BEFOR E TH E U.S . DEPARTMEN T O F TRANSPORTATIO N

WASHINGTON , D.C .

Motio n o f COMPAS S AIRLINES , IN C fo r Confidentia

l Treatmen t Under Sectio n 302.1 2 Docke t No . OST-2010

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Motio n o f

Compas s Airlines , Inc . T o Withhol dInformatio n Fro mPubli c Disclosur e Communication s wit

h respec t t o thi s documen t

shoul db e directe dto : Kennet h P . Quin n Jennifer E . Troc k PILLSBUR Y WINTHRO P SHA W PITTMA N LLP 230 0 N Stree t

NW Washington , D C 2003 7 Phone : (202 ) 663-800 0 Fax : (202 ) 663-800 7 Email : kquinn(a)piIlsburvlaw.co m jennifer.trock@pillsburvlaw.co m Counse l for

Compas s Airline s Augus t 10,201 0

4022204 3 Iv lBEFOR E TH E U.S . DEPARTMEN T O F TRANSPORTATIO N

WASHINGTON , D.C .

Motio n o f COMPAS S AIRLINES , IN C

fo r Confidentia

l Treatmen t Under Sectio n 302.1 2 Docke t No . OST-2010

-

Motio n o f

Compas s Airlines , Inc . T o Withhol dInformatio n Fro mPubli c Disclosur e Pursuan t t o 1 4 CFR302.12 , Compas s Airlines , Inc . ("Compass" ) hereb y files thi s Motio n t o Withhol dFro mPubli c Disclosur e certai n commerciall y an dcompetitivel y sensitiv e informatio n containe di n Compass ' For m4 1 Schedul e B-7 , Airframe an dAircraf t Engin e Acquisition s an dRetirements . Compas s provide s th e confidential informatio n containe di n Schedul e B- 7 pursuan t

t o Par t 24 1 o f th e Department' s Economi c Regulations , 1 4 CF R241 . Th e informatio n fo

r whic h Compas s i s requestin g confidential treatmen t fall s withi n Exemptio n 3 o f

th e Freedo mo f

Informatio n Ac t

5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(3) , whic h exempt s fi-om disclosure informatio n require db y statut e t o b e withheld . Exemptio n 3 provide s that :

(b ) Thi s sectio n doe s no t

appl y t o matter s tha

t are . . .

40222043Iv l(3 ) specificall y exempte dfi-omdisclosur e b y statut e (othe r than sectio n 552(b ) o f

thi s title) , provide dthat

suc h statut e (A ) require s tha t th e matter s to b e withhel dfi-omth e publi c in suc h amanne r a s t o leav e n o discretio n o

n th e issue , o r

(B ) establishe s particula r criteri afo r withholdin g o r

refer s t o particula

r type s o f matter s t o b e withheld ; Sectio n 4011 5 o f

Titl e 4 9 o f

th e Unite dState s Code , formerl y Sectio n 1104 o f th e Federal Aviatio n Act , provide s tha t th e Secretar

y o f Transportation , upo n motion , shal l orde r informatio n withhel dfro

mpubli c disclosur e whe n disclosur e o f th e informatio n woul d"hav e a n advers e effect

o n th e competitiv e positio n o f a n ai r carrie r in foreig n ai r

transportation. " Th e Departmen t

ha s previousl y foun dtha t th e aircraf

t dat areporte do n For

m4 1 Schedul e B- 7 fo

r whic h Compas s herei n seek s confidential treatmen t woul dproduc e th e har

mspecifie di n Sectio n 40115. ' Th e Department , i n grantin g confidentialit y t o United , stated : Unite dcompete s wit

h foreig n ai r

carrier s that

d o no t report informatio n abou t

th e cos t o f thei r individua l airfi-ame s an daircraf t engines . Thi s lac k

o f availabl e aircraf

t cos t informatio n fi-om foreig n ai r

carrier s create s a

n environmen t

wher e foreig n carrier s ar e abl e t o acces s U.S . carrie r aircraf t cos t informatio n fromth e Department' s publi c records , bu t U.S . carrier s ar e unabl e t o acces s comparabl e dat afo

r thei r foreig n competitors . Thi s lac k o f reciproca l acces s erode s th e competitivenes s o f Unite dvi s avi s it s foreig n competitors . Therefore , th e releas e o f aircraf t inventor y cos t dat areporte do n United' s For m4 1 Schedul e B- 7 . . . , an d Schedul e B-4 3 . . . , woul dproduc e th e harmspecifie din Sectio n 1104 . Consequentl y thi s informatio n wil l b e withhel dfrom disclosur e unde r

Exemptio n 3 o f

FOI A an dSectio n 1104 o f th e Act .

1 Se e e.g. , Lette r

o f Offic e o f Airlin e Statistic s grantin g Motio n o f Unite dAirlines , Inc. , date dDecembe r 29 , 199 3 (Docke t 48726) . Th e Departmen t als o grante dconfidential treatmen t to Schedule s B- 7 o f

America n (b y lette r date dNovembe r

1,1993 , Docke t

48800 ) an dDelt a(b y lette r date dMarc h 29 , 1993 , Docke t 48649) . 40222043Iv lLik e United , Compas s compete s wit h foreig n carrier s tha

t d o no t repor t informatio n abou t th e cos t o f thei r airframe s an daircraf

t engine s ye t

are free t o obtai n U.S . carrie r informatio n fromth e Department . I t woul db e damagin g t o Compas s t o requir e i t t o divulg e t o it s non-reportin g foreig n flag competitor s th e fruit s o f it s competitiv e effort s wi ± aircraf t manufacturer s t o secure th e bes t possibl e purchas e price. ^ Th e Department , whe n decidin g United' s confidentialit y motion , grante dUnite daten yea r confidentia

l perio dbeginnin g o n th e dat e th e informatio n wa s require dto b e filedpursuan t t o 1 4 CF R241.22(a) . Compas s request s simila r protectio n wit

h respec t t o th e seale dSchedul e B- 7 attache dhereto . WHEREFORE , Compas s request s that th e Department , pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R302.1 2 an d5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(3 ) an d(4) , withhol dfrompubli c disclosur e th e financial informatio n containe d i n Compass ' For

m4 1 Schedul e B- 7 fo

r aperio do f

no t les s than te n years . Respectfull y submitted , 

# 4 T Jennifer E . Troc k

^ Compas s als o submit s tha t th e informatio n sough t

to b e withhel dfall s withi n Exemptio n 4 fi-omth e Freedo mo f Informatio n Act , 5 U.S.C . § 552(b)(4) , whic h provide s protectio n fro mdisclosur e fo

r "trad e secret s and commercia

l o r financial informafio n obtaine dfi-om aperso n an dprivilege do r confidential . . . . " Th e requeste d informatio n containe di n Compass ' Schedul e B- 7 satisf y al l thre e element s require dfo r protectio n under Exemptio n 4 . 40222043Iv l