# Q •v-FARTMENTO F AMSPORTATIO N U S DeDartmen t Assistan t Secretar y - • ' : . i 0; ' CH A t iU\\ b 120 0 Ne w Jerea y Avenue . S E oiSoSSlO n Wesh,n«.on , D C 2059 0 

### Offic e o f th e Secretar

y ' U! ! ; i i o f Transportatio n 

## b A IG: 0 ! Septembe r

12 , 201 1 Mr . L . Thoma s Gleaso n Presiden t HR G Nort h Americ a 1 6 Eas t 34* * Street , S'*

" Floo r New York , N Y 1001 6 Dea r Mr . Gleason : Than k yo u fo r your letter , expressin g suppor

t fo r apropose dagreement

b y whic 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 dha s aske dthat

I respon do n hi s behalf . Amon g othe r points , yo u urg e tha t

th e Departmen

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

t aDelt ahu b a

t LaGuardi awoul dresul t

in servic e t o ne w destinations , mor e frequent flights , additional cormections , andincrease s i n 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 an additiona l assuranc e tha

t competitio n wil l remai n vibrant i n New York . Th e Department' s actio n o n thi s matter i s bein g administere dthroug h apubli c docket , which will allo w all intereste dpartie s th e opportunit y to comment . W

e wil l evaluat e al l o f

th e comment s tha t ar e filed , andthe n tak e appropriate action . Followin g ou r norma l 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 you r 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 dtha t neithe r th e Secretar

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

tiie point s raise di n your

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 andInternationa

l Affair s

# H ^ HR G Nort h Americ a 1 6 Eas t 34t h Street , 3r d Roo r Ne w York , Ne w Yor k

1001 6 T+ 1 21 2 40 4 880 0 F + 1 21 2 48 1 288 1 

### www.hrgworldwide.co m Augus t 24,201 1 Th e Honorabl e Ra

y LaHoo d Secretary o f

Transportatio n U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenu e Washington , D C 2059 0 Re : FAA-2010-010 9 Dea r Secretary LaHood : O n behal f o f HR G Nort

h America , I a

mwritin g in support

o f th e propose dslo t

transactio n betwee n Delt aan dU S Airway s an dth e FAA' s decisio n t o gran t th e propose dwaive r

relatin g t o th e transactio n wit h conditions . On e o f m y responsibilitie s i s t o manag e th e corporat e trave l fo r HR G Nort

h America . I believ e th e change s that

woul doccu r

a s aresul t

o f th e transactio n in Ne w Yor k woul dbenefi t

HRG Nort

h Americ aan dit s travelers . Base do n m y understandin g o f

th e transaction . Delt aplan s t o creat e ahu b a t LaGuardia . Thi s shoul dresul t i n servic e t o ne w destinations , more frequen t servic e t o existin g destinations , additiona l connections , an dincrease s i n servic e quality . I als o understan dtha t Delt ai s replacin g U S Airways ' turbopro p servic e wit h all je t service . Thi s wil l no t

onl y improv e th e quality o f servic e but

I understan dshoul dals o resul t i n areductio n in congestion . I understan dtha

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

o f transferrin g slot s t o Delta . Give n th e ne w servic e that wil l b e provide dby Delt aan dexistin g servic e option s a t Newar k an dJFK , however , I a mno t concerne datM3u

t an y los s o f

competitio n o r

that th e transactio n wil l allo w Delt at o rais e fares . I n addition , 1 understan dtha t th e transactio n wil l resul t in th e divestitur e o f

slot s t o lo w cos t

carriers . Thi s shoul dprovid e a n additiona l assuranc e that competitio n wil l remai n vibran t

i n Ne w York . Similarly , I understan dDelt aplan s t o scal e dow n som e it s operation s a t Washington-Reagan . However , th e combinatio n o f U S Airways ' expande dWashingto n service , Delta' s continue doperatio n o f nonsto p servic e betwee n DC A an dit s hub s an dth e DCA-LaGuardi aShuttle , existin g servic e option s a t Washington-Dulle s an dBWI , an dincrease dLC C competitio n mad e possibl e b y th e diveste d slots , resolve s an y concern w e migh t otherwis e hav e abou t

los s o f servic e in Washington . I urg e th e FA

A t o issu e afinal orde r

consisten t

wit h it s decisio n t o gran t

th e propose dwaive r

relatin g t o th e transactio n wit

h condition s an dallo w th e transactio n t o procee dquickly . Sincerely ,

L . Thoma s Gleaso n President , HR G North Americ a Cc : Delt aAirlines , In c HRG Non h Anwi u l i a tradin g nam a olSaagataTian l aORobualal i Wo M Trava l RogMlarad Ofic a 1 9 Eaa l 34tt i Straal , 3r d Floo r Nanrnrk , NawYwIiKiai e A Hog g noMmo n comfMn y