# Q U S DGPOrtmOn t o f AssEsm m Sc'crt-'inr v:2G 0 Me w Jor^e vA; e . S.E . Transportatio n '.vn.h-ng,cn . D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar y o f Transportatio n 

## 00 7 2 5 

## 2019 ^ ^ 

## 'S^ .

Mr . Stev e Queior . CC E c ^ Piesiden l cT- ^ Th e Greate r

Sara.^ot aChambe r

o f Commerc e 194 5 Fruitvill e Roa d Sarasota . F L 3423 6 Dea r Mr . Queior : Than k yo u fo r you r lette r o f Octobe r 7 t o Secretar y LaHoo dsupportin g AirTra n Airways , hic . (AirTran ) t o serv e Sarasota . Florida , i n th e ongoin g slot-exemptio n proceedin g a t Ronal dReaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA) . Th e Secretar y ha s aske dtha t I respon dt o you r

lette r directly . A s yo u kjiow , th e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n commence daproceedin g o n Augus t 3 0 t o reallocat e tw o DC A slo t exemption s tha t

ar e currentl y bein g use db y Republi c Airline , (nc . (Republic) . Republi c ha s bee n usin g thes e tw o slo t exemption s fo r DC A - Kansa s Cit y service . Thes e slo t exemption s ma y b e use dt o serv e an y mediu m hu b o r smalle r airpor t withi n th e 1.250-mil e perimete r o f DCA . W e hav e receive datota l o f fiv e proposals , briefl y outline dbelow :

• Su n Countr y t o serv e Lansing . Michigan , wit h 129 - 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 , wit h 99-sea t regiona l je t

aircraft ; • Southwes t

Airline s Co. . t o serv e Kansa s Cit y utilizin g 137-sea t aircraft ; • U S Airways , Inc. . t o serv e Pensacola . Florida , utilizin g 16 - o r 86-sea t regiona l je t aircraft , dependin g o n th e season ; an d • Ai r Trai l Airways . Inc. . t o serv e eithe r Fort 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 b y th e Department . I a msur e yo u understan dtha t 1 canno t

commen t

o n th e merit s o f

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

wil l full y conside r

al l o f th e proposals , an dmak e it s awar dbase do n th e selectio n criteri adetaile di n th e govertiin g statutes .

### Mr . Siev e Qiieioi' . CC E

Pa^ e 2 A s i s oiu " noniia l practice , I a mplacin g acop y of

your lette r an diny respons e i

n Docke t DOT-OST-20nO-718 2 a s acontac t outsid e th e recordof

thi s proceeding . I appreciat e your interes t i n obtainin g acces s t o th e Nation' s capital . I f I ca n provid e furthe

r informatio n or

assistance , pleas e fee

l free t o cal l me .

/ /^usa n L . Kurlan d / y Assistan t

Secretary fo

r Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair sTTi » GREATE R SARASOT A

e 

# ^MCHAMBE R ^KW M mHo f Commerc e COMMERC E SARASOT A COUNCI L GOVERNMENTA L ISSUE S COUNCI L LEADERSHI P SARASOT A COUNT Y 

### SlO-101015-06 5 MEMBERSHI P BENEFIT S ft EVENT S COUNCI L SMAL L BUSINES S COUNCI L YOUN G PROFESSIONAL S GROU P

Octobe r 7 . 201 0 Th e Honorable Ra

y H . LaHoo

d Secretar y of Transportatio n U.S . Departmen

t of Transportation 120 0 Ne w Jersey Avenue , S.E . Washington , IX : 2059 0 RE : Docke t OST-2000-718 2 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : W e ar e writing t o expres s ou

r suppor t fo r th e application o f

AirTra n Airway s Inc . fo

r the tw o available RonaldReaga

n Washingto

n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA) within-perimete

r slot s bein g allocate db y th e Departmen

t i n Docke t OST-2000-718 2 t

o provid e nonsto p servic e fro

mSarasot a Bradento n Internationa

l Airpor t (SRQ) t o DCA . Th e Sarasot aBradento n are aha s only on e daily nonstop on aregiona l je t t o Washington , DC , eve n thoug h i t i s th e sixt h larges t destination marke

t fro mthi s area . Wit

h over 750,000 resident s an dou r prim e locatio n a s aleisur

e destination fo

r tourists , SR

Q ca n certainly suppor

t additiona l servic e an di t wouldbe agrea

t hel p t o th e touris mindustr

y i n thi s region , whic

h suffere da significan t impact fromthe B P oil spill . Thi s ne w servic e woul

dals o mitigat

e the negative economi c impact th e recession has ha

do n the communit

y an dthe airport . Ou r busines s communit

y include s extensiv e cultura l an dsport s employment . A s the sprin g training hom

e of th e Baltimor

e Oriole s an

dth e cultura l Mecc aof

Southwest

Floridawe have substantia l air traffic t o Washingto

n D C eve n wit h ou r cunentl y limitedservice . Th e maximu m Florid aeconomi c impact

ca n b e accomplishedb

y th e awar do f the slo t t o Sarasot aBradenton . Whil e AirTra n offers a n alternativ e t

o awar dthe rout e t o Southwes t

Florid aInternationa

] (RSW) , w e as k tha t the slo t be awardedt

o AirTra n conditione don th e slot

being utilize dfo

r SRQ . I n additio n t o enhancin g competition an dlowerin g fare s of Sarasot aBradenton Internationa

l Airport ^ th e propose dservic e woul dincreas e connectivit

y t o destination s i

n th e Northeas t

an d Midwest, critica

l market s fo

r ou r region . Than k yo u fo r you r consideration . Sincerely , 

# ^S^^^>^C^^^^^t ^ Stev e Queior , CCE , Presiden

t Th e Greate r Sarasot aChambe

r o f Commerc e

194 5 Fruftvili e Roa d• Sarasota , F

L 3423 6 • 941-955-818 7 • Fa x 941-366-562 1 • wwvy.sarasotachamber.com

# Q US u Departmen t O f Assistan t Secretar y 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S

E Transportatio n Washington , D C 2059 0 Of f ice O f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n 

### OCT 

### 2 5 201 0 Ms . Stephani e Dea

n Directo r o f Sale s -^: ' -^^'^ . Hampto n in

n & Suite s Sarasota/Bradento n Airpor t jr91 5 Universit

y Parkwa y .: ^ Sarasota . F

L 3424 3 ^ Dea r Ms . Dean : Thank yo u fo r your letter of Octobe r 6 to Secretary LaHoo dsupportin g AirTran Airways , Inc . (AirTran ) to serv e Sarasota , Florida , i n th e ongoin g slot-exemptio n proceedin g a t Ronal dReagan Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA) . Th e Secretary ha s aske dtha t 1 respon dto your

letter directly . A s yo u know , th e U.S . Departmen t of Transportatio n commence daproceedin g o n Augus t 3 0 to reallocat e tw o DG

A slo t exemption s tha

t are currentl y bein g use db y Republi c Airline . Inc . (Republic) . Republi c ha s bee n usin g thes e tw o slo t exemption s fo

r DCA - Kansas-Cit

y service . Thes e slo t

exemption s ma

y b e use dto serv e an y mediu m hu b o r smalle r airpor t withi n th e 1.250-mil e perimete r of DCA . We hav e receive datotal of five proposals , briefl y outline dbelow :

• Su n Countr

y t o serv e Lansing , Michigan , wit h 129 - o r 162-.sca t aircraft ; • Republi c Airline , Inc. , brande da s Frontie r Airlines , to continu e to serv e Kansa s City . Missouri , wit

h 99-seat regional je t

aircraft ; • Southwes t

Airline s Co. . t

o serv e Kansa s Cit y utilizin g 137-sea t aircraft ; • U S Airways , Inc. . t o serv e Pensacola . Florida , utilizin g 76 - or 86-seat regional je

t aircraft , dependin g o

n th e season ; an d • Ai r Tran Airways . Inc. . to serv e eithe r For t Myer s or 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 b y th e Department , 1 a

msur e yo u understan dtha

t I canno t commen t o n th e merit s of

th e proposals . 1 assur e you . however , tha t th e Departmen t

will full y conside r

all o f th e proposals , an

dmak e it s awar dbase do

n th e selectio n criteri adetaile di n th e governin g statutes . 

### a- -Ms . Stephani e Dea n

Paa e 2 

### As i s ou r normal practice . I a

mplacin g acop y o

f your lette r an dm y respons e i

n Docket DOT-OST-2()00-7I8 2 a s acontac t outsid e th e recordo f

thi s proceeding . I appreciat e your interes t i n obtainin g acces s t o th e Nation' s capital . I f I ca n provid e furthe

r informatio n or

assistance , pleas e fee

l free to cal l me .

incerel y yours .

>usa n L . Kunan d issistan t Secretary fo

r Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair s"\/ . Hampto n In n & Suite s Sarasota/Bradenton-Airport , P L 97 5 Universit y Parkway , Sarasota , F L 3424 3 

### SlO-101015-06 6 tel : 941-355-814 0 fax:941-359-293 9

Octobe r6 , 201 0 Tti e Honorabl e Ra y H . 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 RE : Docke t OST-2000-718 2 Dea rSecretar y LaHood : W e or e writin g t o expres s ou rsuppor t fo rth e applicatio n o f AirTra n Airway s Inc . fo rth e tw o availabl e Ronal d Reaga n Woshingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA ) wittiin-perimete rslot s bein g allocate d b y tti e Departmen t i n Docke t OST-2000-718 2 t o provid e nonsto p servic e fro m Sarasot a Bradento n Internationa l Airpor t (SRQ ) t o DCA . Th e Sarasot a Bradenton>ore a ha s onl y on e daily * nonsto 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 marke t fro m thi s area . Wit h ove r750,00 0 resident s an d ou rprim e locatio n a s a leisur e destinatio n fo rtourists , SR Q ca n certainl y suppor t additiona l servic e an d i t woul d b e a grea t hel p t o th e tourism ' industr y i n thi s region , whic h suffere d a significan t impac t fro m th e B P oi l spill . Thi s ne w servic e woul d als o mitigat e th e negativ e economi c impac t th e recessio n ha s ha d o n th e communit y an 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 t (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 to rSRQ . I n additio n t o enhancin g competitio n an d lowerin g fare s o f Sarasot a Bradento n Intemationa l Airport , th e propose d servic e woul d increas e connectivit y t o destination s i n th e Northeas t an d Midwest , critica l market s fo rou rregion . Than k yo u fo ryou rconsideration . Sincerely , Stephani e Dea n Directo ro f Sale s Hampto n In n & Suite s Sarasofa/Bradenfo n Airpor t 97 5 Universit y Parkwa y Sarasota , F

L 3424 3 SteDhanie.Dean@hilton.co m

fo rreservation s pleas e visi t u s a t hampton.co m o rcal l 1 .SOO.hampto n offK-a l sporso f