BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

_____________________________________

 )

Application of )

 )

Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. ) Docket No. OST-2009-0298

(d/b/a vivaAerobus) )

)

For an Exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 )

(Hermosillo, Mexico – Las Vegas, Nevada) )

_____________________________________)

APPLICATION OF AEROENLACES NACIONALES, S.A. de C.V.

(VIVAAEROBUS) FOR RENEWAL OF EXEMPTION

Communications concerning this document should be addressed to:

David M. Kirstein

Joanne W. Young

KIRSTEIN & YOUNG PLLC

1750 K Street N.W.

Suite 200

Washington, D.C. 20006

(202) 331-3348 (telephone)

(202) 331-3933 (facsimile)

Counsel for 

Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V.

November 17, 2011

NOTICE: Answers supporting or opposing this application must be filed with the 

Department on or before December 2, 2011. 
BEFORE THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

_____________________________________

 )

Application of )

 )

Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. ) Docket No. OST-2009-0298

(d/b/a vivaAerobus) )

 )

For an Exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 )

(Hermosillo, Mexico – Las Vegas, Nevada) )

_____________________________________ )

APPLICATION OF AEROENLACES NACIONALES, S.A. de C.V.

(VIVAAEROBUS) FOR RENEWAL OF EXEMPTION

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109(c), Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. 

(“vivaAerobus”), a Mexican air carrier, respectfully requests renewal of the exemption authority 

that the Department of Transportation (the “Department”) granted in the above-captioned docket

to engage in scheduled foreign air transport of persons, property and mail between Hermosillo, 

Mexico and Las Vegas, Nevada. By Notice of Action Taken on December 13, 2010, the 

Department granted vivaAerobus exemption authority for this route. vivaAerobus’ existing 

exemption authority expires on December 13, 2011. vivaAerobus requests that the Department 

grant renewal of this exemption for a two-year period and relies on the provision of the 

Administrative Procedures Act and Part 377 of the Department’s procedural regulations to 

continue its existing authorization in force pending a final decision on this renewal request. 

In addition, vivaAerobus respectfully requests that the Department amend the carrier’s 

foreign air carrier permit to integrate the exemption authority requested herein and 

vivaAerobus’s existing exemption authority (as described below) to eliminate the need to apply 

for repeated renewals of the exemption authority.

In support of this Application, vivaAerobus states as follows:
Exemption Renewal Application of Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V.

November 17, 2011

Page 2 of 4

1. vivaAerobus was established in November 2006 as the first low-cost Mexican air 

carrier. It currently operates to various cities in Mexico, as well as to Houston, Texas; Las Vegas, 

Nevada; San Antonio, Texas; and Chicago, Illinois. It recently began service to Orlando, Florida 

and Miami, Florida. 

2. vivaAerobus has been found fit, willing and able to provide foreign air transportation 

and currently holds a foreign air carrier permit to operate scheduled service between the Mexican 

points of Monterrey, Guadalajara, Puebla, Leon, Queretaro, and Cancun and Austin, Texas. See

Order 2008-1-23. It also holds exemption authority for (a) Monterrey, Mexico – Las Vegas, 

Nevada; (b) Monterrey, Mexico – Houston, Texas; (c) Monterrey, Mexico – San Antonio, 

Texas; (d) Monterrey, Mexico – Chicago, Illinois; (e) Guadalajara, Mexico – Las Vegas, 

Nevada; (f) Monterrey, Mexico – Orlando, Florida; (g) Monterrey, Mexico – Miami, Florida; (h) 

Guadalajara, Mexico – Houston, Texas; (i) Guadalajara, Mexico – San Antonio, Texas. See

Notice of Action Taken, Docket OST-2008-0095, dated April 1, 2011; Notice of Action Taken, 

Docket OST-2010-0082 dated April 1, 2011; Notice of Action Taken, Docket OST-2011-0060 

dated March 25, 2011; and Notice of Action Taken, Docket OST-2011-0148 dated August 17, 

2011. There have been no material changes within the company that would affect the 

Department’s prior fitness findings.

3. vivaAerobus uses Boeing 737-300 aircraft for all its services. Mexico is a contracting 

state to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (“ICAO”) and observes all applicable 

ICAO standards. This renewal application does not raise any environmental or energy issues

because approval of this request will not result in an increase in fuel consumption of ten million 

gallons or more in the near future. 
Exemption Renewal Application of Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V.

November 17, 2011

Page 3 of 4

4. The requested authority is covered by the U.S.–Mexico Air Transport Agreement. 

On December 12, 2005, the Governments of the United States and Mexico signed an amendment 

to the Bilateral broadening air transport services between the two counties and permitting 

designated Mexican carriers, to operate from a “point or points in Mexico to a point or points in 

the United States” subject to limitations on the number of designations per market. 

vivaAerobus’s requested renewal authority is within the scope of the U.S.–Mexico bilateral.

5. Grant of this exemption renewal is consistent with the public interest. vivaAerobus’s 

scheduled operations will increase competition in U.S.–Mexico market and provide low-cost 

travel options to passengers.

6. Integration of vivaAerobus’s exemption authority with its permit authority in an

amended foreign air carrier permit is consistent with the Department’s goals of streamlining its 

carrier licensing procedures. See In the Matter of Streamlining Regulatory Procedures For 

Licensing U.S. and Foreign Air Carriers, Docket OST-2005-22228 (August 25, 2008).

WHEREFORE, vivaAerobus respectfully requests the Department to renew the

exemption granted it in this docket to allow vivaAerobus to engage in scheduled foreign air 

transportation of persons, property, and mail between Hermosillo, Mexico and Las Vegas, 
Exemption Renewal Application of Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V.

November 17, 2011

Page 4 of 4

Nevada. vivaAerobus further requests any different or additional relief the Department may 

deem necessary. 

Respectfully Submitted,

_________________________

David M. Kirstein

Joanne W. Young

KIRSTEIN & YOUNG PLLC

1750 K Street N.W.

Suite 200

Washington, D.C. 20006

(202) 331-3348 (telephone)

(202) 331-3933 (facsimile)

Counsel for 

Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V.

November 17, 2011
Certificate of Service

I certify that on this 17th day of November 2011, a copy of the foregoing 

Renewal Application of Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. for Exemption was

served by email on the following:

anita.mosner@hklaw.com

benjamin_slocum@usairways.com

carl.nelson@aa.com

cefelts@fedex.com

dan.weiss@coair.com

efaberman@wileyrein.com

howard_kass@usairways.com

jeff.morgan@delta.com

Jennifer.nowak@hklaw.com

jhill@dlalaw.com

jrichardson@johnlrichardson.com

msinick@ssd.com

oracio.marquez@united.com

pmurphy@lopmurphy.com

rbkeiner@crowell.com

robert.land@jetblue.com

rpommer@atlasair.com

rsilverberg@sgbdc.com

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com

slachter@lachter-clements.com

sllunsford@fedex.com

steve.morrissey@united.com

john.allen@faa.gov

urskr @state.gov

brian.hedberg@dot.gov

robert.finamore@dot.gov

__________________

Lyndsey Grunewald