### The Honorable DonnaM. Christensen U.S. House ofRepresentatives Washington, DC 20515 DearCongresswoman Christensen: Apri116, 2012

Thank you for yourlettersupportingthe application ofJetBlue Airways for beyond-perimeter slotexemptions atRonald Reagan. Washington National Airport (DCA). JetBlue's application proposes to serve Luis Mufioz Marin Airpo.rt, Puerto Rico, with one round trip perday from DCA. Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012, the U.S. DepartmentofTransportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent carriers atotal ofeight 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. Othertimely applications wete 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; FrontierAirlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; Southwest Airlines, 011e roundtrip to Austin and San Diego beyond; Sun Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas; and VirginAmerica, Inc.• two round trips to San Francisco. As the matter is still pending, I cannotcomment on the merits ofthe points raised in yourletter. However:, Ican assure you that all applications the Department received 

### will be given full and fair consideration and will be evaluated againstthe selection criteria specifiedin the statute. The Department's action on this matter is 

### bei allows an interested parties the opportuni placing acopy ofyourle1:ter and t 

### Iappreciate yourinterest in thi inisteredthrough a public docket, which ment. Following our normal practice, Iam docketnumber DOT-201**~ 'QON~f"~M.**  CHRISTENSEN DELEGATE, VIRGIN ISLANDS

COMMITIEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE

MtMOf:n, SUOCOMMITTEE ON 0VEfl$1GHT ANO INVt::Sl'IOAfiQNS.

MEMDtl1, SUBCOMMITT£6 ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, CONGRESSIONAl BLACK CAUCUS MEMBER, CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES ASSISTANT MINORITY WHIP

Hon. Ray LaHood Secretary 

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### 20515-5501 March 12, 2012

United States Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 Dear Mr. Secretary: PLEASE RESPOND To: WASHINGTON OFfiCE 1510 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFfiCE BUILDING 0 WASIIINGTON, DC 20&15

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0 12021 225-1790 F4X (202) 225-5517
DISTRICT OFFICES SUNSHINE MAU SPACE 11204-206 #1 ESTAT£ CANE FAEOERIKST£0, VI 00840 P.O. Box 5980 C'!lT£0, Sr. CltOIX, VI 00823 13401 7711-&900 fAX (3401778-5111
8000**NIS~V** CENTER, SUITE No. 207 ST. THOMAS, VIRGIN IsLANDI; 00802 13401774-4408 ·FAX {340}774-8033
11109 CONTANT•ENtGHEO

CRUZ 811v, Sr. JOliN U.S. ViRGIN ISLANDS 00831 (340)7711-1212

Iam writingto express strong supportfor the application ofJetBlue Airways for exemption slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) for non-stop service to Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Carolina, Puerto·Rico (SJU). JetBlue already flies between SJU and Cyril E. King Airportin St. Thomas (STT) and Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix (STX) in**t~~** U.S. Virgin Islands. It also partners with Cape Air for service within theVirgin Islands

. . . :: ' f ·,**~...** .**~.** ;, ... ::_,: .. Tourism is the mainstay ofthe economy ofour territory. This industry would be greatly enhanced by non-stop service from DCA to SJU connecting with flights to STT and STX. It wouid provide a much more direct·and lower fare option for touris.ts as:well·as business and governmenttravelers. Service between the Washington, DC area and the USVI has decreased over the years and fares have risen. Much of the remaining service is through either Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) or Dulles International Airport (lAD), which are both much more distant from the District of Columbia and close-in suburbs. The addition of this first non-stop service from DCA would be of great benefit to our economy and all USVI residents and visitors. I urge you to. award '}etBlue the slots necess·ary to serve the DCA-SJU route on a non-stop basis. · ' · · · ·

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.. ," I ' Thankyou for your consideration.**~** . 

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S10-'120313-052 rlliNTEO ON RECYCLED PAPSR