U.I.Department of 

TrQnsporlaflon 

Offtce offll~ SecretoiY 

of TrOI1SpC!rtoffon 

The Honorable Don Higginson 

Mayor 

City of Poway 

P.O. Box 189 

Poway, CA 92074-0789 

Dear Mayor Higginson: 

Ap.ril 11, 2012 

"';:: ? t , L 08 

1200 Now Jersey Ave,. S E. 

Washington. DC (l05W 

Thank you for your letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood .. supporting the application 

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

Washington National Airport (DCA) to serve San Diego International Airport with one .round 

trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood aske£1 that I respond to your letter; 

Under authority artmted in the FAA Modernization and Refonn Act ot 2012, the 

U.S. Department ofTransportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent 

~iers a total of eight slot exemptions at DCA, which wot,tld 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 applieations were received from Air Canada, proposing one round 

trip to Vartcouver~ British Columbia; Frontier Airline$, one round trip to Colorado Sprlnas and 

beyond to San Diego; Jet&lue Aidines, 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, lne., 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 ~iven run and 

fait consideration and will be evaluated against the selection criteria specified in the statute. 
Page 2, Higginson 

The Department's action on tbis 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 ... 20 12-0029. 

I appreciate your interest in this matter. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
'"D<)N HIGGINSON, Mayor 

JIM CUNNINGIL\M, Deputy Mayor 

MERRILEE BOYACK, Councilmcmbcr 

DAVE GROSCH, Coundlmcmber 

JOHN MUU.IN, Councilmember 

March 15, 2012 

CITY OF POWAY 

The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

With the signing of a full FAA authorization bill in to law (P.L.112-95), sixteen new slot exemptions (eight roundtrip flights) are permitted for beyond-perimeter flying out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). 

Additional beyond-perimeter flights will enhance competition at the airport and provide better fares and greater 

value for·the traveling public. 

San Diego is the largest passenger market to Washington D.C. without nonstop service to Reagan National 

Airport. The San Diego region also ranks as the largest primary census statistical area without service to the 

close-in airport serving our nation's capital. In fact, the San Diego region is larger than three regions outside the 

perimeter with current nonstop service to DCA. 

The San Diego region hosts the most active-duty military personnel of any region in the country. As a result of 

this robust defense presence, the region's defense industries and active-duty staff require nonstop air service to 

the closest Vl{ashington airport to the Pentagon. An Alaska Airlines nonstop flight between San Diego and 

Washington Reagan National would also benefit others moving between the two regions including: business, 

convention and leisure travelers. 

San Diego International Airport (SAN) serves more than 16 million people annually nonstop to 50 destinations in 

the USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe and soon Japan. Service to Washington Reagan National would fill a 

conspicuous air service gap and also increase competition in the Dulles and BWI - San Diego markets. Due to 

the large amount of passengers in this market that would benefit from a new nonstop flight, Alaska's San Diego 

application has a profound network and competitive benefit. 

We fully support Alaska Airlines' application for new nonstop SAN-DCA service. Alaska Airlines' network 

continues to grow in San Diego with destinations in the continental United States, Hawaii and Mexico. We 

believe Alaska Airlines' strong financial position and consistent operational reliability make Alaska well 

positioned to provide new nonstop SAN-DCA service. 

We respectfully request Alaska Airlines' SAN-DCA application be given full consideration allowed under the law ·:;a 

, and look forward to a favorable review of their application. 

Very truly yours, 

City Hall Located at 1.3325 Civic Center Drive 

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 789, Poway, California 92074-0789 

www. poway.org