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Contact Information

Daniel Kasper
Senior Consultant
 Compass Lexecon
200 State Street, 9th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
+1-617-520-0260
DKasper@compasslexecon.com


Darin Lee, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President
 Compass Lexecon
200 State Street, 9th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
+1-617-520-0255
darin.lee@compasslexecon.com

Mergers and Acquisitions

Kasper Lee Aviation experts have provided in depth analyses for numerous carriers involved in evaluating potential mergers. Our experts have in depth experience at analyzing areas of potential concern to antitrust regulators, including issues related to market definition, routes and airport overlaps, price effects and international competition considerations. Kasper Lee Aviation experts also have extensive experience at quantifying and evaluating potential merger synergies such as network optimization. Kasper Lee Aviation experts have also assisted carriers post-merger on issues such as seniority integration.

Representative Engagement: The Kasper Lee Aviation team conducted extensive economic analysis for United Airlines and its legal team to assist in the regulatory clearance for its merger with Continental Airlines in the US, Europe and Canada, including a presentation by Prof. Jan Brueckner, Dr. Darin Lee and Ethan Singer to the US Department of Justice regarding a new econometric study of competition and airfares. Download the study: Airline Competition and Domestic US Airfares: A Comprehensive Reappraisal.


Competition Policy and Antitrust

Kasper Lee Aviation experts are recognized thought leaders on a wide range of airline competition policy matters and have provided independent expert testimony and consulting advice to numerous carriers (passenger and cargo) on matters such as antitrust immunity applications, codesharing and alleged anticompetitive behavior such as price fixing and predatory pricing.

Representative Engagement: Kasper Lee Aviation experts provided independent expert testimony on behalf of the Star and SkyTeam alliances in various U.S. Department of Transportation proceedings seeking expanded antitrust immunity. Download the testimony of Daniel M. Kasper and Darin N. Lee and Jan Brueckner in support of the Star Alliance's successful 2006 application for expanded antitrust immunity.


Bankruptcy Restructuring

Kasper Lee Aviation experts provided independent expert testimony and analysis throughout the Chapter 11 restructurings of United Air Lines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, US Airways, Atlas, Comair and Mesaba. Kasper Lee Aviation experts testified on behalf of the debtors in U.S. Bankruptcy Court during numerous Section 1113(c), 1113(e) and Section 1114 hearings. In addition to providing independent expert testimony, Kasper Lee Aviation experts provided a wide range of analysis, including extensive analysis of carriers' competitive cost positions, assessments of carriers' exit plans and valuations of their route authorities and slot holdings.

Representative Engagement: Download the Declaration of Daniel M. Kasper In Support of Debtors' Informational Brief In Support of First Day Motions. United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York. In re: DELTA AIR LINES, INC, et. al, Debtors. Chapter 11, September 2005.


Labor Disputes

Kasper Lee Aviation experts have provided independent expert testimony and litigation support for numerous carriers including Alaska, American, United, Delta, Northwest, US Airways, America West and Midwest in labor arbitrations, Presidential Emergency Boards and in Federal Court. Kasper Lee Aviation experts have unparalleled experience at analyzing issues related to scope clause challenges, labor productivity and costing and statistical analyses of potential job actions.

Representative Engagement: Download the testimony and statistical analysis of United Air Lines' pilot sick calls in the Expert Report of Daniel M. Kasper and Darin N. Lee. United Air Lines, Inc. v. Air Line Pilots Association International, et al., In the United States District Court For the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Civil Action No. CV 4317, July 30, 2008. Read judge's decision in favor of United in preliminary injunction vs. ALPA regarding pilot sick-out.


Industry Economics

Kasper Lee Aviation experts provide in-depth economic analysis, strategic advice, authoritative white-papers and independent expert testimony on the broad economics of the airline industry. Our experts have also provided consulting services to numerous airlines, private equity firms and aircraft manufacturers on topics such as low cost carrier competition and the impact of fuel price volatility and the current economic recession on airline demand.

Representative Engagement: Download the Presentation of Darin Lee to Embraer's Semi Annual Meeting of Marketing Executives, May 2007.




Airport Rates and Charges

Kasper Lee Aviation experts have provided independent expert testimony and consulting services in disputes over terminal and air field rates and charges between airports and airlines and airport concessionaires.

Representative Engagement: Download the Expert Report of Daniel M. Kasper in Alaska Airlines, Inc., AirTran, Airways, Inc., ATA Airlines, Inc., Frontier Airlines, Inc., Midwest Airlines, Inc., Southwest Airlines Co., And US Airways Group, Inc., v. Los Angeles World Airports, Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners, and the City of Los Angeles, California. Docket OST-07-2007-27331, April 9, 2007.




Delays and Congestion Management

Kasper Lee Aviation experts are thought-leaders on market based approaches to congestion and delay reduction. Our experts have written extensively on the topic and Daniel Kasper and Darin Lee have provided independent analyses on the efficacy and implications of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Rulemaking regarding the potential introduction of slot auctions at New York City area airports. Darin Lee is also a leading auction expert.

Representative Engagement: Download the Comments of Daniel M. Kasper and Darin N. Lee in the FAA's recent Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Congestion Management Rule for LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy and Newark airports.



Financial Damages

Kasper Lee Aviation experts have provided independent expert testimony and damage estimates in a variety of aviation matters, including business interruption claims, termination of employment, airline crashes (i.e., ValuJet Flight 592), patent infringement and aircraft supplemental type certificate (STC) revocations.

Representative Engagements: Download the Declaration and Expert Report of Daniel M. Kasper. City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge Through The Greater Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport District Versus American Home Assurance Company and J. Calderera and Company, Inc., 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, January 2007.

Download the Expert Report of Daniel M. Kasper. Submitted on Behalf of Central Texas Airborne Systems (CTAS). Kalitta Air, LLC v. Central Texas Airborne Systems, Inc., December 2003.


Regional Airlines

Kasper Lee Aviation experts have extensive expertise in matters involving the economics of regional airlines. Our experts provided independent expert testimony and economic analysis during the Chapter 11 restructurings of Comair and Mesaba and have also testified before numerous arbitrators and the U.S. Department of Labor in matters involving the economic relationship between major and regional carriers. Recently, Daniel Kasper and Darin Lee filed expert reports in a contract dispute invovling a major US airline and one of its regional partners regarding the operational reliability of the regional carrier that included a sophisticated econometric analysis of on-time rates.

Representative Engagements: Download the Testimony of Daniel M. Kasper Before the U.S. Department of Labor. Hearing on Proposed Individual Exemption Involving Northwest Airlines Salaried Plan, Pilot Plan and Contract Plan, May 2003.