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

of Transportation . Washington, DC 20590 

Office of the Secretary May 11, 2010 

of Transportation 

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 antitrust iJDmWlity filed by 

American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on behalf of Secretary LaHood. 

As you may know, the applicants-members of the 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 j oint 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 on the 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 now pending, I hope you understand that I cannot 

comment on the 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 am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2010-0059 as a contact outside the record in this matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this proceeding. 

ff1usan 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 


1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 


Washington, DC 20590 


Re: Docket DOT·OST-20 I0-_ 

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 of Transportation to approve this 

application as it would enable these oneworld alliance airlines to work closely together to 

deliver highly.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 of this application. 

Sincerely, 

. ..~.

tore 

Mayor' , ,+'