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•••v::i;iAiiO;': 

ULS.D«partfTWntOf Assistant Secretary T200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

TronsportOtton Washington, DC 20590 

Office Of rhe Secretory '; : : \- \ J 

ofTransportafion 

OCT 2 5 2010 

Mr. Tom Dabney 

President 

The Argus Foundation 

P.O. Box 49361 

Sarasota, FL 34230-6361 

Dear Mr. Dabney: 

Thank you for your letter of October 6 to Secretary LaHood supporting AirTran Airways, 

Inc. (AirTran) to serve Sarasota, Florida, in the ongoing slot-exemption proceeding at 

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The Secretary has asked that I 

respond to your letter directly. 

As you know, the U.S. Department of Transportation commenced a proceeding on 

August 30 to reallocate two DCA slot exemptions that are currently being used by 

Republic Airline, Inc. (Republic). Republic has been using these two slot exemptions for 

DCA - Kansas City service. These slot exemptions may be used to serve any medium 

hub or smaller airport within the 1,250-mile perimeter of DCA. 

We have received a total of five proposals, briefly outlined below: 

• Sun Country to serve Lansing, Michigan, with 129- or 162-seat aircraft; 

• Republic Airline, Inc., branded as Frontier Airlines, to continue to serve Kansas 

City, Missouri, with 99-seat regional jet aircraft; 

• Southwest Airlines Co., to serve Kansas City utilizing 137-seat aircraft; 

• US Airways, Inc., to serve Pensacola, Florida, utilizing 76- or 86-seat regional jet 

aircraft, depending on the season; and 

• Air Tran Airways, Inc., to serve either Fort Myers or Sarasota, Florida, utilizing 

either 117- or 137-seat aircraft. 

As the slot exemption proceeding is competitive and is currently under review by the 

Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the merits of the 

proposals. I assure you. however, that the Department will fully consider all of the 

proposals, and make its award based on the selection criteria detailed in the governing 

statutes. 
Mr. Tom Dabney 

Page 2 

As is our normal practice. I am placing a copy of your letter and my response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2000-7182 as a contact outside the record of this proceeding. I appreciate 

your interest in obtaining access to the Nation's capital. If I can provide further 

information or assistance, please feel free to call me. 

1 ^ Susan L. Kurland 

/ / Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
T 

T)ffi!^GUS 

TbUNDAnON 

PRESIDENT 

R.G.Kelly Caldwell, Jr. 

VICE PRESIDENT 

Thomas G, Dabney, II 

TREASURER 

WillianiE.Nonh 

9AST PRESIDENT 

Edmund W. Monon. HI 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

Kerry G. Kirschntr 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Kstbryn AngtO Carr 

A M . Band. Chartered 

R.C. KcllyCildwcll,Jr. 

Caldyvell Trust Company 

j«ck J. c«x, rn 

Hal/acn Constntction Compoi^ 

Peter T. Cunin 

WtHiami, Parker, Harrison. Diett A. Geizen 

Thonu G. DtbiNy, 11 

GuifCoast Propoiy Servicts, Inc. 

H. Roitild Fortmetky 

Rusty Piumbifig 

Bnice E. FnnMIn 

The AD F Group. ItK. 

MfchaclJ.Furen 

Jcard. Merrill CuUis. TJmm. 

Furtn. A GiHsburg. P.A. 

Dam L. Goarley 

AquaS'ew, LLC 

Philip N. Hamnenley 

Norton, Hammersley. Lopa A ShAos, P.A. 

JMcpb R. Hcmbrte 

Hembree A Associates, Jnc 

Timotby D. HcMty 

fV.G. Mills, Inc. 

Ctnlg A. Johnion 

FCCl Insurance Group 

WlUUm R. Korp 

Haines Creek Investments. LLC 

JobiD.Mic«kiU 

ASO 

JaaitM XV. MtedamaU 

Crab A Flu Restaurant 

Donald F. McDoDDngh 

Wm. F. SfcDonough Plumbing. Inc. 

Robeii C. Mcad« 

Doctors Hospital o/Sarasota 

EdmoBd W. MortOB, II I 

Morlonfi Gourmet Market 

WUUamE. Nortb 

North A Company. CPAi 

Uody L. Smith 

Aladdin Equipment Company 

RIchanI D. Smltb 

Christopher. Smith, Leonard, 

Bristol. SiamtlA ^'ells. PA. 

Jcaoo £. Taile 

Toale Brothers Funeral Homes 

MIcbaelD. Welly 

Longboat Key Club 

Octobers. 2010 

The Honorable Ray M. LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Wastiington. DC 20590 

RE: Docket OST-20900-7182 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

We are writing to express support for the AirTngn appltcatjon for the two 

available Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) with in 

parameter slots t)6ing allocated by your department in Docket OST-2000-

7182 to provide non-stop service from Sarasota/Bradenton intemational 

Airport (SRQ) to DCA. 

The Argus Foundation, a non-partisan, public policy foundation supported 

by 115 President's and CEO's of corporations in Soutiiwest Florida, 

encourages your award of these two slots to flights between SRQ and 

DCA, The recent afflliation of the Sarasota Community witii the Baltimore 

Orioles, and associated tourism and business needs for direct connections 

to the Washington, D.C. marlcet are positive reasons for granting Sarasota 

these slots. TTie economic slowdown has hit the Sarasota market 

particularty hard and having direct connections to the D.C. market will 

provide synergy to our ongoing economic development efforts. 

We look forward to your posith/e decision to our request and thank you for 

your consideration of our nomination. 

Sincerely 

Tom Dabney 

President 

cc; Argus Foundation Board of Directors 

Telephone: (941) 365-4886 • (800) 396-4886 • Fax: (941)955-2015 

P.O. Box 49361, Sarasota, Florida 34230-6361 • Website: www.argusfoundation.org • E-mail: argusinc@caithlink.nct