# ME A LLil i 

### Michiga n Educatio n Associatio n ' SPO R iATlO i i ^^^ ^ ^'^"'^^'' ^ ^^^"^ ^

" "• • '. • :'"|0!^PAT ^ " •' ? Eas t Lansing , M

I 4882 3 517-332-655 1 ;"! : F-- n v n PI : li M 800-292-193 4 February 20 , 201 2

Docke t Managemen t

Facilit y U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 New Jerse y Avenu e S E Wes t Buildin g Groun dFloor , Roo mW12-14 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 Ref: Su n Country Slo t

Exemptio n - Docke t

Numbe r FAA-2012-008 9 Ladie s an dGentlemen : Su n Countr y Airline s ha s requeste dan exemptio n fromth e slo t limi t a t Ronal dReaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airport (DCA ) se t

for th e i n § 93.123(a) , t o permi t FA A t o creat e ai r carrie r slot s durin g certai n limite dhour s for Su n Country' s use . Th e propose dai r carrie r slot s woul dreplac e tw o slo t exemption s unde r

DO T Orde r

2010-12-1 6 awarde dt o Su n Country . O n Januar y 6 , 2012 , th e Unite dState s Cour t o f Appeal s for

th e Distric t

o f Columbi aCircuit

vacate dth e DO T Order , an dSu n Country wil l los e it s existin g servic e betwee n DC A an dth e Lansing' s Capita l Regio n Internationa l Airport . Specifically , Su n Country desire s on e dail y slo t durin g eac ho f

th e 100 0 an d110 0 hours . Th e propose d exemptio n woul dpermi t

Su n County t o continu e operatin g it s existin g service s an davoi d a n inequitabl e resul t

o f th e Court' s order . Th e Michiga n Educatio n Associatio n (MEA ) i s locate di n Lansing . Man y o f ou r officer s an dmanager s fly t o Washingto n D.C . o n aregular basis . Th e ME A ha s astron g affiliatio n t o th e Lansin g are aan dwan t t o continu e t o contribut e t o th e economi c growth o f th e city . Withth e continuin g servic e fromth e Lansing' s Capita l Regio n Internationa l Airport ou r organizatio n can d o jus t

that . Ou r organizatio n ha s mor e than 100,00 0 member s an dsom e o f

the md o fly fromLansin g an dperhap s mor e woul db e entice dt o d o th e sam e i f

th e flight schedul e allows . Without th e exemption . Su n Country wil l b e force dt o terminat e servic e betwee n LAN an dDCA . Lansin g wil l n o longe r hav e direc t ai r acces s t o DCA , an dthos e passenger s wh o us e Su n Country connectio n servic e throug hLAN wil l los e tha t optio n a s well .

- www.inea.ar g Affiliate d witt i th e Nationa l Educatio n Associatio nFebruary 20 , 201 2

Pag e Two Th e Su n Country DC A servic e i s essentia l t o th e economi c growtho f th e Greate r

Lansin g Region . Th e dail y servic e i s th e onl y larg e aircraf t (737-800 ) servic e t o Washingto n Reaga n Airport , i n th e stat e o f Michiga n outsid e o f

Detroit . Prio r

t o Su n Country , th e regiona l communit y ha drequeste dth e introductio n o f thi s servic e fromnumerou s othe r airlin e operator s withou t

success . Accordingly , i t

i s critical tha t

th e FA A tak e th e necessary step s t o ensur e th e continuatio n o f th e Su n Country slot s at

th e establishe d flight time s i n th e support

o f Greate r Lansing' s busines s an deconomi c growth . You r immediat e approva l o f

thi s exemption , s o that

Sun Country can begi n t o ente r flight schedule s for

sal e for th e balanc e o f

2012 , wil l b e greatl y appreciated . Smcerely , Nanc y Sfrachan , Vic e Presiden t Michiga n Educatio n Associatio n