BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. ) Docket OST for an emergency exemption pursuant to ) 49 U.S.C (g) ) ) ) ) )

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1 BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. Application of VOLGA-DNEPR AIRLINES LLC Docket OST for an emergency exemption pursuant to 49 U.S.C (g APPLICATION OF VOLGA-DNEPR AIRLINES LLC FOR AN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION Communication with respect to this document should be addressed to: Alexey I. Isaikin Fran Jolly Chairman Operations Manager Volga-Dnepr Airlines LLC Volga Dnepr-Unique Air Cargo, Inc. 14 Karbysheva Street 9400 Grogan s Mill Road, Ulyanovsk Town Center Plaza, Suite 220, Russia The Woodlands, TX 77381, USA ( DATED: September 7, 2018 NOTICE: THIS APPLICATION IS FILED PURSUANT TO THE EMERGENCY EXEMPTION PROCEDURES OF 14 C.F.R , WHICH AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO ACT ON EMERGENCY EXEMPTIONS IMMEDIATELY. ANY PERSON INTERESTED IN FILING AN ANSWER IS REQUESTED TO DO SO IN THE ABOVE DOCKET IMMEDIATELY. COPIES OF THE SUBMISSION SHOULD BE SERVED ON THE PERSONS LISTED ABOVE AND ON THE ATTACHED SERVICE LIST. 1

2 BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. Application of VOLGA-DNEPR AIRLINES LLC Docket OST for an emergency exemption pursuant to 49 U.S.C (g APPLICATION OF VOLGA-DNEPR AIRLINES LLC FOR AN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION Volga-Dnepr Airlines LLC ( Volga-Dnepr Airlines or "Volga-Dnepr" respectfully requests an emergency exemption from the provisions of 49 U.S.C (g and 41703(c, and otherwise applicable provisions of the Department of Transportation ( DOT regulations, so as to permit Volga-Dnepr to operate five (5 one-way cargo charter flights, utilizing Volga- Dnepr s AN aircraft to transport cargo (humanitarian relief supplies from San Francisco, CA or Oakland, CA to Honolulu, Hawaii, Guam or Saipan, or a combination thereof, on or around September 8-11, 2018, on behalf of Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA. In support of its application, Volga-Dnepr states as follows: 1. Volga-Dnepr is a foreign air carrier holding appropriate DOT authority to conduct allcargo charter foreign air transportation between a point or points in Russia and a point or points 2

3 in the United States, and all-cargo charter transportation between the United States and third countries pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part Radiant Global Logistics ( Radiant is arranging this charter on behalf of FEMA using Volga-Dnepr s AN to transport humanitarian relief supplies originating in San Francisco, CA or Oakland, CA to Honolulu, HI, Guam or Saipan, or a combination thereof. 3. This application meets all of the relevant criteria for the grant of an exemption under 49 U.S.C (g. a. Grant of this application is in the public interest. As noted, the relief supplies are needed urgently to assist in relief and humanitarian efforts in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan in preparation for Tropical Storm Mangkhut. b. Approval of the requested exemption authority is necessary to enable Volga- Dnepr to respond to an emergency created by unusual circumstances. Use of the AN , in coordination and combination with U.S. air carriers, will allow FEMA to transport the full amount of relief supplies before the storm hits landfall. 4. Volga-Dnepr's fitness and ability to carry out the proposed transportation has been amply demonstrated through its conduct of numerous outsized cargo charter operations over the past several years. 5. Under 49 U.S.C (g, the Department may authorize a foreign air carrier to transport commercial traffic between U.S. points under limited circumstances. Specifically, the Department must find that the authority is required in the public interest; that because of an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business the traffic cannot be accommodated by U.S. carriers holding certificates under 49 U.S.C ; that all possible efforts have been made to accommodate the traffic on U.S. certificated air carriers; and that the exemption is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the traffic. This application is consistent with the public interest and meets all of the relevant criteria under 49 U.S.C (g for the grant of an exemption. 3

4 6. Grant of this application is necessary to prevent unreasonable hardship for the residents, communities, and businesses in Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan, as well as the ongoing relief efforts. Without approval of this application, transportation of these relief supplies will be unnecessarily and substantially delayed, causing substantial hardship for people in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan as disaster relief is delayed. 7. In this instance, an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business exists as a result of the storm, as well as the exigent circumstances surrounding the need to move supplies quickly. As a result, the best way to resolve this emergency is to allow the AN aircraft to transport the humanitarian relief supplies. 8. Grant of this exemption application is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the residents of Hawaii, Guam and Saipan. 10. Grant of this application is consistent with Department precedent. Foreign air carriers have been granted emergency exemption authority to carry cargo between U.S. points when an emergency existed as a result of unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business. See, e.g., Orders , , , , and , as well as Notices of Action Taken in dockets OST , OST , OST , OST , OST , and OST In light of the exigent circumstances, Volga-Dnepr requests expeditious processing and the immediate grant of this emergency exemption application. The Department s Procedural Regulations provide that the Department can act on an emergency exemption application immediately. Designated agent for Volga-Dnepr will promptly advise the Department of the responses of the interested U.S. carriers to the telephone poll regarding this application. WHEREFORE, Volga-Dnepr respectfully requests that the Department issue an emergency exemption permitting it to operate five (5 one-way cargo charter flights, utilizing Volga-Dnepr s AN aircraft, transport cargo (humanitarian relief supplies from San Francisco, CA or Oakland, CA to Honolulu, Hawaii, Guam or Saipan, or a combination thereof, 4

5 on or around September 8-11, 2018, on behalf of Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA, as described herein, and grant such further relief as the Department deems to be consistent with the public interest. Respectfully submitted, Fran Jolly Designated agent for Volga-Dnepr Airlines ( Dated: September 7,

6 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that I have on this day served a copy of the foregoing document upon all persons named on the attached service list via electronic mail. Fran Jolly Dated: September 7,

7 SERVICE LIST Pierre Murphy Law Offices of Pierre Murphy 1200 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W. - Suite 590 Washington, D.C For: 21Air Telephone: ( Fax: ( pmurphy@lopmurphy.com Robert P. Silverberg Jeff Johnson Silverberg, Goldman & Bikoff, LLP th Street, N.W., Suite 120 Washington, DC For: ABX AIR Telephone: Fax: rsilverberg@sgbdc.com jjohnson@sgbdc.com Bob Wirick Abigail Donovan For: AMERICAN AIRLINES robert.wirick@aa.com Abigail.donovan@aa.com Russell Pommer 1747 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Suite 875 Washington, D. C For: ATLAS AIR & SOUTHERN AIR INC. Telephone: Fax: rpommer@atlasair.com Chris Walker Alexander Krulic 1275 K St., NW, Suite 1200 Washington, DC For: DELTA AIRLINES chris.walker@delta.com alex.krulic@delta.com David Heffernan Cozen O Connor For: ALASKA AIRLINES Telephone: Fax: dheffernan@cozen.com Joan M. Canny Senior Vice President and General Counsel AMERIJET INTERNATIONAL, INC S. Andrews Ave. Ft. Lauderdale, FL Office , Fax Direct jcanny@amerijet.com John Mietus Law Office of John Mietus, LLC 6701 Democracy Blvd., Ste 300 Bethesda, MD For: CENTURION AIR CARGO & SKYLEASE Telephone: Fax: john@mietuslaw.com Bailey Leopard, Lead Counsel Nancy Sparks 3620 Hacks Cross Rd Bldg. B, 3 rd Floor Memphis, TN For: FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP. Telephone: Fax: gbleopard@fedex.com nssparks@fedex.com 1

8 SERVICE LIST Cozen O Connor 1627 I Street, NW, Ste 1100 Washington, DC Telephone: Fax: For: KALITTA AIR, L.L.C. DPefley@cozen.com Mark Atwood matwood@cozen.com Ned Wallace nwallace@wallaceair.com Lynn Stauffer lstauffer@wallaceair.com sales@wallaceair.com Rick Zerkel, President Jim Davis For: LYNDEN AIR CARGO 6441 s. Airpark Place Anchorage, AK Telephone: Fax: rzerkel@lac.lynden.com jdavis@lac.lynden.com Howard Diamond, General Counsel Howard.diamond@flyfrontier.com Robert E. Cohn, Outside Counsel Robert.cohn@hoganlovells.com Patrick Rizzi, Outside Counsel Patrick.rizzi@hoganlovells.com Telephone: Fax: For: FRONTIER AIRLINES Kenneth P. Quinn Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman For: NATIONAL AIRLINES Telephone: kenneth.quinn@pillsburylaw.com jennifer.trock@pillsburylaw.com graham.keithley@pillsburylaw.com agumbs@nationalairlines.aero jbatten@nationalairlines.aero Margot Wiegele 3900 Old Int l Airport Rd. Anchorage, Alaska For: NORTHERN AIR CARGO Telephone: Fax: mwiegele@nac.aero Aaron A. Goerlich Garofalo, Goerlich & Hainbach, PC 1200 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 800 Washington, DC For: FLORIDA WEST & WESTERN GLOBAL AIRLINES, LLC agoerlich@ggh-airlaw.com Kevin P. Montgomery 1747 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 875 Washington, DC For: POLAR AIR Telephone: Fax: Peter Beckett Telephone Kevin.montgomery@polaraircargo.com peter.beckett@polaraircargo.com Dan Weiss Steve Morrissey 233 South Wacker Drive Chicago, IL For: UNITED AIRLINES Telephone: dan.weiss@united.com steve.morrissey@united.com 2

9 SERVICE LIST Abby Bried Jenner & Block LLP 353 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL For: UNITED AIRLINES T: Frank Avent Airline Information Research 3 Old House Circle Okatie, South Carolina Telephone: info@airlineinfo.com Roger Rapier Systems Operations Security Center (AJR-213 FAA AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEM OPERATIONS SECURITY 800 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC Telephone: /5775 Fax: ATOR-HQ-RT-REQ@faa.gov Anita Mosner, Partner Holland & Knight For: UNITED PARCEL SERVICES 2099 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 100 Washington DC T: F: anita.mosner@hklaw.com jennifer.nowak@hklaw.com dsmalls@ups.com Paul Brown Director, Office of Aviation Negotiations Department of State 2201 C Street, NW Washington, DC BrownPA@state.gov A. Oakely Brooks, President & CEO & Paul Doell, Dir. Govt Affairs National Air Carriers Association (NACA Suite Wilson Avenue Arlington, VA Telephone: Fax: Pdoell@naca.cc Dawn Pefley 3