U.S. Department of 

Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Ms. Pamela Witherspoon 

Vice President, Global Travel Services 

Universal Music Group 

2220 Colorado Avenue 

Santa Monica, CA 90404 

Dear Ms. Witherspoon: 

Assistant Secretary 

APR SO 2013 

1200 New Jer5ey Avenue, SE 

Wa$hington, DC 20590 

.. , ... _ ... : 

Thank you for your letter of February 15, 2013, supporting the application for antitrust immunity 

filed by Air France, Alitalia, Delta, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic. The Secretary has asked that I 

respond to your letter directly. 

As you may know, Delta and Virgin Atlantic are seeking antitrust immunity primarily to launch 

a joint venture covering all of their flights between North America and the United Kingdom. 

Delta and Virgin Atlantic are proposing to cooperate with Air France, Alitalia, and KLM as part 

of the new joint venture. 

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. 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 of the application. I can assure you, however, that DOT will give 

full and fair consideration to the application as well as to 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-2013-0068 as a contact outside the record in this matter. 1 appreciate your interest in 

this proceeding. 

Sincerely yours, 

2/~i~Jltvil Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Delta Air Unes and Virgin Atlantic 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

Universal Music Group Is located In Santa Monica, CA. We are wnting in support of the application by 

Delta Air Unes and Virgin Atlantic for antitrust immunity for the two carriers to form a joint venture for 

North America- U.K. servtce. 

London Is the most important transatlantiC destination for u.s. passengers/ and london is the most 

important intemationat business route fur our company. The proposed joint venture will allow Delta 

and Virgin Atlantic to offer a more comprehensive and competitive alternative which will benefit 

business travelers who desire higher service levels and schedule flexibility. 

The Delta - VIrgin Atlantic partnership will allow both carriers to offer a greatly expanded network at 

London's Heathrow airport whtch Is the preferred airport fOr business travelers. The joint venture also 

will benefit our company by providing access to a broader network, improved connectivity and 

convenient booking options. 

For these reasons, we urge you to approve the application for antitrust lmmuntty between Delta and 

Virgin Atlantic. The new jOint venture will be a great beoeflt to our company/ and will be a positive 

development in providing improved service and competitive alternatives in the London travel market. 

Sincerely, 

Pamela Witherspoon 

Vice President, Global Travel Services 

Universal Music Group 

2220 COLORADO AVENUE SANTA MONICA CA 90404 TEL 310 865 5000 

www.umusk.com 

A VIVENDI COMPANY