# f j '•,r, ^ I U S Departmen t Assistan t Secretar y . ; > ;:,ilv, ; l200Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E O f Transportatio n . Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n JU N 1 0 201 0 The Honorabl e Cheste

r J . Culve r Governo r of Iow a De s Moines , lA 5031 9 Dea r Governo r Culver : Than k yo u fo r you r letter supportin g th e applicatio n fo r antitrus t immunit y filed b y America

n Airline s an

d Japa n Airlines . I a

mrespondin g on behal f

of th e Secretary . A s yo u ma y know , th e applicants—member s o f th e oneworl dAlliance—ar e seekin g antitrus t immunit y t o closely coordinate flights between th e Unite dState s andAsia . Accordin g t o th e application , th e allianc e partner s pla n to launch ajoin t

ventur e fo r transpacifi c traffic . Th e applicatio n i s administere d in apubli c docket , which ensure s tha t intereste dpartie s hav e th e opportunit y t o comment . The U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n (DOT ) wil l evaluat e th e applicatio n accordin g to rigorou s statutor y standards , beginnin g wit

h arevie w of

th e recor d to determine if

it i s substantially complete . Decision s on th e applicatio n ar e mad e in consultatio n wit h th e U.S . Departmen

t of Justice' s Antitrus t

Divisio n following athoroug h analysi s o f competitiv e factors . A s thi s matte r i s now pending , I hop e yo

u understan dtha

t I cannot commen t on the merit s of

th e application . I ca

n assur e you , however , tha

t DOT wil l giv e ful

l an d fai r consideratio n t

o th e applicatio n a s well a s an y comment s filedi

n th e docket . A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acopy o f

you r lette r an dthi s respons e i

n Docke t DOT-OST-2010-005 9 a s acontac t outside th e recor

di n thi s matter . I appreciat

e you r interes t i n thi s proceeding . Sincerely yours . 

### ^JJ ^ Susa n L . Kurland Assistan t Secretar y fo r Aviatio n an

dInternationa

l AffairsS I 0-100415-0 1 1

CHESTERJ . CULVE

ROFFIC E O F TH E GOVERNO R p^^n- y JUDG E GOVERNO RLT . GOVERNO R Apri l 07 . 201 0 Th e Honorabl e Raymon d H . LaHoo d Secretary U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Ave , S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Docke t DOT-OST-2010 - Dea rMr . Secretary : Than k yo u fo rth e opportunit y t o expres s m y suppor t fo rth e applicatio n fo rantitrus t immunity an d propose d join t busines s agreemen t file d by America n Airline s an d Japa n Airlines . Th e propose d allianc e betwee n thes e tw o airline s i s vita l fo rth e oneworl d allianc e t o compet e effectivel y wit h th e Sta ran d SkyTea m alliances . Thi s increase d allianc e competitio n wil l i n tur n enhanc e th e benefit s o f th e Department' s Ope n Skie s policy - firs t by solidifyin g U.S . - Japa n Ope n Skies , the n b y servin g a s a foundatio n fo r furthe rliberalizatio n acros s Asia . Afte ra thoroug h review , I encourag e th e Departmen t o f Transportatio n t o approv e thi s applicatio n a s i t woul d enabl e thes e on e worl d allianc e airline s t o wor k closel y togethe r t o delive rhighl y competitiv e ai rtransportatio n services . Approva l fo rAA/JA L allianc e wil l hav e a positiv e impact o n ai rtrave l b y offerin g customer s mor e service , schedulin g an d pricin g option s an d wil l hel p t o ensur e tha t customer s continu e t o benefi t fro m th e competitio n afforde d by thre e competitiv e ai ralliances . I urg e yo u t o quickl y approv e thi s application .

Cheste rJ . Culve r Governo ro f Iowa

STAT E CAPITO L DE S MOINES , IOW A 50 3 1 9 515.281.521 1 FAX 5 1 5.2 8 1 .66 1 1 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GO V 

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