U.S. Department Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 ofTransportation Office ofthe Secretary May 11,2010

.ofTransportation

The Honorable Helene Schneider Mayor ofthe City ofSantaBarbara SantaBarbara, CA 93102 DearMayor Schneider: Thank you for your letter ofApril 12 supporting the application for antitrust immunity filed by
. American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I amresponding onbehalfofSecretary LaHood. Asyou may know, the applicants-members ofthe oneworld Alliance-are seeking antitrust immunity to closely coordinate flights betweenthe United States and Asia. According to the application, the alliance partners plan to launch ajoint venture for conveyance oftranspacific traffic
.

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

opportunity to comment. The U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) will evaluatethe application according to rigorous statutory standards, beginningwith a review ofthe record to determine ifit is substantially complete. Decisions onthe application are made inconsultation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division following a thorough analysis of competitive factors. As this matter is nowpending, I hope you understand that I cannot comment onthe merits ofthe application. I can assure you, however, that DOTwill 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 thisproceeding.

### S [0-100419-009 

# Ctty 

# ofSanta Barbara Office ofMayor 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 ofTransportation Santa B.arbara, CA 

### 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 93101·1990 

### Washington, DC 20590 'Docket**DOT-OST-201~** MailingAddress: 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 airalliances to choose from. , I urge you to quickly approve this application.

Helene Schneider Mayor



# rI!J Please considerthe environment before printing this letter.