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

Washington. DC 20590 01 Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

ofTransportation MAY. t'4 20,10 

The Honorable Earl Ray Tomblin 

Senate President - Lieutenant Governor 

The Senate of West Virginia 

Charleston. WV 25305 

Dear Lt. Governor Tomblin: 

Thankyou for your letter of April 27 supporting the application for antitrust immunity filed by 

American Airlines and JapanAirlines. I am responding on behalf of Secretary 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 a joint venture for conveyance of transpacific 

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 

detennine if it is substantially complete. Decisions on the application are made in consultation 

with the U.S. Department ofJustice's AntitrustDivision 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 of your 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. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 


Assistant Secretary 


for Aviation and International Mfairs 

SI0-\ 00503-017 


T'1E SeNf,Tf; OF WeST VIRGINIA 

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT 

Ll E UTE NAN T GO V E.R N 0 FI 

CHARl.ESTON 25S0$ 
 EARL RAV TOMBLIN 


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April 27, 2010 

The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 


1200 New Jersey Avenue. S.E. 


Washingt~nl DC 2059Q 


Docket DOT-OST-2010.:.0034 


Dear Mr. Secretary: 

Thank you for theopportunrty to express my ~.pport for the application for 

antitrust immunity and proposed joint busines.s agreement filed by ArnarlCan Airlines 

and Japan Airlines. The proposed alliance between these two airlines is vital for 

oneworld to compete effectively with the Star and SkyTeam alliance. This Increased 

, interatliance competition will in turn enhance the benefits of the Department's Open 

Skies policy'" first by solidifying U.S.-Japan Open Skies, then by serving asa foundation 

for further liberalization across Asia. 

After a thorough review, I encourage the Department of Transportation to 

approvethi$ application as it would enable theseoneworfd alliance airlines to work 

closely together to deliver highly competitive airt~tion services. Approval for 

AAlJAL alliance wit! have a positive impact on air travel by offering customers more 

.service" scheduling and pricing options and wUlhelp to ensure thatcustomers continue 

to benefit from having three competitive air alliances to choose. from. . 

1urge you to quickly approve this application. 

Sincerely, 

-. 	j') /1·../ ' / !

//tl,,(/~vtWyt'~ ( 	 / /1 ,~ Earl Ray Tomblin 

Senate President - Lt. Governor 

ERT:ajs.