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U.S
. Oepartmen f Assfstan t Secretar y izo a Hey t Jvmv y AVBAM
. S B O f Transportatio n • ; w»hii>dton , D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretary ' " o f Transportatio n ^ ' MA R 1 0 201 0 Mr
. A l Denson c ^ President/CE O ^ Birmingha mAirpor t Authorit y . ' ^ 590 0 Airpor t Highwa y ^
. ");".r 3 Birmingham , AL 3521 2 1 3 ^•' ^ Dea r Mr
. Denson : ^' ' = ! Than k yo u fo r you r lette r supportin g apropose dtransactio n betwee n U S Airway s an dDeltaAi r Lines , b y whic h Delt awoul dexchang e certain slo t interest s a

t Ronal dReaga

n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA ) fo r certai n U S Airway s slo t

interest s a

t LaGuardi aAirpor

t (LGA)
. O n Februar y 9 , th e Federa

l Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA) issue datentativ e determinatio n approving th e propose dtransaction , but subjec t t o certain conditions
. I t

tentativel y foun

dtha t th e publi c interes t

woul dbes t

b e serve di f

the potentia

l han n create db y th e increase dconcentratio n a t th e airport s wer

e counterbalance db

y affording new opportunitie s fo r competitio n b

y new entran t an dlimite dincumbent

carriers
. Specifically , th e tentativ e finding woul drequir e divestitur e o f 1 4 pair s o f

slo t interest s a

t DCA , an d2 0 pair s o f

slo t interest s a

t LGA
. t o suc

h carriers
. Th e propose ddeterminatio n wa s publishe di n th e Federa l Register o n Februar

y 1 8 (7 5 Fed
. Reg , 7306) , wit h aclosin g date fo

r comment s fro

mintereste dperson s o f

Marc h 22,2010
. Afte

r receipt an drevie w o f

th e comments , w e wil l tak e suc h furthe

r actio n a s appropriate
. A cop y of you r letter ha s been place di n th e docke t fo r th e proceeding , FA

A 2010-0109
. Tha

t docke t als o contain s acop y o f

th e tentativ e determinatio n an dother relevan t documents , should yo u wis h to follo w development s i n th e matter . I

t i s accessibl e throug h th e Federa l Government' s regulation s website , httD://www.regulations.gov
. I f I ca n provide furthe

r informatio n or

assistance , pleas e fee

l free t o cal l me . Sincerel y yours .
Susa n L
. Kurlan d Assistant Secretar y fo r Aviatio n an

dInternationa

l Affair sBIRMINGHA M AIRPORTAumoRH

Y Septembe r 10,200 9 Th e Honorabl e Ra

y LaHoo d Secretar y o f Transportatio n U.S
. Departmen

t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E
. Washington , D C 2059 0 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : Recently U S Airway s an dDelt aannounce da n agreement

to exchang e slot s a

t bot h Reaga n Washingto n Nationa

l Airpor t (DCA) an dLaGuardi a(LGA)
. I write t o expres s m y stron g suppor

t fo r thi s slo t transactio n a s i t

provide s benefit s o f

importanc e t o m

y cit y an dindee dm

y state . U S Airway s ha s announce dtha t upo n consummatio n o f

thi s agreement

an di n acceptin g 4 2 slot s fromDelt aa

t DCA , the y wil l provide Birmingham , Alabam awit h nonsto p servic e t o Reaga

n Washingto n Nationa

l Airport
. We hav e lon g sought suc h servic e a s th e benefit s t o ou

r nation' s capita

l wil l provid e neede dbusines s acces s t o govemmcn t entifie s v^c h wil l allo w u s t o gro w an dprosper . I n addition , becaus e U S Airway s ha s awell establishe dnetwor k syste ma t DCA , ou r customer s wil l hav e th e abilit y t o easil y connec t

wit h maj<M * cities , particularl y throughout th e Eas t Such acces s i s vita

l t o ou r economi c healt

h an dw e applau dtiiis innovativ e an d importan t us e o f th e slot s a

t E>CA
. Obviously , fo

r u s t o achiev e thi s servic e th e pla n mus t b e adopte da s asingl e entit y an dI ui:g e you r input i n encouragin g th e governmen t t o endors e thi s excellent

agreemen t Than k yo u fo r your consideratio n o f

thi s excitin g an dver

y consumer-oriente d arrangement . Sincerely ,
AlDensbn , President/CE O
cc : Honorabl e Randolp h Babbit t Administrato r

o f th e Federa

l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Washington , D C 2059 1

500 0 Airpor

t Highwa y Bimingham , Alabam a3521 2 (205 ) 595-053 3 FAX(20S t 599-053 8