BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Application of 

Portugalia- Companhia Portuguesa 

de Transportes Aereos S.A. 

for an exemption from 49 U.S.C. §41301 and 

Statement of authorization (long-term wet lease 

To TAP Portugal) 

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Docket OST-2008-0155 

September 15, 2014 

_________________________________ ) 

ANSWER OF ATLAS AIR, INC. 

Communications with respect to this document should be served on: 

Adam R. Kokas 

Executive Vice President, General 

Counsel & Chief Human Resources 

Officer 

ATLAS AIR, INC. 

2000 Westchester A venue 

Purchase, NY 10577-2543 

(914) 701-8576- Telephone 

(914) 701-8333- Fax 

adam.kokas@atlasair.com 

September 15, 2014 

Russell E. Pommer 

Associate General Counsel & 

Sr. Director, Regulatory Affairs 

ATLAS AIR, INC. 

801 17th Street, NW, Suite 410 

Washington, D.C. 20006 

(202) 822-9121 -Telephone 

(202) 822-9152- Fax 

rpommer@atlasair.com 
BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Application of 

Portugalia- Companhia Portuguesa 

de Transportes Aereos S.A. 

for an exemption from 49 U.S.C. §41301 and 

Statement of authorization (long-term wet lease 

To TAP Portugal) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) _________________________________ ) 

Docket OST-2008-0155 

September 15, 2014 

ANSWER OF ATLAS AIR, INC. 

By application dated August 29, 2014, Porugalia- Companhia Portuguesa de 

Transportes Aereos S.A. ("PGA") has applied for renewal of its exemption authority to 

the extent necessary to enable PGA to perform charters under 14 C.F. R. Part 121 in order 

to wet lease aircraft to TAP Portugal for use in connection with approved code-share 

services on certain TAP Portugal flights. Atlas Air, Inc. takes no position on the 

exemption request but wishes to comment on a related issue. 

PGA, an EU airline, is seeking exemption renewal in order to continue to wet 

lease aircraft to another EU airline. The wet lease was authorized for an indefinite period 

by Notice of Action Taken, September 9, 2010, before the Department began to focus its 

full attention on the discriminatory impact of the European Union's Regulation (EC) No. 

1008/2008, which limits the duration of U.S. airline wet leasing to EU airlines to two 

consecutive periods of seven months. 
ATLAS AIR, INC. 

Answer 

Although DOT action has not been requested and is not required, the 

circumstances provide a concrete example of the disparity between the EU's treatment of 

wet leases between non-EU and EU airlines, on the one hand, and two EU airlines, on the 

other. Atlas continues to urge prompt remediation by the European Commission, as 

sought by the U.S. government. 

September 15, 2014 

Respectfully submilted 

~~f.~ Russell E. Pommer 

Associate General Counsel & Sr. Director, 

Regulatory Affairs 

ATLAS AIR, INC. 

801 17th Street, NW, Suite 410 

Washington, D.C. 20006 

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ATLAS AIR, INC. 

Answer 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

I hereby certify that I have, this 15th day of September 2014, caused a copy of the 

foregoing document to be served by e-mail on all persons listed below: 

Name Representing E-Mail 

Caol Gosain Portugalia cgosain@ste~toe.com 

Bob Wirick American robert.wirick@aa.com 

Sascha Vander Bellen Delta sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com 

Dan Weiss United dan.weiss@united.com 

Nancy Sparks Fed Ex nss~arks@fedex.com 

Anita Mosner UPS anita.mosner@hklaw.com 

John Richardson Amerijet i richardson@ john I richardson .com 

John Mietus Centurion john @m ietuslaw .com 

Mark Atwood Kalitta matwood@cozen.com 

Kevin Mongtomery Polar Kevin.montgomer~@~olaraircargo.com 

John Duncan FAA John.s.duncan@faa.gov 

Steve Cristina DOS cristi nasa @state.gov 

Russell E. Pommer 

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