U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of the Secretary of Transportation Assistant Secretary



### April 19, 2012



### The Honorable Roberto Hernandez Velez Mayor of Corozal No. 9 Calle Cervantes Corozal, PR 00783-1905 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590

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### Dear Mayor Hernandez Velez: !'>:)

### ~?S~C:~ Thank you for your letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, supporting the aJ2S!icafr'on of JetBlue Airways for beyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). JetBlue's application proposes to serve Luis Munoz Marin Airport,. Puerto Rico, with one round trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood has asked me to respond to your letter.

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, the U.S. Department of Transportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent carriers a total of eight slot exemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips.

We received JetBlue's application, which also proposes one daily round trip to Austin, Texas, on March 12. Other timely applications were received from Air Canada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one round trip to Portland, Oregon, and one round trip to San Diego; Frontier Airlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; 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 on the merits of the points raised in your 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.

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in docket number DOT-2012-0029.

I appreciate your interest in this matter.
Sincerely yours,

Susan 

### L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs

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THE HONORABLE RAY LAHOOD SECRETARY US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590

Re: JetBiue Airways DCA-SJU Application, Docket DOT -OST -2012-0029

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I write to express my support for the application by JetBiue Airways for slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), to provide nonstop round trip service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, as submitted under Docket DOT-OST-2012-0029. JetBiue's plan to offer daily, round trip service will provide Puerto Rico with the nonstop access to our nation's capital that we have long sought.

JetBiue is Puerto Rico's hometown low-fare airline. Since JetBiue's first flight in 2002, their nonstop, large jet service on the mainland has expanded form JFK to Boston, Hartford, Newark, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa and· Jacksonville, while in the Caribbean, their service has expanded to key markets in the region, including St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Maarten and Santo Domingo. JetBiue also partners with Cape Air for additional regional service connecting at San Juan.

The level of direct service from San Juan to Washington has decreased over the years, while fares continue to rise. Presently, limited nonstop service from Puerto Rico is through either Baltimore Washington International Airport or Washington Dulles International Airport, both of which are quite distant for travelers visiting downtown Washington or its federal government offices. The addition of this unique nonstop, a first of its kind, would provide travelers from the greater Washington area with a key connection to the Caribbean and benefit all visitors to and residents of Puerto Rico.

No. 9 Calle Cervantes, Corozal, P.R. 00783-1905 

### 1 Tel. (787) 859-3060 

### 1 (787) 859-2268 

### E-MAil: corozal®coqul.net


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### #OJotJ'OJ(I urge you to award JetBiue the slot exemptions necessary to provide the nonstop round trip service between Washington, DC and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Thank you for your consideration

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No. 9 Calle Cervantes, Corozal, P.R. 00783-1905 

### 1 Tel. (787) 859·3060 

### 1 (787) 859-2268 E-MAIL: corozal@coqui.net

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