• 

1200 New Jersey Allenue, SE Assistant Secretary U.S. Department Washington, DC 20590 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary APR 0 2 2010 of Transportation ,

The Honorable Jonathan Weinzapfel 

Mayor ofEvansville 

Evansville, IN 47708 

()l 

\""') Dear Mayor Weinzapfel: 

Thank you for your letter of March 11 supporting the application for antitrust immunity filed by 

American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on behalf of Secretary LaHood. 

As you may know, the applicants-members of the oneworld 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 a joint venture for conveyance oftranspacific 

traffic. 

The application is administered in a public docket, which ensures that interested parties have the 

opportunity to comment. The U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) will evaluate the 

application according to rigorous statutory standards, beginning with a review ofthe record to 

determine if it is substantially complete. Decisions on the application are made in consultation 

with the U.S. Department of Justice'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 to the 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, Aviation and International Affairs 

SlO-100317-037 

CITY OF EVANSVILLE 

ONe N.W. MAATIN I..UTHElRKING. JR. SI..VO. -ROOM 302 

OFFloe OF THe MAYOR EVANSVII.I.E. IN01ANA 47708-1833 

JONATHAN WEINZAF'FEL (812) 436-4962. FAX (812) 436-4966 o TOOffTV (812) 436-4928 

www.Evansv'UeGov.org 

March 11, 2010 

The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Docket DOT-OST-2010~_ 

Dear Mr. 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 to compete effectively with the 

Star and.SkyTeam alliances. This increased inter-alliance competition will, in tum, enhance the 

benefits or the Departtnent's Open Skies policy - first by SOlidifying U.s.-Japan Open Skies, 

then by serving as a foundation for further liberalization across Asia. 

I encourage the Department of Transportation 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 AAfJAL 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 air alliances from which to choose. 

Again, thank you for your consideration. 

Sincerely, 

q~~~ 

Jonathan Weinzapfel 

Mayor