U.S. Department Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE ofTransportation

.Washington, DC 20590 Office of the Secretary May 11, 2010 ofTransportation

The Honorable Lorenz Walker Mayor ofBossier City Bossier City, LA 71171 Dear Mayor Walker: Thank you for your letter

### ofApril 7 supporting the application for antitrustiJDmWlity filed by American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding onbehalfofSecretaryLaHood. As you may know, the applicants-members ofthe oneworld Alliance-are seeking antitrust immWlity to closely coordinate flights between the United States and Asia. According to the application. the alliance partners plan to laWlch a

### joint venture for conveyance.oftranspacific traffic. The application is administered in a public docket, which ensures that interested parties have the opportWlity to comment. The U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) will evaluate the application according to rigorous statutory standards, beginning with a review ofthe record to determine ifit is substantially complete. Decisions onthe application are made in consultation with the U.S. Department ofJustice's Antitrust Division following a thorough analysis of competitive factors. As this matter is nowpending, I hope you understand that I cannot comment onthe merits ofthe application. I can assure you, however, that DOT will give full and fair consideration to the application as well as any comments filed in the docket. As is our normal practice, I amplacing a copy ofyour letter and this response inDocket DOT-OST-2010-0059 as a contact outside the record in this matter. I appreciate your interest in this proceeding. 

# ff1 usan L. Kurland· Assistant Secretary for iation and International Affairs

### < 

### S 10-100421-008

SOSSIER CITY. LOUISIANA LORENZ "Lo" WALKER 1520 Se:NTON ROAO MAYOR ·POST OF'F'ICe: SOX 153:3" aOSSIC,R OtTV. t..A 7"7,-533?' (318) 741·eSOI 

### April 7,2010
The Honorable RaymondH. LaHood Secretary of Transportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200New JerseyAve, SE Washington, DC 20590 Re: Docket DOT·OST-20 I 

### 0-_ Dear Mr. Secretary: Thank you' for the opportunity to express the City of Bossier City's**~rt** 

### for the 

### application for antitrust immunity and proposed joint business agreement filed by**ArE.e~f~rtAirJjn~~~.~}apan** 

### Airlines. The proposed alliance**bet~een** 

### these two airlines 

## is vital for oneworld to compete effectively with the Star and SkyTeam alliance. This increased infer-alliance competition will in turn enhance the benefits ofthe Department's Open Skies policy

- first by solidifying U.S.-Japan Open Skies, then by serving as a foundation for further liberalization across Asia. After a thorough review, I 

### encourage the Department ofTransportation to approve this application as 

### it would enable these oneworld alliance airlines to work closely togetherto deliverhighly.competitive air transportation services. Approval for AAIJAL alliance will have a positive impact on air travel by offering customers more service. scheduling and pricing options and will help to ensure that customers continue to benefit from having three competitive air alliances to choose from.
. I 

### urge your approval ofthis application. Sincerely,

..

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### Mayor'