BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Applications of AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. AND AIR TAHITI NUl ) ) ) ) ) ) DOT-OST-2012- for Statements ofAuthorization to Codeshare ) pursuant to 14 CFRPart 212, and application of) American Airlines for related exemption ) authority )



## _______________________________)

APPLICATIONS OF AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. AND AIRTAHITI NUl

ForAmericanAirlines, Inc. Carl B. Nelson Associate General Counsel AmericanAirlines, Inc. 1101 17th Street, N.W. Suite 600 Washington, D.C. 20036 Tel: (202) 496-5647 carl.nelson@aa.com Virasb Vahidi Senior Vice President

- Marketing and Planning And ChiefCommercial Officer AmericanAirlines, Inc. P.O. Box 619616, MD 5634 DFW Airport, Texas 75161 William K. Ris, Jr. SeniorVice PresidentGovernment Affairs American Airlines, Inc. 1101 17th Street, N.W. For AirTahitiNui Evelyn D. Sahr James G. Ehrig ECKERT SEAMANS CHERIN & MELLOTT, LLC 1717 PennsylvaniaAve., N.W. 12th Floor Washington, D.C. 20006 Tel: (202) 659-6622 Fax: (202) 659-6699 Attorneys for Air TahitiNuiWashington, D.C. 20036 Robert 

### A Wirick Director, Regulatory Affairs AmericanAirlines, Inc. P.O. Box 619616, MD 5434 DFW Airport, Texas 75261 robert.wirick@aa.com

DATED: June 5, 2012BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Applications of AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. AND AIR TAHITI NUl ) ) ) ) ) ) for Statements ofAuthorization to Codeshare ) pursuant to 14 CFRPart 212, and application of ) American Airlines for related exemption ) authority )



## _________________________________} DOT-OST-2012-

APPLICATIONS OF AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. AND AIR TAHITI NUl

American Airlines, Inc. (and its affiliates American Eagle Airlines, Inc. and Executive Airlines, Inc. d/b/a American Eagle) and Air Tahiti Nui (together "the Joint Applicants") herebyjointly apply for statements of authorization for codesharing under 14 CFR Part 212. American separately applies under 49 USC 40109 for underlying exemption authority to serve between Los Angeles and Tahiti. The codeshare points are identified in Annex B of the attached American-Air Tahiti Nui codeshare agreement (Exhibit A). 1 The Joint Applicants are seeking authority to codeshare as specifically authorized by the U.S.-France Air Transport Agreement, as amended, which remains in effect for French Polynesia. American and Air Tahiti Nui intend to begin these services on or about July 31, 2012.

1As is customary for requests ofthis nature, commercially sensitive information has been redacted from the codeshare agreement.The requested codeshare authorizations are consistent with both the applicable agreement as well as the public interest. See Statement ofUnited States International Air Transportation Policy, 60 Fed. Reg. 21841, 21842 (May 3, 1995) (recognizing the public benefits offered by codeshare arrangements between U.S. and foreign carriers). Grant of this application will expand travel opportunities betweenthe U.S. and Tahiti. American seeks a statement of authorization to display the TN* code in conjunction with foreign air transportation ofpersons, property, and mail on Americanoperated flights betweenLos Angeles, California andpoints inthe U.S. Air Tahiti Nui seeks a statement of authorization to display the AA

## * code in conjunction with foreign air transportation ofpersons, property, and mail on Air Tahiti Nui-operated flights between Los Angeles, and Papeete, French Polynesia. Air Tahiti Nui holds permit authority to provide scheduled service from points behind French Polynesia, via French Polynesia, and intermediate points to the U.S. and beyond.2 In addition, American seeks related exemption authority to serve between Los Angeles and Papeete. Pursuant to the Department's Notice In the Matter ofBlanket Notification of Code-Share Service to Open-Skies Partners andPoints, dated February 9, 2009, the Joint Applicants hereby give blanket notice ofreciprocal code-share services between all U.S. points and between U.S. points and points in any open-skies country. American and Air Tahiti Nui will conduct all oftheir codeshare operations in compliance with 14 CFR Part 257. Both carriers request that their statements of authorization be granted for an indefinite period, consistent withthe Department's practice.

2 Order 2003-9-27 Issuing Foreign CarrierPermit.In response to the Department's letter ofJune 1, 1995, to participants in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet Program ("CRAF"), American states that the codeshare arrangement at issue here will have no impact onAmerican's CRAF commitments. A code-share safety audit ofAir Tahiti Nui is being conducted, and American will shortly submitthe results ofthat auditto the FAA. The Joint Applicants request prompt approval of this Application in order to facilitate the initiation of the American/ Air Tahiti Nui codeshare services described above. 

# G/ra

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Carl B. Nelson Associate General Counsel AmericanAirlines, Inc. 1101 1

## ih Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Tel: (202) 496-5647

June 5, 2012 Respectfully submitted,

James G. Ehrig ECKERT SEAMANS CHERIN & MELLOTT, LLC 1717 PennsylvaniaAve., NW 12th Floor Washington, D.C. 20006 Tel: (202) 659-6622 Fax: (202) 659-6699 Attorneys for Air Tahiti NuiCERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certifythat a true and correct copy ofthe foregoing was servedby electronic mail this 5th day ofJune, 2012 onthe following: urskr@state.gov john.allen@faa.gov rsilverberg@sgbdc.com rpommer@atlasair.com jeff.morgan@delta.com sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com anbird@fedex.com nssparks@fedex.com dan.weiss@united.com steve.morrissey@united.com jonathan.linde@united.com howard_ kass@usairways.com benjamin.slocum@usairways.com anita.mosner@hklaw.com charters@evergreenairlines.com msinick@ssd.com cdonley@ssd.com jrichardson@johnlrichardson.com jcanny@amerijet.com kevin.montgomery@polaraircargo.com agoerlich@ggh-airlaw.com pmurphy@lopmurphy.com bob.kneisley@wnco.com lachter@starpower.net dkirstein@yklaw.com jyoung@yklaw.com jhill@dlalaw.com mgoldman@sgbdc.com robert.land@jetblue.com mroller@rollerbauer.com efaberman@wileyrein.com

### Exhibit A American - Air Tahiti Nui Codeshare Agreement