ost994998

OST-99-4998

Czech Airlines

OST-99-4998	January 12, 1999	Application for an Exemption	Prague-Chicago O'Hare
		Service List

On January 5, 1999, CSA filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) a request for the twice weekly slots at O'Hare. From its previous operations to O'Hare, CSA was and remains aware that it should have requested slots for the 1999 summer season no later than October 15, 1998. However, it was not until this month that CSA was able to finalize plans for obtaining one additional Airbus A310-300 and, as a consequence, CSA was unable to make its request in a more timely manner. Nevertheless, and following its request of January 5, 1999, CSA was advised by the FAA on January 6, 1999 that its request was not timely, that in any event the FAA had no slots to allocate, and that, to obtain its requested slots, CSA was required to file this Application with the Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking those slots. CSA has thus exhausted all available procedures for slot acquisition. CSA is not proposing to introduce a new service but merely to resume a service that it operated for four years but was forced to curtail in 1996 because of equipment problems. In addition, CS'A holds a foreign air carrier permit, issued pursuant to Order 96-10-46, specifically authorizing CSA to operate air services between Prague and Chicago.

Counsel: Allan Mendelsohn, 202-778-1233

AIR FRANCE / SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINE SYSTEM / LUFTHANSA GERMAN AIRLINES / JAPAN AIRLINES CO., LTD. / ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS CO., LTD. / COMPANIA MEXICANA DE AVIACION, S.A. DE C.V. / IBERIA LÍNEAS AÉREAS DE ESPAÑA, S.A. / CZECH AIRLINES (CSA)

OST-98-4824
OST-98-4826
OST-98-4869
OST-98-4890
OST-98-4902
OST-98-4946
OST-99-4981
OST-99-4998

January 20, 1999

Motion for Leave to File and Consolidated Answer of The City of Chicago

High Density Rule - Chicago O'Hare

HTML

For several reasons, Chicago strongly urges the Department to grant expeditiously the slot exemptions requested in these eight applications for the purpose of initiating or continuing air service at O’Hare. First, grant of these exemptions is in the public interest, providing both inter- and intra-gateway competition, while benefiting the traveling and shipping public. Chicago conservatively estimates the collective economic benefit of this international air service to be over $964 million for the Chicago region in terms of increased jobs, trade, and tourism. Second, unlike the only occasion in which the Department turned down a foreign air carrier application for a slot exemption at O’Hare, each of the carriers in the instant proceedings except Czech Airlines filed a timely request for slots with the FAA. And, in the case of Czech Airlines, it filed a late application with the FAA only because it was unable to finalize plans to obtain the necessary equipment to serve the flight.

Counsel: Chicago and Winthrop Stimson, Kenneth Quinn, (202) 775-9898, quinnk@winstim.com

Czech Airlines

OST-99-4998

February 18, 1999

Re: Withdrawal of Application

High Density Rule - Chicago O'Hare

On January 12, 1999, Czech Airlines (CSA) filed for an exemption so as to be able to reintroduce a twice weekly service between Prague and Chicago O'Hare, an HDR airport. That application is now pending. In the meantime, however, and contrary to prior assurances, it has proven impossible for CSA, in a timely fashion, to locate an aircraft configured and equipped comparably to the two aircraft CSA currently operates in its transatlantic services. As a consequence, CSA is lef1: With no option but to withdraw its application for an exemption and delay the reintroduction of its Chicago service by one more year. We would appreciate, therefore, if you would see to it that CSA's application for the summer of 1999 is withdrawn. CSA now expects that before the end of this year it will have available a suitable aircraft With Which it Will reopen its Chicago service in the spring of 2000.

Counsel: Allan Mendelsohn, 202-778-1233