BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON. D.C. ) ) ) ) ) )

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1 BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON. D.C U.S.-ITALY COMBINATION SERVICE CASE Docket OST ANSWER OF THE GEORGIA AND ATLANTA PARTIES IN SUPPORT OF EMERGENCY MOTION OF DELTA AIR LINES, INC. FOR PENDENTE LITE AUTHORITY Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to: Jeffrey A. Rader Vice President-Transportation Programs Atlanta Chamber of Commerce 235 International Blvd. NW Atlanta, GA Phone: ( Fax: ( Mr. Miguel Southwell Manager of Marketing City of Atlanta, Department of Aviation P.O. Box Atrium Suite 435 Atlanta, GA ( EXT. 216 Fax: ( Bill Alberger 1725 Stonebridge Road Alexandria, VA Phone: ( Fax: ( Counsel for GEORGIA & ATLANTA PARTIES March 2, 1999

2 2 BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON. D.C U.S.-ITALY COMBINATION SERVICE CASE Docket OST ANSWER OF THE GEORGIA AND ATLANTA PARTIES IN SUPPORT OF EMERGENCY MOTION OF DELTA AIR LINES, INC. FOR PENDENTE LITE AUTHORITY The Georgia and Atlanta Parties (the State of Georgia, the City of Atlanta, Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce answer in strong support of the Emergency Motion by Delta Air Lines, Inc. ( Delta for Pendente Lite authority to enable Delta to commence the sale and marketing of Atlanta-Rome nonstop service, which Delta plans to begin on June 1, We heartily agree with DOT Order in which the Department tentatively selected Delta to provide nonstop service between Atlanta, Georgia and

3 3 Rome, Italy. The Delta proposal in this case was the only application which would open a new gateway to Italy, and the strength of Atlanta as a new gateway seemed to be a significant factor in the decision. While the Delta hub at Atlanta is the largest airline hub anywhere in the world, it is clear that Delta needs the authority to market and sell the new services soon in order to compete effectively for peak season traffic between the United States and Italy. Thus, Delta has filed the Emergency Motion for Pendente Lite Authority. As the Department has indicated throughout this proceeding, a principle objective is to expedite the introduction of the new Italy opportunity provided by the 1998 Protocol between the Governments of the United States and Italy. We appreciate and applaud the filing last week by US Airways, Inc. ( US Airways, indicating that in order to maximize the value of these scarce transitional rights, the Department should move quickly to grant the authority to Delta to initiate the Atlanta-Rome service. US Airways recognized that this would allow Delta to begin marketing its new service, thus maximizing the public benefits of the new Italy service. 3

4 4 Delta has cited Department precedents for the actions requested. The Georgia and Atlanta Parties wholeheartedly endorse the Emergency Motion, and urge you to act promptly to grant Delta s request. Respectfully submitted, Bill Alberger 1725 Stonebridge Road Alexandria, VA ( Counsel to the GEORGIA & ATLANTA PARTIES March 2,

5 5 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of the Answer of the Georgia & Atlanta Parties to the Emergency Motion for Pendente Lite Authority were served this 2nd day of March, 1999, upon all persons listed on the attached Service List by U.S. Mail and/or fax. Bill Alberger Carl B. Nelson, Jr. Joel Stephen Burton Associate General Counsel Donald T. Bliss American Airlines, Inc. O Melveny & Myers th Street, NW, Suite th Street NW, Suite 500-W Washington, DC Washington, DC Fax ( Fax ( John Varley Robert E. Cohn General Attorney Shaw Pittman Potts & Trowbridge Delta Air Lines, Inc N Street, NW Law Department #987 Washington, DC Delta Boulevard Fax ( Atlanta, GA D. Scott Yohe Jon F. Ash Senior Vice President Global Aviation Associates, Ltd. Government Affairs 1800 K Street NW, Suite 1104 Delta Air Lines, Inc. Washington, DC K Street N.W. Washington, D. C Alan Hedge Fax ( American Airlines, Inc. Int l Dept. MD Amon Carter Blvd. Ft. Worth, TX

6 6 David Marchick Kenneth P. Quinn Deputy Assistant Secretary for Winthrop Stimson Putnam & Roberts International Affairs 1133 Connecticut Avenue NW U.S. Department of State Suite C Street NW, Room 5830 Washington, DC Washington, DC Fax ( Fax ( Julie Oettinger Jonathan Blank Assistant General Counsel Lisa M. Helpert US Airways, Inc. Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds Crystal Park Four 1735 New York Avenue, NW, Suite Crystal Drive Washington, DC Arlington, VA Fax ( Morris R. Garfinkle Howard E. Kass GKMG Consulting Services, Inc Thirty-First Street NW Washington, DC Fax (