## u.s. Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary 

### ortransportation

The Honorable Pete Lee Colorado House ofRepresentatives State Capitol Denver, CO 80203

Dear Mt. Lee.: May 3, 2012 1200 Nf,!W**J~rs~y** Ave,, SJL wasliington, PC 20890

Thank y().u for your letter 

### to Secretary ofTranspottation Ray LaHood, supporting the application ofFrontierAirlines for two beyond-perimeterslot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Frontier's application proposes to serve Colorado Springs, Colorado. with one round trip per day fi·om DCA, with direct service beyond to San Djego, CaHforn.ia. Secretary LaHood asked me to respond to your letter.

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012, the U.S. Department ofTransportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent carriers atotal ofeight slot exemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips.

We received Frontier's application .on March 12. Other tin1ely applications were received fmm Air Canada, prpposing one round trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one round trip to Portland,Oregon and one t·mmd trip to San DiegQ; JetBlueAirlines, one round trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin, Texas; Southwest Airlines, one round trip to Austi.n and San Diego**beyond~** Sun Country Airlines, one rour1d trip to Las Vegas; and Virgin America, Inc.,two round trips to San Francisco.

As .the matter is stiU pending, I carmotcomment on the merits ofthe points raised in your letter; However, I can assure you that all applications the Department received will be given full and fair col1Sideratitmand will be evaluated against the selec.tion criteria specified in the statute.
The Deparllnent's action on this matter is bejng administered through a public docket, which allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following olll' normal practice, I am placing acopy ofyour letter and this response in docket number DOT-2012-0029.

I appreciate your interest in this matter. Sincerely yours,

Robert A. Letteney Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs**~t.IJte Re~sel\tative** **Ptm!LB~** 1600. WeJ!t Clle)'cntle Road CoJora!)o**~.** rings, ColorJido &W06 C!IIJ!t 8'66·2932 B. 19460.·2834 ft.m:ai.l:**)ieteJee.bouse@~tate.eo:us**



### COLORADO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April18, 2012

The .HonorableRay LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New JerseyAvenue, SE WashingtOJ:t, D.C. 20590 STATE CAPITOL

DENV!i!'.R Member; Judiciary Coml1llnee Local Oovemm:ent Cqmm)ltee

Re: Application ofFrontier Airlines for Two

### Beyond~Perhneter.~lot Exemptions for Ronald Reagan Washington NationalAirport- Colorado**Spijng~'Artport** Nm1stop Service (Docket DOT·OST-2012-0029)

. . . . . .· . .
Dear Secretary LaHood:

Asthe State**Represen:tat~ve** from House District 18. the downtown area ofColorado Springs, Colorado, I am acutely aware ofthe needs ofthe business community. Ithas come to my attention that FrontierAirlines has applied for tw9 slot e.x:emptions at the Ronald Reagan WashingtonNational Airport (DCA) to provide non-stop service to the Colorado Springs Airport (008). Titisbid win serve as a valued benefit for air passengers Wilhin the Colorado.Spdngs
area and surrounding communit.ies.
Colorado Springs is the home to five military bases, including Fort Carson, the United States Air Force Academy, Peterson AirForce Base, Schriever Air Command and NORAD as well 

### as several defense contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop 

### Grumman, ANC Research &DevelopmentLLC, Man Tech Space Systems, 

### Mac Aulay-Drown, ITT Corporation, Imprimis Inc

.., Textron Defense Systems, Raytheon**,CO~** CM!ber**Cnrporl;ltion~** Mannatek S,olutioris LLC, Colsa Corporation, 

### .and ot}:lers. 01:1r**~corrof11Y** is inextri¢ably linked to Washington, D.C. Foran economy dependent on,the linkagewith military .and govern.tnent**facilitie~** in**Washingtort,'D~c~. thi~**  

### service wouid be 

### agteat

### Benefii'to-"6ur communitY. ··Secretary Ray LaHood Pagel Aptif l8,.20t2

Furthermore, the Pikes Peak region ofColo:t:ad:o is a maJortourist destination forEast Coast. travelers. The establishment ofnon-stap serViCe ·betwee:n Colorado Springs a:nd DCA would greatly enhance connectivity for the business, military and tourist travelers. This 

### air service would provide !:U)Other significant asset to ourcotrutmnity to enhance its attractiveness to businesses !:UldpeoJ:1le consideringit as a perm®ent home. 

### Thank you for y,ourfav.orable consideration. 

### ofthis application.

Pete Lee StateRepresentative House District 18

oc: Dave Csintyan, The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of**Commerce~** President Rich Guy, Computer Resources, President Chris Jenkins. Nor'wood Development Group, President Ron Butlin, Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership, Executive Director