BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Joint Application of 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC., 

AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V. 

AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a AEROMEXICO 

CONNECT 

for an exemption pursuant to 

49 U.S.C. § 40109 and statements 

of authorization under 14 C.F.R. Part 212 

(U.S. – Mexico transborder routes) 

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Docket DOT-OST-2012- 

 

JOINT APPLICATION OF 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC., AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V., and 

AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a AEROMEXICO CONNECT

Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to: 

John R. Mietus, Jr. 

LAW OFFICE OF JOHN MIETUS, LLC 

6701 Democracy Boulevard Ste 300 

Bethesda, Maryland 20817 

(202) 747-5212 

john@mietuslaw.com 

Counsel for 

AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V. and 

AEROLITORAL, S,A, de C.V. d/b/a 

AEROMEXICO CONNECT 

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

March 7, 2012 

Notice: Delta is polling the U.S. carriers on the service list attached to this 

Application and will inform the Department of the results.
BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Joint Application of 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC., 

AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V. 

AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a AEROMEXICO 

CONNECT 

for an exemption pursuant to 

49 U.S.C. § 40109 and statements 

of authorization under 14 C.F.R. Part 212 

(U.S. – Mexico transborder routes) 

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Docket DOT-OST-2012- 

 

JOINT APPLICATION OF 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC., AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V., and 

AEROLITORAL, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a AEROMEXICO CONNECT

 Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta”), Aerovias de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Aeromexico”), 

and Aerolitoral, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a Aeromexico Connect (together, the “Joint Applicants”) 

hereby apply for authority to expand their codeshare arrangement to include the display 

of Delta’s “DL*” code on flights operated by Aeromexico or Aerolitoral on the following 

five U.S. – Mexico transborder routes: 

 Atlanta, Georgia-Mexico City, Mexico; 

New York, New York-Cancun, Mexico; 

 Sacramento, California-Guadalajara, Mexico; 

Washington, DC-Mexico City, Mexico; and 

Brownsville, Texas-Monterrey, Mexico. 

 In support of this Joint Application, Delta, Aeromexico, and Aerolitoral state as 

follows: 

1. The Joint Applicants request the issuance of the following authorities: 

a) an exemption to Delta, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109, authorizing Delta 

to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property and 

mail on the New York, New York-Cancun, Mexico; Sacramento, 
Joint Application of Delta, Aeromexico, and Aerolitoral

Page 2

California-Guadalajara, Mexico; Washington, DC-Mexico City, Mexico; 

and Brownsville, Texas-Monterrey, Mexico routes.1

b) a statement of authorization to Aeromexico, pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 

212, to permit Aeromexico to display Delta’s “DL*” designator code on 

Aeromexico operated flights on the Atlanta, Georgia-Mexico City, Mexico; 

New York, New York-Cancun, Mexico; Sacramento, CaliforniaGuadalajara, Mexico; and Washington, DC-Mexico City, Mexico routes. 

c) a statement of authorization to Aerolitoral, pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 212, 

to permit Aerolitoral to display Delta’s “DL*” designator code on Aerolitoral 

operated flights on the Brownsville, Texas-Monterrey, Mexico route. 

2. Delta further requests the Department transmit the necessary codeshareonly designations to the Government of Mexico to facilitate Mexican licensing of the 

proposed services. 

3. The Joint Applicants plan to introduce the proposed codeshare services 

upon receipt of DOT and DGAC approval, and request that the exemption and statement 

of authorization be granted as soon as possible so that Delta is able to market and sell 

these services without delay.2

 Delta requests that its exemption authority be effective for 

a period of at least two years. Aeromexico and Aerolitoral request that their statements 

of authorization remain in effect indefinitely, consistent with the duration of the U.S. – 

Mexico codeshare authorities granted by DOT Order 99-6-6. 

4. The proposed codeshare services will be operated pursuant to the existing 

Delta/Aeromexico and Delta/Aerolitoral codeshare agreements on file with the 

Department. 

5. Delta is fit, willing, and able to perform the services applied for herein. 

Delta operates numerous services between the United States and Mexico under various 

 

1 Delta is not requesting an exemption for the Atlanta, Georgia-Mexico City, Mexico route 

because it holds certificate authority to serve this route by Order 2010-3-12. 2 The Joint Applicants request a waiver of the 45-day advance filing requirement for codeshare 

statements of authorization under 14 C.F.R. Part 212 so that the proposed codeshare services 

may begin without delay.
Joint Application of Delta, Aeromexico, and Aerolitoral

Page 3

exemptions and pursuant to Delta’s certificate authority for Route 901. See Order 2010-

3-12. Delta hereby 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. Aeromexico holds the underlying economic authority to 

serve the subject routes, as follows: Atlanta-Mexico City (NOAT December 6, 2011 in 

DOT-OST-2001-10369; New York-Cancun (Order 91-5-25); Sacramento-Guadalajara 

(NOAT February 29, 2012 in DOT-OST-2011-0042); Washington-Mexico City (NOAT 

February 22, 2012 in DOT-OST-2012-0025; and Brownsville-Monterrey (NOAT October 

5, 2011 in DOT-OST-2011-0184.3

 Aerolitoral holds underlying authority to serve 

Brownsville-Monterrey by NOAT June 17, 2011 in DOT-OST-2011-0116 and a 

statement of authorization to display Aeromexico’s code on the Brownsville-Monterrey 

route by NOAT October 5, 2011 in DOT-OST-2011-0184. 

6. Approval of the requested authority is in the public interest and will 

provide important new service and competitive options to U.S. – Mexico travelers and 

shippers. Authorizing Delta to display its code on Aeromexico and Aerolitoral’s 

transborder flights will enhance competition and expand price and service options for 

U.S. – Mexico travelers. 

7. Approval of the exemption and statement of authorization is consistent 

with the U.S. – Mexico Air Transport Services Agreement, including the amendment that 

was signed on December 12, 2005. The Department has granted multiple similar 

U.S. – Mexico transborder codesharing requests, finding that the exercise of such 

codeshare rights “will benefit travelers, shippers, businesses, cities, airlines, and 

airports.” DOT Order 99-6-6, at 6. Moreover, the amended agreement authorizes up to 

ten U.S. carriers to provide codeshare services on any nonstop U.S. – Mexico city-pair 

segment, leaving abundant opportunities for other carriers. 

8. Delta further states that the services for which it seeks the authority 

described in this Joint Application will have no impact on its CRAF commitments. 

 

3 Aeromexico’s authority to serve Brownsville-Monterrey is limited to codeshare only service with 

Aerolitoral. 
Joint Application of Delta, Aeromexico, and Aerolitoral

Page 4

 WHEREFORE, Delta, Aeromexico, and Aerolitoral request that the Department 

promptly grant the exemption and statements of authorization described herein. 

Respectfully submitted, 

/s/ John R. Mietus, Jr. /s/ 

_______________________ _____________________ 

John R. Mietus, Jr. 

Law Office of John Mietus, LLC 

Counsel for 

For AEROVIAS de MEXICO, S.A. de C.V. 

and AEROLITORAL, S,A, de C.V. d/b/a 

AEROMEXICO CONNECT 

Alexander Van der Bellen 

Managing Director, Government Affairs 

 & Associate General Counsel 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

A copy of the foregoing Joint Application has been served this 7th day of March, 2012 

upon the following persons via email: 

Carrier Name Email Address 

AirTran/Southwest Bob Kniesley bob.kneisley@wnco.com 

Alaska Marshall Sinick msinick@ssd.com 

American Carl Nelson carl.nelson@aa.com 

Frontier/Republic Bob Cohn robert.cohn@hoganlovells.com 

Frontier/Republic Pat Rizzi patrick.rizzi@hoganlovells.com 

JetBlue Jonathan Hill jhill@dowlohnes.com 

JetBlue Robert Land robert.land@jetblue.com 

Spirit Airlines David Kirstein dkirstein@yklaw.com 

Spirit Airlines Joanne Young jyoung@yklaw.com 

Sun Country John Fredericksen John.Fredericksen@suncountry.com 

United Dan Weiss dan.weiss@united.com 

United Jonathan Linde jonathan.linde@united.com 

United Oracio Marquez oracio.marquez@united.com

US Airways Benjamin Slocum benjamin.slocum@usairways.com 

US Airways Howard Kass howard_kass@usairways.com 

USA 3000 Pierre Murphy pmurphy@lopmurphy.com 

Virgin America Barbara Russell barbara.russell@virginamerica.com 

esta.rosenberg@dot.gov 

brian.hedberg@dot.gov 

brett.kruger@dot.gov 

info@airlineinfo.com