BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Joint Application of 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

ALITALIA - COMPAGNIA AEREA ITALIANA S.P.A. 

and 

MESABA AVIATION, INC. 

for a statement of authorization pursuant to 

14 C.F R. Part 212 

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 Docket DOT-OST-2001-10417 

 

JOINT APPLICATION OF DELTA AIR LINES, INC., 

ALITALIA - COMPAGNIA AEREA ITALIANA S.P.A., AND MESABA AVIATION, INC. 

FOR A STATEMENT OF AUTHORIZATION

Communications with respect to this document should be sent to: 

Alexander Van der Bellen, 

 Managing Director, Government Affairs 

 and Associate General Counsel 

Jeff Morgan 

 Regional Director, Government Affairs 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

1212 New York Avenue, NW Suite 200 

Washington, DC 20005 

(202) 842-4184 

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com

Richard D. Mathias 

David M. Endersbee 

ZUCKERT, SCOUTT & RASENBERGER, L.L.P. 

888 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Suite 700 

Washington, DC 20006 

(202) 973-7917 

rdmathias@zsrlaw.com 

dmendersbee@zsrlaw.com 

Counsel for ALITALIA - COMPAGNIA 

AEREA ITALIANA S.P.A. 

October 21, 2011 

Megan Rae Rosia 

Vice President Government & Regulatory Affairs 

PINNACLE AIRLINES CORP. 

One Commerce Square 

40 S. Main St. 

Memphis, TN 38103 

(703) 476-4889 

mrosia@pncl.com 

Counsel for MESABA AVIATION, INC. 

Notice: The Joint Applicants intend to poll the U.S. carrier representatives on the 

attached service list regarding this Application and will notify the Department of the 

results as soon as possible.
BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Joint Application of 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 

ALITALIA - COMPAGNIA AEREA ITALIANA S.P.A. 

and 

MESABA AVIATION, INC. 

for a statement of authorization pursuant to 

14 C.F R. Part 212 

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 Docket DOT-OST-2001-10417 

 

JOINT APPLICATION OF DELTA AIR LINES, INC., 

ALITALIA - COMPAGNIA AEREA ITALIANA S.P.A., AND MESABA AVIATION, INC. 

FOR A STATEMENT OF AUTHORIZATION

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta”), Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana S.p.A. (“Alitalia”) 

and Mesaba Aviation, Inc. (“Mesaba”) (together, the “Joint Applicants”) hereby apply for 

authority to expand Alitalia’s existing codesharing on Delta to include Delta Connection 

operations by Mesaba. Specifically, pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 212, Mesaba seeks a 

blanket statement of authorization allowing Mesaba to display Alitalia’s “AZ*” code on 

Delta Connection flights Mesaba operates: (a) within the United States (in conjunction with 

Alitalia’s services in foreign air transportation), and (b) between the United States and 

third countries.1

 Mesaba requests that its statement of authorization be valid for an 

indefinite period subject to the Department’s normal code share conditions.2

 

 In support of this Joint Application, Delta, Alitalia, and Mesaba state as follows: 

1. Mesaba is a certificated U.S. air carrier that operates flights for marketing 

and sale by Delta. 

 

1 To the extent necessary, the Joint Applicants request consolidation of this application into Docket 

DOT-OST-2001-10417, the Docket established by the Department for the administration of the 

grant of the blanket statements of authorization issued to Alitalia and Delta.

2

 The Joint Applicants request a waiver of the 45-day advance filing requirement for codeshare 

statements of authorization under 14 C.F.R. Part 212 so that the proposed codeshare services may 

begin without delay. 
Joint Application of Delta, Alitalia, and Mesaba

Page 2

2. The Department has previously approved Delta/Alitalia blanket statements 

of authorization for reciprocal codesharing. See Notice of Action Taken dated December 

23, 2008, Docket DOT-OST-2001-10417. The proposed services are fully consistent with 

the Department’s prior codeshare approval and with the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement. 

3. Delta, Alitalia, and Mesaba have agreed to expand codesharing to 

encompass flights operated by Mesaba on Delta’s behalf. Accordingly, the Joint 

Applicants request a blanket statement of authorization under 14 C.F.R. Part 212, 

permitting Mesaba to display Alitalia’s “AZ*” designator code on flights operated by 

Mesaba: (a) within the United States (in conjunction with Alitalia’s services in foreign air 

transportation), and (b) between the United States and third countries. 

4. The proposed codeshare services will be operated pursuant to the 

Delta/Alitalia codeshare agreement previously approved by the Department and an 

ancillary Delta/Alitalia/Mesaba codeshare agreement. A redacted copy of the ancillary 

Delta/ Alitalia/Mesaba codeshare agreement is attached to this Application. 

5. Alitalia holds a foreign air carrier permit authorizing it to engage in the full 

scope of foreign air transportation permissible under the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement. 

See Order 2010-1-5 dated January 21, 2010, Docket DOT-OST-2009-0219. 

6. The same public interest considerations that supported the grant of 

codeshare authority to Alitalia and Delta apply with equal force to the services operated by 

Mesaba on behalf of Delta. Alitalia and Delta have a longstanding codesharing 

relationship, and grant of this application will enable Alitalia to further expand its on-line 

service options to additional U.S. and beyond-U.S. cities. 

7. The Joint Applicants’ initial codeshare markets are listed at Exhibit A-2 to 

the attached codeshare agreement. To the extent necessary, the Joint Applicants request 

that the authority requested here for Alitalia codesharing on Mesaba be administered 

jointly with the authority for Alitalia codesharing on Delta and other Delta Connection 
Joint Application of Delta, Alitalia, and Mesaba

Page 3

carriers in docket DOT-OST-2001-10417 such that any non-open skies point 30-day 

notice given is deemed notice for all of the operating carriers authorized in this docket, 

except for U.S.-Mexico service where notices will continue to be provided on an operating 

carrier specific basis. The Joint Applicants incorporate by reference all previous nonMexico codeshare-point notices provided in this docket, including the March 2, 2009 

Delta/Alitalia blanket open skies codeshare notice. 

8. Mesaba is not a CRAF participant. 

9. The Joint Applicants will conduct these codeshare services in accordance 

with 14 C.F.R. Part 257 and the other conditions normally imposed by the Department on 

codesharing statements of authorization. 

 WHEREFORE, Delta, Alitalia, and Mesaba request that the Department promptly 

grant the authority described herein. 

Respectfully submitted, 

/s/ Richard D. Mathias /s/ Megan Rae Rosia 

________________________________ ________________________________ 

Richard D. Mathias 

ZUCKERT, SCOUTT & RASENBERGER, L.L.P. 

Counsel for ALITALIA - COMPAGNIA 

AEREA ITALIANA S.P.A. 

Vice President, Government Affairs 

PINNACLE AIRLINES CORP. 

Counsel for MESABA AVIATION, INC. 

________________________________ 

Alexander Van der Bellen 

Managing Director, Government Affairs 

 & Associate General Counsel 

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

A copy of the foregoing document has been served this 21st day of October, 2011, upon 

the following persons via email: 

carl.nelson@aa.com 

dan.weiss@coair.com 

oracio.marquez@united.com 

jonathan.linde@united.com 

howard.kass@usairways.com 

benjamin.slocum@usairways.com 

esta.rosenberg@dot.gov 

robert.finamore@dot.gov 

info@airlineinfo.com