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### BEFORE THE U.S.DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION .'" ~""'O:' ,.''/~ ') 

### 1 WASHINGTON,D.C 4 •• ".:.- .

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel ) ) ) ) Docket OST.2008.0273



### APPLICATION OF KOREAN AIRLINES CO., LTD. FOR ANEOUIVALENT ALTERN,ATIVEDETERMINATION Communications with respect to this document should be sent to: William H. Callaway, Jr. David M. Endersbee ZUCKERT, SCOUTI & RASENBERGER, 

### L.L.P. 888 17'hStreet, N.W., Suite 700 Washington, DC 20006 Tel: (202) 973.7906 Fax: (202) 342.0683 Email: whcallawayfa\zsrlaw.com dmcndersbee@zsrlaw.com Counsel for Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. July 26,2013BEFORE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASIDNGTON, D.C. .'.;

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel ) ) ) ) Docket OST-2008-0273

APPLICATION OF KOREAN AIR LINES CO., LTD. FOR AN EOUJ~VALENT ALTERNATIVE DETERMINATION '. Pursuant to 14CFR 

## S 382.10, Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. ("Korean Air" orthe "Company'.') respectfully applies for an equivalent alternative determination ofthe Departments' moveable aisle armrest requirement in 14C.F.R. 

## S 382.61. Korean Air seeks this determination for new first and business class seat designs for the Company's new Airbus A330-300, Boeing 777-300ER, and Boeing 747-8i aircraft (collectively, "KE Aircraft"). In support ofthis Application, Korean Air states as follows: I. As part ofKorean Air's fleet modernization strategy, the Company has placed orders for new aircraft to be delivered beginning in 2014. Specifically, the Company will take rolling delivery of six Airbus A330-300, six Boeing 777-300ER, and five Boeing 747-8i. The A330-300 will utilize BIE Aerospace High Density Super First Class ("HDSFC") suites in first and business classes, while the 777-300ER and the 747.8i will utilize these suites in business class. 1
The first class seats for the 777-300ER and the 747-8i are still under development and will be the subject ofa laterapplication. The colors, materials, and finish ofthe HDSFC suites are subject to change during design development, butthe major dimensions stated inthis application wilt notchange.....•.. Application ofKorean Air Lines Co., Ltd. For anEqI.,Iivalent

Alternative Determination

.July 26, 2013 2. Pursuant to Section 382.2I(a)(l), aircraft delivered after May 13,2010 must have movable aisle armrests installed in at least half ofthe aisle seats in which persons with mobility impairments are permitted to sit, proportionately throughout the cabin. Most ofthe economy class seats inthe KE Aircraft will have movable aisle armrests. As such, no equivalent alternative determination is sought for economy class seats. The HDSFC suites, however, are integrated suite designs which cannot incorporate amoveable aisle armrest into their design. See Exhibit KE-I. 3. 

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4. As illustrated inExhibitKE-3, the relevant dimensions ofthe suite are identical for both center and outboard positions in each ofthe KE Aircraft. Exhibit KE-4 illustrates the cabin layouts and aisle widths for the A330-300, 777-300ER, and 747-8i, respectively2 5. Section 382.619(a) requires that Korean Air equip "at least one-half ofthe aisle seats inrows in which passengers with mobility impairments are permitted to situnder FAA or applicable foreign government safety rules" with moveable aisle armrests. As illustrated in

2 All stated aisle dimensions areexclusive ofaretwo small "bumper strips" on each side ofthe aisle, placed to protect the suites from impact damage. These stripsvary inwidth, resulting inaslightly narrower aisle where the bumperstrips areplaced. Illustrations ofthe respective aisle widths with bumper strips areincluded in Exhibit KE-3..;-;" ..

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. Application of Korean AirLines Co., Ltd. ForanEquivalent Alternative Dete!mination July 26, 2013 Exhibit KE-3, most ofthe Company's aisle HDSFC suites are accessible to persons with mobility impairments. J

indicating the edge ofthe aisle. Company aircraft, the demonstration shows a mockup cabin, with thetape line on the mat 6. Korean Air has also prepared avideo demonstration providing views of assisted and unassisted transfers to and from the HDSFC suites.4 As these suites arenot yet deployed on

ofthe mocked-up cabin interior. '-; See Exhibit KE-5 for an illustration 

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# 0:: 7. The Department has stated that a foreign air carrier may seek an equivalent alternative determination "ifthe seats in a given class of service ... can be accessed by a wheelchair user without amovable aisle armrest being provided." Final Rule, Nondiscrimination on the Basis ofDisability inAir Travel, 73 Fed. Reg. 27614, 27652 (May 13, 2008). The demonstration video, and the information set forth inthe exhibits discussed above, plainly shows that Korean Air's HDSFC suites meet the criteria for the grant of an equivalent alternative determination, namely that "persons with mobility impairments using aisle and boarding wheelchairs can transfer horizontally into a given seat without being lifted over an armrest or other obstacle." Id. J

4 Theupperdeck ofthe 747-8i may notbe accessible topersons with mobility impairments as itmay only be accessed via stairs. The exterior doors ontheupperdeck arenotutilized forboarding andareforemergency evacuation only. As apolicy matter,the Company does notseat passengers utilizing wheelchairs intheupper deck.

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" Application of Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. For an Equivalent Alternative Determination

. July 26, 2013 8. Grant ofthe requested equivalent alternative determination is inthe public interest. First, Korean Air's proposed accommodation meets the criteria set forth in Part 382 and "provides substantially equivalent accessibility" to mobility impaired passengers. 14 C.F.R. 

## S 382.10(c)(2). As the Department stated in its Final Rule, "[i]n order to be viewed as an equivalent alternative, a[n] ... accommodation, orpiece ofequipment must really provide substantially equivalent accessibility to passengers with disabilities than compliance with a provision ofthe rule." 73 Fed. Reg. at27647 (discussing Section 382.10). The Company's video demonstrations show comfortable a'ld dignified transfers into and outof the HDSFC suites. Second, Korean Air believes that these suite designs will provide its passengers with greater comfort and convenience than "traditional" seating systems with movable aisle armrests. 9. Korean Air will provide additional data and information to the Department upon request.WHEREFORE, for the reasons set forth above, Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. respectfully requests the Department promptly grant it an equivalent alternative determination concerning compliance with 14C.F.R. 

## S 382.61 as more fully discussed above.

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. .. ' '.., ':;'-;. Application of Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. For anEquivalent Alternative Determination July 26, 2013

July 26, 2013 Respectfully submitted,

William H, Callaway, Jr. David M, Endersbee ZUCKERT, SCOUTT & RASENBERGER, L.L.P. 888 17th Street, N.W., Suite 700 Washington, DC 20006 Tel: (202) 973-7906 Fax: (202) 342-0683 Email: whcaIJaway@zsrlaw.com 

## ;1 dmcndersbee@zsrlaw.com Counsel for Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd.

5Exhibit KE-l B/E Aerospace HDSFCSuite, General Views (Outboard Position)

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### oExhibit KE-3 B/E Aerospace HDSFCSuite Views and Dimensions

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