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## 2 m Mr . Robert

C . Mead e Presiden t & CE O Doctor s Hospita l o f

Sarasot a 573 1 Be e Ridg e Roa d Sarasota , F L3423 3 Dea r Mr . Meade : Thank yo u fo r you r lette r o f Octobe r 6 t o Secretary LaHoo dsupportin g AirTranAirways , Inc . (AirTran ) t o serv e Sarasota , Florida , i nth e ongoin g slot-exemptio nproceedin g a t Ronal dReagan Washingto n Nationa l Airport (DCA) . Th e Secretar y ha s aske dtha t I respon dt o you r

lette r directly . A s you know , th e U.S . 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 tha

t 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 fo

r DC A - Kansa s City service . Thes e slo t exemption s may b e use dt o serv e an y mediu m hu b 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-seat 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-seat aircraft ; • U S Airways , Inc. , t o serv e Pensacola , Florida , utilizin g 76 - o r 86-seat regional je t aircraft , dependin g o n th e season ; an d • Air Tran Airways , Inc. , t o serv e eithe r For t Myer s o r Sarasota , Florida , utilizin g eithe r 117 - o r 137-sea t 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 dthat I canno t commen t o nth e merit s o f

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

wil l fully conside r

all o f th e proposals , andmak e it s awar dbase do nth e selectio ncriteri adetaile dinth e governin g statutes .Mr . Rober t C . Mead e Pag e 2 A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acop y o f

you r lette r an dni y respons e i

nDocke t DOT-OST-2000-718 2 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor do f

thi s proceeding . I appreciat e you r interes t in obtainin g acces s t o th e Nation' s capital . I f I ca nprovid e furthe r informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e feel free t o cal l me .

^urlan V Assistan t Secretar y for Aviatio nan dInternationa l Affair s

# Doctor s Hospita l Octobe r 6 , 201 0

Th e Honorabl e Ro

yH . LaHoo d Secretaryo f Transportatior ^ U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne wJerseyAvenue , S.E . Wastiingfon , D C 2059 0 RE : Docke f OST-2000-7ie 2 Dea rSecretaryLaHood ; W e or e writin g t o expres s ou rsuppor t fo rth e oppJicotio n o f AirTra n Airwoy s Inc . fo rth e tw o ovailaW e Ronol d Reogo n Washingto n Nationa l Airport (DCA ) within-perimete rslots bein g allocate d b yth e Deportmen t i n Docke t OST-2000-7182 t o provid e nonsto p servic e fro m Sorasot o Brodenlo n Internationa l Airport (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 i s th e sixt h larges t destinatio n morice t fro m thi s area . WHt i ove r750,00 0 resident s an d ou rprim e locatio n o s a leisur e destinatio n fo rtourists , SR Q ca n certainl ysupport additiona l sende e on d I t vraul d b e a grea t hel p t o th e touris m industi Yi n thi s region , whic h suffere d a significan t impac t fro m th e BP 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 ho 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 (nternationo J (RSW) . w e as k

tha t th e slo t b e awarde d t o Airtra n conditione d o n tti e slo t b e utilize d fo rSRQ . I n additio n t o enhancin g competitio n an d lowerin g fore s a i Sorasot o Bradento n Internotiorw l Airport , th e propose d servic e woul d increoi e connectivit yt o destination s i n th e Northeas t an 6 Midwest , critica l morket s fo rou rregion . Than k yo u fo ryou rconsideration . Sincerely . Rober t C.wead e Presiden t & CE O

S mBe e Ridg e ftoi d* Sansota , Fiorid a3423 3 • Telephon e (941 } 342-tW O • www.doctorsofsartsoU.co m II I OtOJ-St-O t

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