-

pcp'r or Tn~'I''";f' n 

.,it. . VIr,.i.. (i~',.',:'.~li~Oh TAT/AN

U.S. Department Assistant Secretary i r,,,;:~! S 12'60 New Jersey Avenue. SE 

. Washington. DC 20590 of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary Karch 25. 2010

of Transportation 

The Honorable Roy D. Buol 

Mayor ofCity ofDubuque 

Dubuque, IA 52001-4864 

Dear Mayor Buol: 

Thank you for your letter ofFebruary 26 supporting the application for antitrust immunity filed 

by American Airlines and Japan Airlines. I am responding on behalf ofSecretary LaHood. 

As you may know, the applicants....;,..members ofthe 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 ajoint 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 of Transportation (DOT) will evaluate the 

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

determine ifit is substantially complete. Decisions on the 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 to the application as well as any comments filed in the docket. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-201 0-_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 

1Q 

S 1 0-1 00304-024 


Office of the Mayor 

City Hall 

50 West 13th Sb:eet 

Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864 

www.cltyofdubuque.org 

February 26, 2010 

The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood, Secretary 

U.S. Department ofTransportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 

Washington. DC 20590 

RE: Docket DOT-OST-2010-~ 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

As Mayor of Dubuque, Iowa. I thank you for the opportunity to express my sincere support for 

the application for antitrust immunity and proposed jointbusiness agreement filed by American 

Airlines and Japan Airlines. The proposed alliance between these two airlines is vital for the 

oneworld alliance to compete effectively with the Star and SkyTeam alliances. This increased 

alliance competition will in tum enhance the benefits ofthe.Department's "Open Skies" policyfirst by solidifying U.S. - Japan Open Skies, then by serving as a foundation for further 

liberalization across Asia. 

After a thorough review, I would like to encourage the Department of Transportation to 

approve this application, as It would enable theseoneworld alliance airlines to work closely 

together to deliver highly competitive air transportation services. Approval for M/JAL 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 the 

competition afforded by three competitive air alliances. 

I respectfully urge expeditious approval of this application. 

s;z

Rafoll;/W 

Mayor 

City of Dubuque 

rdbuol@cityofdubuque.org 

Service Integrity Resp<msibllity Innovation Teamwork