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

Washington, DC 20590 of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary May 11,2010 

. ofTransportation 

The Honorable Helene Schneider 


Mayor ofthe City of Santa Barbara 


Santa Barbara, CA 93102 


Dear Mayor Schneider: 

Thank you for your letter ofApril 12 supporting the application for antitrust immunity 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 


immunity to closely coordinate flights between the United States and Asia. According to the 


application, the alliance partners plan to launch a joint venture for conveyance oftranspacific 


traffic . 


. The application is administered in a public docket, which ensures that interested parties have the 

opportunity to comment. The U.S. Department of Transportation (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 ofyour 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. 
S [0-100419-009 


Ctty ofSanta Barbara 

Office of Mayor HSchnelder@SantaBarbaraCA.goy 

www.SantaBarbllraCA.goY 

April 12, 2010 Helene Schneider 

".yor 

City Hall The Honorable Raymond H; .LaHood 
 , Secretary 


735 Anacapa Street U.S. Department of Transportation 


Santa B.arbara, CA 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 


93101·1990 Washington, DC 20590 


'Docket DOT-OST-201~ Mailing Address: 

P.O. Box 1990 Dear Mr. Secretary: Santa Barbara, CA 

93102-1990 Thank you for the opportunity to express my support for the application for antitrust 

, immunity and proposed joint business agreement filed by American Airlines and Japan 

, Tel: 805.564.5323 ,Airlines. The proposed alliance between these two airlines is. vital for 9!1J.Wortd to 

Fax: 805.564.5475 	 compete effectively with the Star and SkyTeam alliance. This increased interalliance 

competition witt in turn enhance the benefits of the 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 Jt wouldenabfe these oneworld alliance airtines to work closely together 

to deliver highly competitive air transportation services. Approval for AAlJAL alliance 

~111 have a positiv~ impact on air travel by offering customers more service, scheduling 

alid pricing options and will help to ensure that customers continue to benefit from 

having'three competitive air alliances to choose from. 

, I urge you to quickly approve this application. 

Helene Schneider 

Mayor 

rI!J Please consider the environment before printing this letter.