand, and other charters pursuant to 14 CFR Part 212 of the Department's regulations, using small aircraft. Regional Air intends to invoke the automatic extension provisions of 5 U.S.C. § 558(c) and Part 377 of the Department's Special Re gulations. In support of this application, Regional Air states as follows:- 2 - Regional Air Renewal Application 1. Regional Air is a Bahamian flag carrier and operates Bahamas-U.S. air service under the above-captioned authority. It remains licensed by the Bahamian Department of Civil Aviation to perform charter and scheduled air transportation. Further Bahamas-U.S. operations remain governed by principles of comity and reciprocity that support the Department’s continued grant of authority, see, e.g., Sky Bahamas Airline, Notice of Action Taken dated June 28, 2011 in Docket OST-2003-15552, and the Department continues to recognize that the 1946 U.S.-U.K. Air Transport Agreement, to which the Government of the Bahamas acceded upon its independence, provides for Bahamas-U.S. scheduled service. See, e.g., Comair, Inc., Notice of Action Taken dated August 2, 2011 in Docket OST-2006-26123. 2. Under 49 U.S.C. § 40109(c), the Department may grant an exemption if it finds that such a grant is consistent with the public interest. In issuing both Notices, the Department recognized that the licensing of Regional Air by its homeland government to operate charter and scheduled air service is sufficient under the U.S.-Bahamas aviation relationship to justify exemption authority. The same findings remain warranted today. Moreover, the public interest is clearly served by maintaining a variety of competitive air service options between Florida and the Bahamas. 3. As currently structured, the charter authority and scheduled authority included within this docket expire several months apart. Renewing both types of authority with a common expiration date will reduce administrative burdens on the Department and Regional

Air.