# O -I'M:,-1 1 O r UlS.DopOrtmOn t o f Afsist.i m Secrei.-ir y iro o Nf w Jerse y Av e S E Transportatio n :.. , ^i , p ^ ^ ^.v..n,n„on.Dc2052 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar

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Mr . Richar dA . Rasmusse n 1526 3 Clu b Cours e Driv e Bath , M I 4880 8 Dea r Mr . Rasmussen : Than k yo u fo r you r lette r o f Octobe r 6 t o Secretary LaHoo dsupportin g Su n Countr y Airline s t o serv e Lansing , Michigan , i n th e ongoin g slot-exemptio n proceedin g a t Ronal d Reaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airport (DCA) . Th e Secretar y ha s aske dtha t I respon dt o you r lette r directly . A s yo u know , th e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n commence daproceedin g o n Augus t 3 0 t o reallocat e tw o DC A slo t exemption s that

ar e currentl y bein g use db y Republi c Airline , Inc . (Republic) . Republi c ha s bee n usin g thes e tw o slo t exemption s fo

r DC A - Kansa s Cit y service . Thes e slo t exemption s ma

y b e use dt o serv e any mediu m hu b o r smalle r airport withi n th e 1,250-mil e perimete r o f DCA . W e hav e receivedatota l o f fiv e proposals , briefl y outline dbelow :

• Su n Countr y t o serv e Lansin g wit h 129

- o r 162-sea t aircraft ; • Republi c Airline , Inc. , brande da s Frontie r Airlines , t o continu e t o serv e Kansa s City , Missouri , with 99-sea t regiona l je t

aircraft ; • Southwes t

Airline s Co. , t o serv e Kansa s Cit y utilizin g 137~sea t aircraft ; • U S Airways , Inc. , t o serv e Pensacola , Florida , utilizin g 76

- o r 86-seat regiona l je t aircraft , dependin g o n th e season ; an d • Ai r Tran Airways , Inc. , t o serv e eithe r For t Myer s o r

Sarasota , Florida , utilizin g eithe r 117

- o r 137-seat aircraft . A s th e slo t

exemptio n proceedin g i s competitiv e an di s cun'entl y unde r revie w b y th e Department , I a

msur e you understan dtha t I canno t commen t

o n th e merit s of

th e proposals . I assur e you , however , that th e Departmen t

wil l fully conside r

al l of th e proposals , andmak e it s awar dbase do n th e selectio n criteri adetaile di n th e governin g statutes .Mr . Richar dA . Rasmusse n

Pag e 2 A s i s ou r nonna l practice , I a

mplacin g acop y o f

you r lette r an dm y respons e i

n Docke t DOT-OST-2000-718 2 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor dof

thi s proceeding . I appreciat e you r interes t i n obtainin g acces s t o th e Nation' s capital . I f I ca n provid e further informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e feel fre e t o cal l me . 'erel y yours ,

A' isa

n L . Kurlan d 'Assistan t Secretar y for 'latio n an dInternationa l Affair sOctobe

r 6 , 201 0 Th e Honorabl e Raymon dL . LaHoo d Secrctaiy o f

Transportatio n UnitedState s Department

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jersey Avenu e S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Re : Su n Countr y Airline s Applicatio n - E>OT-OST-2000-718 2 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : I a mthe retiredCE O o f

a n insuranc e company i n Lansing , Michiga n an dhav e bee n activ e i

n ou r communit

y for several decades . Par

t o f tha t civi c involvement

ha s bee n t o serv e o n th e Boar do f Director s o f

th e Mid-Michiga

n Busines s Trave l Coalition , whic h i s a n organizatio n o f member s o f

our regional busines s communit y tha t i s dedicate dto improvin g ai r servic e t o the Capita l Regio n International Airpor t i n Lansing , Michigan . Th e merge r o f larg e airline s ha s hada

n extremel y damagin g impac t o n ai r servic e to ou

r area . A s th e stat

e capita l andhom e o f

amajor researc h university , Michigan State University , th e deman dfo r direc t servic e t o Washingto n D C ha s bee n a t th e to p o f

ou r agend afo

r anumbe r o f years . W e di dhav e successful servic e t o D C wit h Independenc e Air

tha t wa s discontinue d du e t o tha

t airline s bankruptcy . W e continu e t o hav e th e deman dan dth e Su n Countr y Airline s servic e woul dfulfil l tha t need . I urg e yo u t o giv e approva

l t o thi s applicatio n andhel p u s serv e th e demonstrate dneed s o f ou r community . Than

k you for your consideration .

Richar dA . Rasmusse n