### U.S. Departmentof Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation 

### Ms. CiCi Rojas President 

### & CEO Central Exchange 1020 Central Suite 100 Kansas City, MO 64105 DearMs. Rojas: Assistant Secretary 

## APR 07

## 2014 1200 New Jersey Ave

.. S.E. Washington, DC 20590



### Thank you for your letter ofMarch 13 to Secretary Foxx regarding the application ofSouthwest Airlines Co. (Southwest) to provide service betweenKansas City International Airport (MCI) and Washington-ReaganNational Airport (DCA) on a

### pendente lite basis. SecretaryFoxx asked that I respond to you on his behalf. OnJanuary 31,2014, Republic Airline, Inc. (operating as Frontier Airlines), relinquished a pair ofpreviously awardedDCA slot exemptions when it ceased operating its DCA-MCI service. On January27, 2014, the Department issued Order 2014-1-16, which confirmed our grantto Southwest of 

### pendente lite authority to operate DCA-MCI service using the former Republic Airline slotexemptions. This temporary grant ofauthority is intendedto minimize consumer inconvenience and is made withoutprejudice to the Department's decision on longer term authority. ByNotice datedMarch 5, 2014, the Departmentestablished a proceedingto reallocate these slot exemptions on a permanentbasis. Carriers may propose service between DCA and any airport · withinthe 1,250-mile DCAperimeterthat was designated as a medium-hub or smallerin 1997. Carrier applications were due March 25, 2014, and any comments onthose applications are due April1, 2014. As this is now a pendingmatterbeforethe DepartmentI cannot commentfurther; however, I can assure youthatthe Department will thoroughly evaluate all serviceproposals againstthe applicable statutory criteriafor awarding DCA slot exemptions. As is our standard practice in suchmatters, I amplacing a copy ofyour letter and my response in DocketDOT-OST.,.2000-7182, as a contact outside the record ofthe case. I hope this informationis helpful. Sincerely,

Susan L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs

# EXCHANGE CONNECT ACHIEVE T?.ANSFORM March 13.2014

The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Re: Docket DOT-OST-2000-7182 (Within-Perimeter DCA Slot Exemptions)

Dear Secretary,Foxx: It is my understanding that Frontier Airlines will terminate its nonstop flights bet\veen Kansas City and Washington National Airport (DCA) on January 5, 2014. With Frontier's**departure~** competition in this important market will be eliminated, unless a new airline fills the void. For this reason. I strongly support Southwest Airlines' application to use the soon-to-be vacated DCA slot exemptions to fly nonstop bet\veen Kansas City and the Nation's CapitaL beginning on Janumy 6, 2014. Southwest's proposal \viii prevent disruption to the traveling public by providing a seamless transition after Frontier leaves the DCA-Kansas City market. Further, history has shown that competition, especially by a low-cost airline like Southwest, produces significant public benefits, including lower ticket prices and greater passenger volumes. 

### By approving Southwest's pendente lite application, your Departnient would not only ensure competition and a seamless transition, it would put these slot exemptions to best use considering South.west's large presence in Kansas City (i.e., 41% local passenger market share) and the fact that Southwest uses a much larger aircraft (i.e., 143-seat, Boeing 737) than any airline currently operating nonstop in the DCA-Kansas City market. Southwest is also the Nation's largest domestic airline with a national route structure. which would allow Kansas City to serve as a one**stop/~onnecting** option for travelers flying between DCA and other points within the United States. Forthe foregoing reasons, I respectfully urge the U.S. Department ofTransportation to approve Southwest's pendente lite application for DCA-Kansas City service.**~-""' i11cerely~** 

Central Exchange·Downtownl1020 Central Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64105 I P. 816.471.7560 I 

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