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### OCT

### 2 5 201 0 Mr . Eri c J . Coili n Executiv e Vic e Presiden t Finerg y Developmen t

LL C 217 0 Mai nStreet , Suit e 40 1 Sarasota , F L3423 7 Dea r Mr . Collin : Than k yo u fo r you r lette r of Octobe r 6 t o Secretary LaHoo dsupportin g AirTra nAirways . Inc . (AirTran ) t o serv e Sarasota . Florida , i nth e ongoin g slot-exemptio nproceedin g a t Ronal dReaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA) . Th e Secretar y ha s askedthat I respon dt o you r

lette r directly . A s yo u know , th e VS . Departmen t o f Transportatio ncommence daproceedin g o n Augus t 3 0 t o reallocat e tw o DCA slo t exemption s that

ar e currentl y bein g use db y Republi c Airline , Inc . (Republic) . Republi c ha s bee nusin g thes e tw o slo t exemption s for DC A - Kansa s City service . Thes e slo t exemption s ma

y b e use dt o serv e an y mediu m hub o r smalle r airport withi n th e 1,250-mil e perimete r o f DCA . W e hav e receive datotal of fiv e proposals , briefl y outline dbelow :

• Su n Country t o serv e Lansing , Michigan , with129 - o r 162-sea t aircraft ; • Republi c Airline , Inc. , brande da s Frontie r Airlines , t o continu e t o serv e Kansa s City , Missouri , with99-sea t regiona l je t

aircraft ; • Southwes t

Airline s Co. , t o serv e Kansa s City utilizin g 137-sea t aircraft ; • U S Airways , Inc. , t o serv e Pensacola , Florida , utilizin g 76 - o r 86-seai regiona l je t aircraft , dependin g o n th e season ; an d • Ai r Tra nAirways , Inc. , t o serv e eithe r Fort Myer s o r

Sarasota , Florida , utilizin g eithe r 117 - o r 137-seat aircraft . A s th e slo t

exemptio n proceedin g i s competitiv e an di s currentl y unde r revie w by th e Department . I a

msur e yo u understan dtha t I canno t commen t

o nth e merit s of

th e proposals . I assur e you , however , that th e Departmen t

wil l fully conside r

all of th e proposals , an dmake it s awar dbase do nth e selectio ncriteri adetaile di nth e governin g statutes .Mr . Eri c J . Colli n

Pae e 2 A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acop y of

your lette r an dm y respons e i

nDocke t DOT-OST-2000-718 2 a s acontac t outsid e th e recordof

this proceeding . I appreciat e you r interes t i n obtainin g acces s t o th e Nation' s capita/ . I f I canprovid e further informatio no r

assistance , pleas e feel fre e t o cal l me . iacerel y yours . lusanL . Kurlan d Assistan t Secretary fo r Aviatio nan dInternationa l Affair s

S i

# finerg y DEVELOPMENT , LL C

Octobe r6,201 0 Th e Honorabl e RayH , LaHoo d Secretaryo f Transportatio n U.S . Departmen t o t Transportatio n 1200 Ne wJereeyAvenue , S.E . Washington , DC 2059 0 RE : Docke l OST-2000-718 2 Dea rSecretor yLaHood : W e or e writin g t o expres s ou rsuppor t fo rth e applicatio n o t AirTra n Airway s Inc . fo rth e tw o availabl e Ronal d Reaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA ) within-perimete rslot s bein g allocate d b yth e Departmen t i n Docke t OST-2000-718 2 t o provid e nonsto p servic e tro m Sarasot a Bradento n Internationa l Airpor t (SRQ ) t o DCA . Th e Sarasot a Bradento n are a ha s onl yon e dail ynonsto p o n a regiona l je t t o Washington , DC , eve n thoug h I t is th e sixt h larges t destinatio n marke t fro m thi s area . Wit h ove r750,00 0 resident s an d ou rprim e locatfo n a s a leisur e destinatio n fo rtourists , SR Q ca n certainl ysuppor t additiona l servic e an d I t woul d b e a grea t hel p t o th e touris m Industryi n thi s region , whic h suffere d a significan t Impac l fro m th e B P oi l spill . This ne wservic e woul d als o mitigat e th e negativ e economi cimpac t th e recessio n ha s ha d o n th e communit yan d th e airport . Whil e AirTra n als o offer s a n alternativ e t o awar d th e rout e t o Southwes t Florid a Internationa l (RSW) , w e as k

tha t th e slo t b e awarde d t o Airtra n conditione d o n th e slo t b e utilize d fo rSRQ . I n additio n t o enhancin g competitio n an d lowerin g fare s a t Sarasot a Bradento n Internationa l Airport , th e propose d servic e woul d Increas e connectivit yt o destination s i n th e Northeas t an d Midwest , critica l mar*;et s fo rou rregion , Than k yo u fo ryou rconsideration . Sincerel y Eri cJ . Colli n Executiv e Vic e Presiden t Rnerg yDevelopmen t LL C CC : Fredric k

(Rick ) J . Piccolo , AAE , President , Chie f Executiv e Officer , Sarasot a Bradento n Infematfona l Airport , 600 0 Airpor t Circle , Sarasota , F L 3424 3 F L34237-902 4 Te l (941 ) 917-049 4 Fa

x (941 ) 917-049 1 www.finergydeveiopment.co m