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U S DeDartmen t Assistant Secretary - •' :. i 0; ' CHA t iU\\ b 1200 New Jereay Avenue. SE 

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Office of the Secretary ' U!! ; ii 

of Transportation 

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September 12, 2011 

Mr. L. Thomas Gleason 

President 

HRG North America 

16 East 34** Street, S'*" Floor 

New York, NY 10016 

Dear Mr. Gleason: 

Thank you for your letter, expressing support for a proposed agreement by which Delta Air Lines 

would exchange certain slot interests at Reagan Washington National Airport for certain US 

Airways slot interests at LaGuardia Airport. Secretary LaHood has asked that I respond on his 

behalf. 

Among other points, you urge that the Department allow the proposed transaction to proceed, 

believing that a Delta hub at LaGuardia would result in service to new destinations, more 

frequent flights, additional cormections, and increases in service quality. You also support a 

divestiture of slots to low cost carriers as part of the transaction, providing an additional 

assurance that competition will remain vibrant in New York. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which will 

allow all interested parties the opportunity to comment. We will evaluate all of the comments 

that are filed, and then take appropriate action. Following our normal practice, I am placing a 

copy of your letter and this response in the docket. For your reference, the docket number is 

FAA 2010-0109. As the matter is still pending, I hope you understand that neither the Secretary 

nor I can comment on the merits of tiie points raised in your letter. 

We appreciate your interest in this proceeding. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
H ^ HRG North America 

16 East 34th Street, 3rd Roor 

New York, New York 10016 

T+1 212 404 8800 

F +1 212 481 2881 

www.hrgworldwide.com 

August 24,2011 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: FAA-2010-0109 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

On behalf of HRG North America, I am writing in support of the proposed slot transaction between 

Delta and US Airways and the FAA's decision to grant the proposed waiver relating to the transaction 

with conditions. 

One of my responsibilities is to manage the corporate travel for HRG North America. I believe the 

changes that would occur as a result of the transaction in New York would benefit HRG North 

America and its travelers. Based on my understanding of the transaction. Delta plans to create a hub at 

LaGuardia. This should result in service to new destinations, more frequent service to existing 

destinations, additional connections, and increases in service quality. I also understand that Delta is 

replacing US Airways' turboprop service with all jet service. This will not only improve the quality of 

service but I understand should also result in a reduction in congestion. 

I understand that US Airways will be exiting some routes out of LaGuardia as a result of transferring 

slots to Delta. Given the new service that will be provided by Delta and existing service options at 

Newark and JFK, however, I am not concerned atM3ut any loss of competition or that the transaction 

will allow Delta to raise fares. In addition, 1 understand that the transaction will result in the 

divestiture of slots to low cost carriers. This should provide an additional assurance that competition 

will remain vibrant in New York. 

Similarly, I understand Delta plans to scale down some its operations at Washington-Reagan. 

However, the combination of US Airways' expanded Washington service, Delta's continued operation 

of nonstop service between DCA and its hubs and the DCA-LaGuardia Shuttle, existing service 

options at Washington-Dulles and BWI, and increased LCC competition made possible by the divested 

slots, resolves any concern we might otherwise have about loss of service in Washington. 

I urge the FAA to issue a final order consistent with its decision to grant the proposed waiver relating 

to the transaction with conditions and allow the transaction to proceed quickly. 

Sincerely, 

L. Thomas Gleason 

President, HRG North America 

Cc: Delta Airlines, Inc 

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