BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of 

 DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

 

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 

(Ft. Lauderdale-Mexico City)

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Docket DOT-OST-2013-

APPLICATION OF DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to:

Alexander Van der Bellen, 

Managing Director, Government Affairs 

 and Associate General Counsel

DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

1212 New York Avenue, NW Suite 200

Washington, DC 20005

(202) 842-4184

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com

January 17, 2013

Delta will be conducting a poll of airline representatives served with this application and 

we will advise the Department of the results as soon as possible. 
BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of 

 DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

 

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 

(Ft. Lauderdale-Mexico City)

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)

)

)

)

)

)

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Docket DOT-OST-2013-

APPLICATION OF DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109 and Subpart C of the Department’s Rules of 

Practice, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta”) hereby applies for an exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 

41101 authorizing Delta to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, 

property, and mail between Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Mexico City, Mexico.

Delta plans to offer daily, year-round service on this route beginning on July 1, 2013, 

utilizing 160-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft, equipped with 16 first class and 18 economy 

comfort and 126 coach class seats. However, depending on market demand, Delta 

requests flexibility to operate on a seasonal basis. Delta requests that its exemption 

authority be granted as soon as possible for a period of at least two years.

In support of this application, Delta states the following:

1. Delta seeks exemption authority so it can provide scheduled 

foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

and Mexico City, Mexico.

2. The proposed service will provide significant benefits to travelers 

and shippers and is clearly in the public interest. The requested exemption authority is
Application of Delta

Page 2

fully consistent with the terms of the U.S.-Mexico Air Transport Agreement

(“Agreement”) as amended by the agreement signed by the two governments on 

December 12, 2005. Route 1(a) of the Agreement authorizes carriers designated by the 

U.S. to operate “[f]rom a point or points in the United States to a point or points in 

Mexico.” Annex I(A)(1)(a). Two U.S. carrier designations are authorized for each U.S.-

Mexico City city-pair. Agreement Annex I(B)(4-5). Both U.S. carrier designations are 

available on the Ft. Lauderdale-Mexico City route. Delta requests that the Department

promptly notify the Government of Mexico of Delta’s designation on this route. As noted 

above, Delta plans to operate daily, year-round service, but requests the flexibility to 

operate on a seasonal basis as warranted by market conditions.

3. Delta holds various certificates of public convenience and 

necessity and exemptions authorizing it to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation 

of persons, property and mail, including between the United States and Mexico. See, 

e.g., Delta’s Certificate for Route 901, issued by Order 2010-3-12. Pursuant to Rule 24 

of the Department’s Rules of Practice, Delta asks the Department to take official notice 

of all data on file with the Department necessary to establish Delta’s fitness.

4. Delta affirms that its operation of this route will have no impact on 

Delta’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet (“CRAF”) commitment.

5. The environmental impacts of Delta’s proposed service are de 

minimis, and Delta does not anticipate that the proposed service will cause a near-term 

net annual change in aircraft fuel consumption of 10 million gallons or more. 
Application of Delta

Page 3

WHEREFORE, Delta requests issuance of exemption authority to engage in 

scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between Ft. 

Lauderdale, Florida and Mexico City, Mexico.

Respectfully submitted,

Alexander Van der Bellen 

Managing Director, Government Affairs & 

Associate General Counsel 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

A copy of the foregoing has been served this 17th day of January 2013, upon the 

following persons via email:

Francis.Heil@aa.com

Robert.Wirick@aa.com

dan.weiss@united.com

thomas.bolling@united.com

howard.kass@usairways.com

benjamin.slocum@usairways.com

esta.rosenberg@dot.gov

brian.hedberg@dot.gov

info@airlineinfo.com