BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Application of 

 DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

 

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 

(U.S.-Japan-Republic of Palau) 

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Docket DOT-OST-2010- 

APPLICATION OF DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to: 

 

Robert J. Cortelyou 

Senior Vice President – Network Planning 

Andreas Renner 

Director – International Network Planning 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

1030 Delta Boulevard 

Atlanta, Georgia 30320 

Alexander Van der Bellen 

Managing Director – Government Affairs 

 & Associate General Counsel 

Jeff Morgan 

Regional Director – Government Affairs 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

1212 New York Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20005 

(202) 842-4184 

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com

July 2, 2010 

Notice: Delta intends to poll the U.S. carrier representatives on the attached service list 

regarding this Application and will notify the Department of the results as soon as 

possible. 
BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Application of 

 DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

 

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 

(U.S.-Japan-Republic of Palau) 

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) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

Docket DOT-OST-2010- 

APPLICATION OF DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109 and Subpart C of the Department’s Rules of 

Practice in Proceedings, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta”) hereby applies for an exemption 

authorizing Delta to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, 

and mail between a point or points in the United States, on the one hand, and a point or 

points in the Republic of Palau, on the other hand, via a point or points in Japan. Delta 

requests that its exemption authority be granted for a period of at least two years. 

Service Proposal. Delta proposes to offer four times weekly service between 

Tokyo Narita and Palau International Airport, beginning on or about December 22, 2010. 

Service will be operated with Boeing 757 aircraft, equipped with 162 coach and 20 

BusinessElite seats. 

Public Benefits. Delta’s service to Palau will create significant public benefits, 

facilitating tourism and trade between the U.S. and Palau. Palau, an island nation in the 

Pacific Ocean, located 500 miles east of the Philippines and 2,000 miles south of Tokyo, 

is known as a popular scuba diving destination. In addition to divers, the island has 

been attracting more tourists interested in its well preserved natural environment. 
Application of Delta 

Page 2 

Only one U.S. carrier – Continental Micronesia – serves Palau directly. The new 

Delta service will bring competitive U.S. flag service to the market. 

Bilateral Authority. Delta’s proposed services are consistent with the public 

interest and comity and reciprocity with the Republic of Palau. Although no air transport 

agreement exists between the U.S. and Palau, Delta expects that this service will be 

welcomed by the government of Palau, given the enhanced tourism, trade, and other 

economic activities that will be stimulated. Delta is a designated incumbent carrier under 

the U.S.-Japan air transport agreement. Delta will carry local traffic between Tokyo and 

Palau. 

Fitness. Delta is fit, willing, and able to perform the service proposed in this 

application. Delta operates numerous transpacific services under various exemption 

and certificate authorities.1

 Delta requests that the Department take official notice, 

pursuant to Rule 24 of the Department’s Rules of Practice, of all data on file with the 

Department necessary to establish Delta’s fitness. 

The environmental impacts of Delta’s proposed services are de minimis, and Delta 

does not anticipate that the proposed services will cause a near-term net annual change 

in aircraft fuel consumption of 10 million gallons or more. 

WHEREFORE, Delta requests prompt issuance of exemption authority Delta to 

engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between a 

point or points in the United States, on the one hand, and a point or points in the 

Republic of Palau, on the other hand, via a point or points in Japan. 

 

1 See e.g. Route 129 (U.S.-Japan and beyond), Order 98-6-22. By Route Transfer Order 

2009-1-8, the Department authorized the use of all of Northwest Airlines, Inc.’s 

authorities by Delta. 
Application of Delta 

Page 3 

Respectfully submitted,

_________________________________ 

Alexander Van der Bellen 

Managing Director, Government Affairs 

 & Associate General Counsel 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

 A copy of the foregoing Application has been served this 2nd day of July, 2010, upon 

the following persons via email: 

dan.weiss@coair.com (for Continental/Continental Micronesia) 

hkamen@coair.com (for Continental/Continental Micronesia) 

rbkeiner@crowell.com (for Continental/Continental Micronesia) 

mrosia@crowell.com (for Continental/Continental Micronesia) 

esta.rosenberg@dot.gov 

byerlyjr@state.gov 

john.allen@faa.gov 

mike.orr@airlineinfo.com