U.S. Department of 

Transportation 

Offlc• of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Mr. Jim Unger 

Vice President 

Hornblower Cruises & Events 

2825 Fifth Avenue 

San DiegQ, CA 92103 

Dear Mr. Unger: 

April 11, 2012 

Thank yQU for your letter to Secretary ofTransportation Ray LaHood, supporting the application 

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

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

trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that I respond to yQur letter. 

Under authority granted in the f' AA Modernization and Reform Act of 20 12, the 

U.S. Department of Transportation will be awarding to new entri:Ult or limited incumbent 

carriers a total of eight slot eKemptions at DCA, which would 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 applications were received from Air Canada1 proposing one round 

trip to Vancouver, .British Columbia~ Frontier Airlines, one ro.und trip to Colorado Spri'ngs and 

beyond to San Diego; JetBlue AirJines. one round trip to San Juan. Puerto Rico, and one round 

trip to Austin, Texas; Southwe.st Airlines, one round trip to Austin and San Diego beyond; Sun 

Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas; and Virgin America~ Inc., two round trips to Sl:lll 

Francisco. 

As the matter is still pending, I cannot comment on the merits of the points raised in your letter. 

However, J can assure you that all applications the Department received will be given full and 

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

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket. which 

allows aU interested 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. 

s~~:"~,~ 

Susan t, Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
f1 

lfORNBLOWElt 

CRUISF.S & EVENTS 

2825 FIFTH AVENUE, SAN DIEGO, CA 92103 TEL: 619·688-8700 FAX:619-686-8733 hornblower.eom 

March 16,2012 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Alaska Airlines' application for SAN~DCA, Docket No. DOT -OST -2012-0029. 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

Hornblower Cruises & Events fully supports the application of Alaska Airlines for air service between San 

Diego and Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA). San Diego is the largest region wnhout announced 

service to DCA. Additionally, due to the profound community of Interest between San Diego and the 

nation's capital, the region generates the largest passenger market demand without nonstop service 

to the convenient and close-In airport serving our nation's capital. 

San Diego's sheer market size to Washington coupled with the fact that San Diego- Dulles average 

airfares are the highest of west coast cities should qualify it for a pair of the limited slots available. The high 

airfare is exacerbated when factoring in taxi fares from Dulles to Washington's city center that average 

about $60 each way. This means travelers between Washington's city center and San Diego via Dulles can 

pay on average close to $400 one-way. 

There are also countless other San Diego-based and Washington-based businesses that are engaged in 

health science, telecommunications, and national defense that need quick and convenient access to 

Reagan National Airport. <ORGANIZATION NAME> has an immediate need for additional nonstop air 

service to our nation's capital. Alaska Airlines service would add a needed nonstop option to a primary 

gateway to Washington, DC. <ORGANIZATION NAME> joins with the San Diego County Regional Airport 

Authority, the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, the Wortd Trade Center San Diego, 

and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce in support of Alaska Airtines' application for San Diego 

- Washington Reagan National slots. 

We thank the Department of Transportation for the opportunity to comment on the above referenced docket 

n ope to hear of a favorable review of Alaska Airlines' San Diego- DCA proposal soon. 

n ·i~-- er \m>~:r-t!ti,esident 

lower Cruises & Events 

L REV • LONG BEACH • NEWPORT BEACH • SAN FRANCISCO " BERKELEY ,. OLD SACRAMENTO