-. 

THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 

The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye 

United States Senate 

WaShington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator lnouye: 

April 16,2012 ,, 

I J fi, ... iJ 

( 

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, supporting the application 

of Alaska Airlines. Inc., for two beyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan 

Washington National Airport (DCA). If awarded these exemptions, Alaska would serve San 

Diego International Airport with one round trip per day from DCA, with direct service. beyond to 

Honolulu. 

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 20 12~ the 

U~S. Department of Transportation will be awarding to new entrant orlimited incumbent 

carriers a total of eight 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, 

on March 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 cMnot oomment on the merits of the points raised in yeur letter. 

Hewever, I can assure you that all applications the Department received will be given full and 

fair consideration and will be evaluated ag~inst the sel.ectiGn criteria specified in the statute. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

aUows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following ournorm~l pr~ctic.e, hun 

placing a copy of your letter and this reswnse ocket .ntJ.mber DOT .,2012-0029. 

A similar response has been sent to 

matter. 
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 

The Honorable Daniel K. Akaka 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Akaka: 

April 16, 2012 

Thanlc: you for your letter, cosigned by your congre,ssional colleagues, supporting the application 

of Alaska Airlines, Inc., for two beyond-perimeter stet exemptions at Ronald Reagan 

Washington National Airport (DCA). If awarded these exemptions, Alaska would serve San 

Diego International Airport with one. round trip per day from DCA,· with direct service beyond to 

Honolulu. 

Under authority granted in the FAA ModemiVJ.tion 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 Alaska~ s applicatlou, which also propos:es one daily round trip to Portland, Oregon, 

on March 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 Ri:co, and one round 

trip to Austin, Texas; Southwest Airlines, one romld trip to Austill 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 aU 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 opportun.ity to comn'lent Following our normal practice~ I an1 

placing a copy of your letter and this se in docket nwnber DOT -20 12-0029. 

A similar response has been sent to 

matter. 
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORtATION 

WASHINGTON. D.C. 20590 

The Honorable Mazie K. Hirono 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congresswoman Hirono: 

April 16, 2012 

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues. supporting the application 

ofAlaska Airlines, Inc., for two beyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan 

Washington National Airport (DCA). Ifawarded these exemptions, Alaska would serve San 

Diego httemational Airport with one round trip per day from DCA, with direct service beyond to 

Honolulu. 

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of20 12, the 

U.S. Department of Transportation will be awarding to new entrant or limite.d incumbent 

carriers a total of eight 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, 

on March 12. Other timely applications we~;e received from Air Canada, proposing one round 

trip to Vancouver. British Columbia; Frontier Airlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and 

l::>eyond 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 t0 San 

Fl'ancisco. 

As the matterjs still pending, I cannot comment on the merits of the points raised in yo11r letter. 

However, I can assure you that all applications the Department received will be·givenfull·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 do.cket, which 

allows all interested partjes the opportunity to comtnent. Following our norm~l practice, I am 

placing a copy of your letter and this response in doclcet number DOT -2012-0029, 

A similar response has been sent to 

matter. 
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 

The Honorable Colleen Hanabusa 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congresswoman Hanabusa: 

April 16,2012 

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, supporting the application 

of Alaska Airlines, Inc., for two beyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan 

Washington National Airport (DCA). If awarded these exemptions, Alaska would serve San 

Diego International Airport with one roun(:i trip per day from DCA, with direct service beyond to 

Honolulu. 

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 e~emptions at DCA, which would support four daily ro.und ttips. 

We received Alaska's appti'cation, which also proposes one daily round trip to .Portland, Oregon, 

on March 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; a11d VirginAm~cat Inc., two round trips to San 

Francisco. 

As the matter is still pending, I cannot comnrent 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 Elild will be evaluated against the s.election 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 nomud practice,! am 

placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in docket number DOT .. 20 029. 

A similar response has been s 

matter. 

y LaHood 
<f!nngress nf fife 1ttnite~ A;tates 

1!Jlla.G}fingtnn, ilC!t 20515 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary 

U.S. Department ofTransportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

March 27,2012 

We write today in support for Alaska Airlines' application to provide daily nonstop service between San Diego (SAN) 

and Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA). 

As the nation's only island state, Hawaii is uniquely dependent on air travel. Our residents rely on air transportation to 

travel within Hawaii. We also rely on air travel to transport visitors that are the backbone of our tourism industry, and to 

enhance commercial ties with the mainland and abroad. 

Alaska Airlines plans to originate and terminate the SAN-DCA flight in Honolulu (HNL), Hawaii. This will provide 

residents of the state ofHawaii with a direct connection to our nation's capital, and provide increased capacity for our 

residents and visitors to travel from Hawaii to the mainland and vice versa. 

It is our understanding that 352,000 passengers annually travel from San Diego to Washington D.C. Currently, more than 

123,000 passengers travel between Honolulu and Washington D.C. using single or double connecting flights. Alaska 

Airlines' proposal to serve SAN-DCA with a flight originating and terminating in HNL fulfills the significant need for 

nonstop service in this market. 

Since first entering the Hawaii market in 2007, Alaska Airlines has steadily grown its west coast-to-Hawaii service and 

this summer will operate 154 weekly flights. Alaska has clearly made a commitment to serving our state and is well 

positioned to operate a HNL-SAN-DCA flight. This decision was especially beneficial to residents of Hawaii who have 

an added distance to travel to their destinations. 

We respectfully urge the Department of Transportation to give Alaska Airlines' application to provide the first nonstop 

San Diego to Washington D.C. flight all due consideration. Thank you for your attention to this matter. 

Mazie K. Hirono 

Member of Congress 

S10-120328-013 

Sincerely~ 

···c::J~[~~! 

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 

Daniel K. Akaka 

Member of Congress 

Colleen ...... ,, ........... ., .. 

Member of Congress