U.S.Departmentof Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation

Mr. Tom Gable CEO Gablepr 591 Camino DeLe Reinta, Suite 730 San Diego, CA 92108

DearMr. Gable: April 12,**20~~ 2**  \' '11 1- ,.<,. ,., OL\

Thank you for your letter to Secretary ofTransportation Ray LaHood, supporting the application ofAlaska Airlines, Inc., for two beyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to serve San Diego International Airport with one round trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that I respond to your letter. Under authority granted inthe FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012, the U.S. Department ofTransportation will be awarding to new entrant orlimited incumbent carriers a total ofeight slot exemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips. We received Alaska's application, which also proposes one daily round trip to Portland, Oregon, onMarch 12. Other timely applications were received from Air Canada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; Frontier Airlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; JetBlue Airlines, one round trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin, Texas; Southwest Airlines, one round trip to Austin and San Diego beyond; Sun Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas; and Virgin America, Inc., two round trips to San Francisco. As the matter is still pending, I cannot comment onthe merits ofthe points raised inyour letter. However, I can assure you that all applications the Department received will be given full and fair consideration and will be evaluated against the selection criteria specified in the statute.Page 2, Gable

The Department's action onthis matter is being administered through a public docket, which allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following ournormal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in docket number DOT-2012-0029. I appreciate your interest inthis matter.
Sincerely yours,

Susan 

### L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International AffairsFrom: To: Subject: Date: Attachments: Tom Gable LaHood. Ray COS!) Support for Alaska Airlines' application for SAN-DCA, Docket No. DOT-OST-2012-0029 Wednesday, March 14, 2012 10:53:54 AM ltr.chamber20120314alaskaajrGablePR.doc.pdf

Dear Secretary LaHood: On behalfofour public relations firm and the defense, biotech, pharmaceutical and high-tech companies we work with, many with offices in Washington, DC, we fully support the application ofAlaska Airlines for air service between San Diego and Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA). The service would provide an immediate and major benefit to the frequent travelers who now must go through Dulles, or Baltimore ifthey are trying to watch their budgets. San Diego to Dulles average airfares are the highest ofwest coast cities. To make matters worse, there is the cost oftaxi service from Dulles to downtown Washington ($60 each way) and the wasted time. Beyond the private sector, San Diego has the most active-duty military personnel of any region in our country. San Diego's significant Defense Department presence needs the quick access to the Pentagon that nonstop air service can provide. Alaska Airlines service would add a needed nonstop option to a primary gateway to Washington, DC. Gable PRjoins with the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, the World Trade Center San Diego, and the San Diego Regional Chamber ofCommerce in support ofAlaska Airlines' application for San DiegoDCA slots. Sincerely, Tom Gable CEO
P.S. I've attached a PDF ofthis letter as well.

591 Camino de Ia Reina, Suite 730 1San Diego, CA 92108 Office: 619-284-17141 Toll Free: 877-251-38881 Cell: 619-251-3881 Website: www gablepr com Blog: hUp"ljwww authentjcprcounsel com Wine blog: http:f/sdwjneguru.posterous.com/ Twitter: http·Uwww.twitter com/tomgable Linkedln: http·Uwww linkedjn.comlin/tomgable

### Ma:rch.l4, 2012 The Honorable 

### Ray LaHood U.S. 

### DepartmentofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 Re: AlaskaAirlines' application for SAN· DCA, DocketNo. DOT-OST.,2012-0029. Dear**S~cretary** 

### LaHood: 

# •

·onbehalfofourpublic relations

# n1,1nandthe defense, biotech, pharmaceutical and high-tech companies we workwith, many with offices in Washington, DC, we fully supportthe application ofAlaska AirUnes for air service between San Diego and Washington ReaganNational Airport (DCA). The service would provide an immediateand majorbertefitto the frequenttravelers who now·must go through Dulles, or Baltimore ifthey are trying to watchtheir budgets. SanDiego to Dulles average airfares are the highest ofwest coast cities. To make matters worse, there is the cost oftaxi service from Dulles to downtown Washington($60 each way) and the wasted time. Beyond the private sector, San Diego has the mostactive-dutymilitary personnel 

### of any region in our country. San Diego's significantDefense Departmentpresence needs the q:uick accessto the Pentagon thatnonstop air service canprovide. Alaska Airlines service would add aneeded nonstop option to aprimary gateway to**Washington~** 

### DC. Gable PRjoins with the San Diego CountyRegional Airport Authority, the SanDiego Regional Economic Development Corporation; the World Trade Center San Diego, and the San Diego Regional Chamber ofCommerce in support ofAlaskaAl.tlines' applicationforSanDiego -DCA slots. Sincerely,

# To~e~ CEO