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## u.s. Department·
. Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 of.Transpo,ttQtlon Office of**theSec~etClry** ofTronsp6rtatlon.
.. 

## JUN 1 02010
";rheHonorable Martin O'Malley

Governor ofMaryland Annapolis, MD 21401-1925 Dear Governor O'Malley: Thank you for your letter supporting the application for antitrust immunity filed by American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on behalfofthe Secretary. As you mayknow, the applicants-..members oftheoneworld 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 ajoint venture for transpacific traffic. The application is administered in a public docket, which.ensures that interested parties have the opportunity tocomment. The U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) will evaluate the application accordingto rigorous statutory standards, beginning with a review of the record to determine ifit is substantially complete. Decisions onthe application are made in consultation with the U.S. Department ofJustice's Antitrust Division 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 tothe application as well as any comments filed in the docket.

.. As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour 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 Aviationand International Affairs

### S 10-1003 15-0 I 0

STATE OF MARYLAND OFFICEOFlliEGOVERNOR MARTIIfO'PMUl!Y GO\E'1Il\'OR STAnElQJSf lot) SfAnEC/IIICI.e ANNAPOUS. AWlnAN02t4Of·,ta (41(J""'" pou. FREE) '
... "."". T7YUSERSCALL VI4 ""ABAV 

### March 10,2010 

### TheHonorable RaymondH,LaHood

, . Secretary .' 

### U.S. DepartmentofTrnilsportation 1200New Jersey Ave, SE ' Washington, DC 20590 

### Docket OOT·OST
..20Jo..­ 

### DearMr. Secretary: Thank,you for the opportunity.to express my support for the application for antitrust immunity and proposed joint business agreement filed by American 

### Airlines and Japan Airlines. The proposed alliance between 

### these two 

### airlines is vital 

### for oneworld<l> to compete effectively with the Star and SkyTeam alliance. 

### This increased inter-alliance competition will in tum 

### enhance the 

### benefits ofthe U.S. Department ofTransportation's Open 

### Skies policy

- first 

### by 

### solidifYing U.S.-Japan Open 

### Skies, then by 

### serving as a foundation for further

.liberalization

### acrossAsia. ' After a thorough. review, 1

### encourage the Department' to approve this application 

### as it would enable these oneworld® alliance airlines to work.closely together to deliver highly competitive air transportation services. 

### Approval for AAlJAL alliance will have a positive impact on air 

### travel by offering customers more service, 

### scheduling and 

### pricing options and will help to ensure 

### that customers continue to benefit from having three 

### competitive airalliances to

### choose from. ' I 

### urge }OU

### 'to quickly approve this application.

MO'M: 

### lca