BEFOR E TH E DEPARTMEN TO F TRANSPORTATIO N

WASHINGTON , D.C . I n th e Matte rof : FOR M 41 , SCHEDUL E B-4 3 INVENTOR Y AIRFRAME S AN D AIRCRAF TENGINE S DAT AREPORTIN G Docke tOST-96-164 0

MOTIO N O F SOUTHWES TAIRLINE S CO . T O WITHHOL D FRO M PUBLI C DISCLOSUR E Communication s wit h respec tt o thi s documen tshoul d b e sen tto : Lesli e 0 . Abbot t Attorne y SOUTHWES TAIRLINE S CO . 190 1 LStreet , N.W . Suit e 64 0 Washington , D.C . 2003 6 (202 ) 263-628 5 leslie.abbott@wnco.co m

February9 , 201 0BEFOR E TH E DEPARTMEN TO F TRANSPORTATIO N

WASHINGTON , D.C . I n th e Matte rof : FOR M 41 , SCHEDUL E B-4 3 INVENTOR Y AIRFRAME S AN D AIRCRAF TENGINE S DAT AREPORTIN G FOR M 4 1 Docke tOST-96-164 0

MOTIO N O F SOUTHWES TAIRLINE S CO . T O WITHHOL D FRO M PUBLI C DISCLOSUR E Pursuan tt o Rul e 1 2 o fth e Department' s Rule s o fPractic e (1 4 C.F.R . §302.12) , Southwes tAirline s Co . ("Southwest" ) hereb yfile s thi s Motio n t o Withhol d fro m Publi c Disclosur e th e informatio n an d dat a incorporate d withi n th e accompanyin g seale d envelop e captione d For m 41 , Schedul e B-4 3 Inventoryo fAirframe s an d Aircraf t Engines . Thi s informatio n an d dat a ar e bein g reporte d t o th e Departmen ti n accordanc e wit h th e requirement s o f1 4 C.F.R . Part24 1 wit h respec tt o calenda ryea r2009 . Th e materia l fo rwhic h confidentialit yi s sough tinclude s Southwest' s acquisitio n cost s an d relate d financia l informatio n wit h respec tt o airframes , aircraft , an d aircraf t engines . Thi s informatio n ma yproperl yb e withhel d fro m publi cdisclosur e unde r Exemptio n 4 o fth e Freedo m o fInformatio n Act , 5 U.S.C . §552(b)(4) , whic h permit s protectio n fro m disclosur e fo r"trad e secret s an d commercia l o rfinancia l informatio n obtaine d fro m a perso n an d privilege d o rconfidential. " See , e.g. , Gul f& Weste m Industries . Inc . v . Unite d States . 61 5 F.2 d 52 7 (D.C . Cir . 1979) ; Critica l Mas s Energ y Projec tV . NRC . 97 5 F.2 d 87 1 (D.C . Cir . 1992) .Thre e element s mus tb e satisfie d i n orde rt o protec tinformatio n fro m publi c

disclosur e unde r5 U.S.C . §552(b)(4) . Th e informatio n mus t be : (1 ) financia l o r commercia l i n nature , (2 ) obtaine d fro m a perso n outsid e th e government , an d (3 ) confidentia l o rprivileged . Gul fan d Wester n Industries , supra . 61 5 F.2 d a t529 . Informatio n wil l b e deeme d "confidential " if , inte ralia , publi cdisclosur e i s likel yt o caus e substantia l har m t o th e competitiv e positio n o fth e submittin g party . Se e Nationa l Parks & Conservatio n Ass' n v . Morton . 49 8 F.2 d 76 5 (D.C . Cir . 1974) ; Critica l Mass . supra . 97 5 F.2 d a t879 . Th e informatio n tha tSouthwes tseek s t o protec tfro m publi cdisclosur e clearl y satisfie s thes e thre e elements . Th e acquisitio n cos tan d financia l dat a bein g reporte d t o th e Departmen tresult s fro m confidentia l negotiation s betwee n Southwes tan d commercia l vendor s o faircraft , aircraf tengines , an d relate d components . Th e price s an d term s containe d i n th e agreement s are , b ydefinition , "financia l o rcommercia l i n nature. " Moreover , becaus e thes e price s an d term s ar e establishe d entirel ythroug h negotiation s betwee n Southwes tan d it s commercia l suppliers , th e informatio n i s obtaine d "fro m a perso n outsid e th e government. " Non e o fth e informatio n containe d i n th e enclose d submissio n ha s bee n provide d b yan ygovernmenta l agenc yo rofficial . Finally , thi s informatio n woul d no tnormall yb e mad e publi cb ySouthwesto rit s negotiatin g partners , a s publi cdisclosur e woul d caus e substantia l competitiv e har m t o Southwest . Th e releas e o fsuc h informatio n woul d significantl yhinde rSouthwest' s effort s t o negotiat e favorabl e cost s an d term s fro m commercia l vendor s o fairframes , aircraft , an d aircraf tengines . Confidentia l treatmen to fthi s commerciall ysensitiv e informatio n i s particularl yappropriat e i n ligh to fSouthwest' s purchas e agreement s wit hit s vendors , whic h customaril ycontai n languag e requirin g tha tSouthwes tmaintai n th e

confidentialit yo fcertai n materia l terms , includin g acquisitio n costs . WHEREFORE , Southwes thereb yrequest s tha tconfidentia l treatmen tb e give n t o al l informatio n i tfile s wit h th e Departmen tunde rFor m 41 , Schedul e B-4 3 pertainin g t o calenda ryea r200 9 Respectfull ysubmitted .

Lesli e C . Abbot t Attorne y SOUTHWES TAIRLINE S CO . 190 1 LStreet , N.W . Suit e 64 0 Washington , D.C . 2003 6 202-263-628 5 ^

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