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



### TheHonorable Samuel L. 

### Jones Mayor ofMobile Mobile, AL 36633 Dear Mayor Jones: c:; 

### Thank you for your letter of April 7 supporting the application for antitrust immmrity filed by American Airlines and Japan Airlines. lamresponding on behalfofSecretary LaHood. As you may know, the applicants-··members ofthe 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 ajointventure 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 ofTransportation(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 carinot 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, 1am 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.

usan L. 

### Kurland Assistant Secretary for A lation and Intem;:ttional Affairs

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S 10-1004]3-023

OtTICE Of'THECITY COIJNCIL 

# CITY OF MOBILE COlfNCILMllMIIEIIS ' REGGIE corELAND.SR.

PIU!SIDJINT·DISTIUCT5 FREDRICK D.lU<lIIAIDSON,JR. VICE PltIISIDlINI'.DIS'I1UCf 1 WILLIAM C. CARROLL,JR. OI'STRJCT% .JERMAINEA. BUltRELL DIS1'RICl' 3 April 7,2010 JOHN C.WQ.UA.MS DlSTlUCT4 CONNIB.BUDSON DlSTlUCT6 SAMUEL L.JONl!'S MAYOR GINA GUOOIlY DIST1IIC1'7 CITYCLI!IUt LISAC.LUfllRT The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood Secretary U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 Docket DOT-OST-2010-" DearMr. Secretary: Thank you for the opportunity to express ouuupport for the application for antitrust immunity and proposedjoint business agreement filed by American Airlines and Japan Airlines. The proposed alliance between these two

### airlin~aTfor~.9rld to compete effectively with the 

### Starand SkyTeamalliance. This increasedinteralliance competition will in turn enhance the benefitsofthe Department's Open Skies policy

­ first by solidifying U.S.-Japan Open Skiesj thenby serving as a foundation for further liberalization across Asia. After a thorough review, we encourage the Department ofTransportation to approve this application as 

### it would enable these oneworld alliance airlines to work closely togethes; to deliverhighly competitive airtransportation services. Approval for AAlJAL alliance will have a positive impact on air travel by offering customers more service, scheduling and pricing options and will help to ensure that customers continue to benefit from having three competitive air alliances to choose from. Thank you for your consideration-ofthis application.

SU/jb

P. O. BOX 1827 • MOBILE, ALABAMA 34i633-1827