lA ! 9 Jul y201 0

M rSamue l Podberesk y Assistan tGenera l Counse l fo r Aviatio n Enforcemen tan d Proceeding s U S Departmen to fTransportatio n 120 0 Ne wJerse yAvenue , S.E

. Roo m W96-32 2 Washington , D.C

. 2059 0 Unite d State s o fAmeric a

Dea rM rPodberesky , 1 4 CF R Par t38 2 Non-discriminatio n o n th e Basi s o fDisabilit yi n Ai rTrave l - Applicatio n o fQanta s Airway s Limite d fo ra n Equivalen t Alternativ e Determinatio n Doclie tNo

. DOT-OST-2008-027 3 Pursuan tt o 1 4 CF R sectio n 382.1 0 Non-discriminatio n o n th e Basi s o fDisabilit yi n Ai rTrave l (Fina l Ruling) , Qanta s Airway s Limite d (Qantas ) hereb yrespectfull yapplie s t o th e Unite d State s Departmen to fTransportatio n (U S DOT ) fo ra n equivalen t alternativ e determinatio n i n relatio n t o 1 4 CF R sectio n 382.6 1 (Application)

. Th e Applicatio n relate s t o th e Premiu m Econom yseatin g clas s I n th e Airbu s A38 0 aircraf t fo r Qantas ' fleet

. A s Qantas ' nex tAirbu s A38 0 aircraf tdeliver ywil l tak e plac e i n Octobe r2010 , i t mus tcompl ywrit h sectio n 1 4 CF R sectio n 382.61(f)

. A s a foreig n carrie rwhic h flie s to , fro m an d withi n th e Unite d States , Qanta s mus t ensur e tha t th e A380' s seatin g b e fitte d v/it h moveabl e armrest s o n 50 % o fpassenge raisl e seat s an d tha t th e movabl e armrest s b e provide d proportionatel yi n al l classe s o fservic e complyin g wit h 1 4 CF R sectio n 382,61

. I n providin g a n explanatio n t o an yequivalen talternative s t o th e above , th e U S DO T (amongs tothe rthings ) state d i n th e Preambl e t o th e Fina l Rulin g (wit h respec t t o sectio n 382.6 1 movabl e amirest s a tpag e 27625 ) that : Th e Departmen tagree s that , i fi n a give n aircraft , seat s an d sea t pitche s ar e configure d s o a s t o permi ta horizonta l transfe ro fa passenge rfro m a boardin g wheelchai rt o th e aircraf tsea t{i.e. , a transfe rtha tca n b e accomplishe d withou tliftin g th e passenge rove r th e aisl e armrest) , i twoul d no t b e necessaryt o hav e a movabl e aisl e armres t a t tha t location

. Consequently , i fa carrie rca n show , throug h a n equivalen t alternativ e request , tha tsuc h transfer s ar e feasibl e wit h a give n cabi n configuration , th e Departmen t woul d gran tth e reques tfo rth e carrier' s aircraf tusin g tha tconfiguration

. Curren tQanta s A38 0 configuratio n I n relatio n t o Qantas ' curren tPremiu m Econom yseat s I n it s A38 0 aircraft , du e t o th e entertainmen tmonito rbein g i n th e ar m o fth e seat , Qantas ' sea t manufacture ri s unable , a t present , t o provid e a moveabl e armres ti n th e desig n o fth e seat

. Thi s wil l hav e a n impac t o n si xA38 0 aircraf tt o b e delivere d fro m Octobe r2010

. However , give n th e sizeabl e sea t pitc h i n th e Premiu m Econom yseatin g arrangemen t i n th e cabi n o fth e A380 , bein g 42 " fo rth e outboar d doubl e seats , Qanta s respectfull ysubmit s tha t a passenge rwit h a disabilit yi s abl e t o b e safel ytransferre d horizontall yfro m a n aisl e o rboardin g wheelchai rt o th e aircraf t sea t vwthou tth e nee d t o b e lifte d ove rth e armrest,: ^ ^ ^ ^

Qanta s Airway s U'mite d AB N 1 6 00 9 66 1 90 1 Qanta s Centre 20 3 Cowar d Stree t Masco tNS W202 0 Australi a Telephon e 6 1 (2)969 1 363 5 qantas.co mI n additio n t o th e outboar d doubl e seat s an d i n orde rt o mee t ou r50 % quota , Qanta s wil l utilis e th e aisl e sea tposition s o fth e fron tro wseat s (seat s 3 4 B , D , F an d J)

. Thes e seat s hav e a setbac k

larg e enoug h t o allo wfo rth e saf e horizonta l transfe ro fa passenge rwit h a disability , withou tth e passenge rbein g lifte d ove rth e armrest

. Qanta s i s committe d t o th e introductio n o fmoveabl e armrest s i n Premiu m Econom yan d fro m 2011 , Qanta s wil l begi n reconfigurin g ou rA38 0 aircraft , whic h wil l provid e th e opportunit yt o introduc e a ne wPremiu m Econom ysea t wit h a moveabl e armrest

. Supportin g materia l provide d b yQanta s I n suppor to fQantas ' submission , w e provid e th e following :

. aircraf tconfiguratio n diagram s o fQantas ' curren tA38 0 Premiu m Econom y configuration ; an d

. th e sea tdimensions

. Pursuan tt o 1 4 CF R sectio n 302.12 , Qanta s ha s remove d confidentia l informatio n fro m Exhibi tAt o thi s letter

. Qanta s submit s tha ti tha s provide d evidenc e throug h thi s reques t tha t th e horizonta l transfe r o fa passenge rwit h a disabilit yi n a boardin g wheelchai ri s feasibl e give n th e configuratio n o f th e Premiu m Econom yseatin g i n th e cabi n o fth e forthcomin g A38 0 an d i s a n "equivalen t alternative " providin g "substantiall yequivalen t accessibilit yt o passenger s wit h disabilities"

. Accordingly , Qanta s respectfull yrequest s tha tth e U S DO Tgran t thi s applicatio n fo ra n equivalen talternativ e determinatio n pursuan tt o 1 4 CF R sectio n 382.10

. I fyo u hav e an yfurthe rqueries , pleas e contac tVesn a Vinsk i o n th e detail s provide d below

. Qanta s look s fonwar d t o receivin g th e U S DOT' s respons e t o th e abov e submissions

.
Your s faithfull y 

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We s Nobellu s Deput yGenera l Counse l Qanta s Airway s Limite d

Vesn a Vinsk i Senio rLega l Counse l Qanta s Airway s Limite d +6 1 (2 ) 969 1 562 1 Te l +6 1 (2)969 1 541 5 Fax wnobelius@aantas.com.a u vesnavinski(S)qantas.co m .a uEXHIBI TA [Confidentia l Informatio n removed ]