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U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n Offic e o f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n : rNvORTATIO N ,>iC^ERAliC i Assistan t Secretar y

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### : 3 0 1 120 0 N« w Jerse y Avenue , S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Septembe r

12 , 201 1 Mr . Jack Friedma n Executiv e Directo r Queen s Chambe

r o f Commerc e 75-20 Astori aBlvd . Suite 14 0 Jackso n Heights , N Y 11370-113 1 Dea r Mr . Friedman : Than k yo u fo r your letter , expressin g suppor

t fo r apropose d agreemen t

b y vi^hic h Delt aAir

Line s wouldexchang e certai n slo t interest s a

t Reaga n Washingto n National Airpor t fo r certai n U S Airway s slo t

interest s at

LaGuardi aAirport . Secretar y LaHoo d ha s aske d tha t

I respon d o

n hi s behalf . Amon g othe r points , yo u urg e that

th e Department

allo w th e propose d transactio n t o proceed , believin g tha

t aDelt ahub at

LaGuardi awoul d resul t

i n servic e t o ne w destinations , mor e frequent flights , additional coimections , and increase s in servic e quality . Yo u als o suppor t a divestitur e o f slot s t o lo w cos t

carrier s a s par

t o f th e transaction , providin g a n additiona

l assuranc e tha

t competitio n wil l remai n vibrant i n New York . The Department' s actio n o n thi s matter i s bein g administere d throug h apubli c docket , which wil l allo w all intereste dpartie s th e opportunit y t o comment . We wil l evaluate al l o f th e comment s tha t ar e filed , an dthe n tak e appropriate action . Followin g our normal practice , I a

mplacin g a cop y o f you r letter an dthi s respons e i n th e docket . Fo r your reference , th e docke t

numbe r i s FA A 2010-0109 . A s th e matte r i s stil l pending , I hop e yo

u understan d that

neither th e Secretar

y nor I ca n commen t o n th e merit s o f

th e pomt s raise d i n you

r letter . W e appreciat

e your interes t i n thi s proceeding .

Sincerely yours .

Susa n L . Kurlan d Assistant Secretar y fo r Aviatio n and Internationa

l Affair s

# ueen s

Chambe ro f Commerc e Jac k Friedman , Executiv e Directo rCaro l Conslato , Presiden t Albert F . Pennisi , Counse l Mayr a DiRico , 1 s t Vic e Presiden t Gerar d J . Thornton , Treasure r Augus t 22,201 1 Th e Honorabl e Ra

y LaHoo d Secretar y o f Transportatio n U.S . Department

o f Transportatio n 120 0 New Jerse y Avenu e Washington , D C 2059 0 Re : FAA-2010-010 9 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : O n behal f o f th e Queen s Chamber

o f Conamerce , I a mwritin g i n suppor t o f th e propose d slo t transactio n betwee n Delt aan dU S Airway s an d th e FAA' s decisio n t o grant th e propose dwaiver

relatin g t o th e transactio n wit h conditions . Th e Queen s Chambe

r o f Commerc e represent s over 1,20 0 businesse s an d busines s organization s throughout

th e region . W e hav e bee n servin g th e Queen s communit y fo r a century . I believ e th e change s tha t woul d occur

a s aresul t o f th e transactio n i n New Yor k woul dbenefi t

ou r busines s member s and their travelers . Base d o n my understandin g o f

th e transaction . Delt aplan s t o create ahub a t LaGuardia . Thi s shoul d resul t i n servic e t o ne w destinations , more frequent servic e t o existin g destinations , additiona l coimections , an dincrease s i n servic e quality . I als o understan d tha t Delt ai s replacin g U S Airways ' turbopro p servic e wit h al l je t service . Thi s wil l no t

onl y improv e th e qualit y o f servic e bu t

I understan d shoul d als o resul t i n areductio n in congestion . I understan dthat

U S Airway s wil l b e exitin g some route s out o f LaGuardi aa s aresul t

o f transferrin g slot s t o Delta . Given th e new servic e tha t wil l b e provide d b y Delt aand existin g servic e option s a

t Newar k and JFK , however , I a

mno t concerne d abou t

an y los s o f competitio n o r

tha t th e transactio n wil l allo w Delt at o rais e fares . In addition , I understan dtha

t th e transactio n wil l resu

U in th e divestiture o f

slot s t o lo w cos t

carriers . Thi s shoul dprovid e a

n additional assuranc e tha

t competitio n wil l remai n vibrant i n Ne w York .

75-2 0 Astori a Blvd . Suit e 14 0 • Jackso n Heights , N Y 11370-113 1 > T : (718 ) 898-850 0 F <71S ) 898-859 9 • info@queeri3Chambe rorc jThe Honorabl e Ra y LaHoo d Augus t 22,201 1 Pag e 2 Similarly , I understan dDelt aplan s t o scal e dow n some it s operation s a t Washington

Reagan , However , th e combinatio n o f U S Airways ' expande d Washingto n service , Delta' s continue doperatio n o f nonsto p servic e betwee n DCA an d it s hub s and th e DCA

LaGuardi aShuttle , existin g servic e option s a t Washington-Dulle s and BWI , an d increase dLC C competitio n mad e possibl e b y th e diveste d slots , resolve s any concer n w e migh t otherwis e hav e abou t

los s o f servic e i n Washington . Ther e i s n o industr

y more important

to th e Queen s Chambe

r o f Commerc e o r

th e Borough o f

Queen s tha

n th e airlin e industry . W

e tak e ever y slo t transactio n an

d propose d waive r ver y seriously . However , Delta' s investment i n Ne w Yor k Cit y ha s bee n ahug e boos t t o ou r economy . Additionally , Delt acontinue s t o b e amode l corporate citizen , supportiv e o f

man y philanthropi c effort s in th e area . 1 urg e th e FA

A t o issu e afina

l order consistent wit h it s decisio n t o grant

th e propose d waive r relatin g t o th e transactio n wit h condition s an

d allo w th e transactio n to procee d quickly . Sincerely , Executiv e Directo r Queen s Chambe

r o f Commerc e

cc : DeltaAi r

Lines , Inc .