BEFORE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Transcription

1 BEFORE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. Application of AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. Docket DOT-OST in the matter of 2016 Los Angeles-Beijing Frequency Allocation Proceeding MOTION OF AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. FOR A START-UP DATE EXTENSION Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to: Howard Kass Vice President Regulatory Affairs Robert A. Wirick Managing Director John B. Williams Senior Analyst Paul T. Denis William B. Sohn DECHERT LLP 1900 K Street, NW Washington, D.C ( paul.denis@dechert.com william.sohn@dechert.com AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC th Street, NW Washington, D.C ( howard.kass@aa.com robert.wirick@aa.com john.b.williams@aa.com August 7, 2017

2 BEFORE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. Application of AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. Docket DOT-OST in the matter of 2016 Los Angeles-Beijing Frequency Allocation Proceeding MOTION OF AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. FOR A START-UP DATE EXTENSION American Airlines, Inc. ( American is pleased to announce that its efforts to secure suitable takeoff and landing slots at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK to permit the inauguration of its Los Angeles-Beijing service have been successful, and American has firm plans to begin service on November 5, 2017, from Los Angeles. 1 The new slots become available to American at the start of the IATA winter season, which begins October 29, American needs an additional week to reposition aircraft and make other necessary service adjustments. American therefore requests a brief extension of the September 16, 2017 start-up date for its Los Angeles-Beijing service until November 5, American s first flight from Beijing to Los Angeles will depart Beijing on November 6, American thanks the Department for its support as American worked to acquire the new slots. American is also very appreciative of the support and assistance received from the Civil Aviation Administration of China ( CAAC and from the North China CAAC Regional Office.

3 Motion of American Airlines, Inc. Page 2 of 4 Using the newly secured Beijing slots, American will operate Los Angeles-Beijing service with the following schedule: Route Departure Time (local Arrival Time (local LAX to PEK 11:10 16:20 +1 PEK to LAX 18:30 15:15 American is committed to launching this service and has worked diligently from the time the Department awarded it authority to serve the Los Angeles-Beijing route to acquire the necessary slots. American anticipates opening for sale the new service within days, should the Department grant this Motion. With full knowledge of the challenges faced by U.S. carriers in launching new services to China, Delta, nevertheless, filed a pre-emptory letter asking that the Department deny American any additional extension. 3 The Department should firmly reject Delta s request. The requested extension is only to align American s start-up date with its receipt of the slots required to operate the service, plus a few extra days to position the aircraft. There is no squandering or wasting of valuable public assets as Delta suggests. 4 Rather, the grant of this Motion will allow American to launch the first-ever Los Angeles-Beijing service by a U.S. carrier and inject important and meaningful inter-carrier and inter-alliance competition on this route. The Department s precedent strongly supports the grant of this Motion. Recently, the Department granted United an extension of more than five months for its third weekly Guam- Shanghai service, which is the second extension granted to United for that service. 5 Likewise, 3 See Letter from A. Krulic to B. Hedberg, Docket DOT-OST (July 7, Id. at 1. 5 Approval of the Motion of United Airlines, Inc. for a Start-Up Extension, Docket DOT-OST (June 30, 2017.

4 Motion of American Airlines, Inc. Page 3 of 4 the Department granted United three extensions for its second daily San Francisco-Shanghai service, which provided United with sufficient time to obtain commercially viable slots. 6 The extension requested by American is only its second extension request and is approximately seven weeks in duration. Granting American s request is in the public interest. American remains fit, willing, and able to commence Los Angeles-Beijing service, and American is eager to do so. American s request should be granted. 6 See, e.g., Approval of the Motion of United Airlines, Inc. for a Start-Up Extension, Docket DOT-OST (Feb. 9, United s initial start-up deadline was May 16, 2015, and its final extension was until October 29, Id.

5 Motion of American Airlines, Inc. Page 4 of 4 Respectfully submitted, Howard Kass Vice President Regulatory Affairs Robert A. Wirick Managing Director John B. Williams Senior Analyst Paul T. Denis William B. Sohn DECHERT LLP 1900 K Street, NW Washington, D.C ( paul.denis@dechert.com william.sohn@dechert.com AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC th Street, NW Washington, D.C ( howard.kass@aa.com robert.wirick@aa.com john.b.williams@aa.com August 7, 2017

6 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that on August 7, 2017, I served a copy of the foregoing Motion of American Airlines, Inc. by upon the addressees listed below: brian.hedberg@dot.gov (Dept. of Transportation robert.finamore@dot.gov (Dept. of Transportation brett.kruger@dot.gov (Dept. of Transportation benjamin.taylor@dot.gov (Dept. of Transportation todd.homan@dot.gov (Dept. of Transportation (Dept. of Transportation laura.remo@dot.gov (Dept. of Transportation john.allen@faa.gov (Federal Aviation Administration brownpa@state.gov (Dept. of State alex.krulic@delta.com (Delta chris.walker@delta.com (Delta kquinn@pillsburylaw.com (Counsel for Delta amna.arshad@pillsburylaw.com (Counsel for Delta christopher.leuchten@pillsburylaw.com (Counsel for Delta perkmann@cooley.com (Counsel for Hawaiian dan.weiss@united.com (United thomas.bolling@united.com (United abby.bried@united.com (United steve.morrissey@united.com (United gmurphy@crowell.com (Counsel for United dflint@lawa.org (LAWA smengistu@lawa.org (LAWA info@airlineinfo.com (Airline Info William B. Sohn