U.S.Depc:uimentof 

1fansportation 

Office of the Secl'etatY 

of Transportation 

The Honorable James C. Janney 

Mayor 

City of Imperial Beach 

8251tnperial Beach Boulevard 

bnperial Beach" CA 91932 

Dear Mayor Janney! 

April 11 • 201~1!l ; : ;\ y ~Fl ,6., lQ: O g 

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 as:ked that I respond to your letter. 

Under authQrity granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012~ the 

U.S. Oeparunent ()('Transportation will be awarding to new en.trant or limited incumbent 

carriers a total ofeight slot exemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips. 

We receiv~d Alaska1s application, which also propos.es one daily round trip to Portland, Oregon~ 

on March 12. Other timely applications were received from Air Canada, proposing one round 

trip to Vancouver, Brltlsh Columbiai Frontier Airlines. one round trip to Colorado Springs and 

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

trip to Allstint Texas; Southwest Airlines, one round trip to Austin and San Diego beyond; Sun 

Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas; and Virgin Ameri~a, In~.'t two round trips to San 

Francisco. 

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

However~ I ~an assure you that aU 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, Janney 

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

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Fo11owing our normal practic.e, l am 

placing a copy of your letter and this response in docket number DOT-2012-0029. 

I appreciate your interest in this matter. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
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OFFICEOFTHEMAYOR ____ ~----~--~------------------- ... •'· 

·lt; . 

March 21, 2012 

the. ~~~o~~ble Ray ·c~·~ood Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S. E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

i .. .'·, ! ,·. . ·; . 

o·ear Secretary LaHood: 

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With ·the. sig.ning of a full FAA authorization bill in to law (P.L.112-95), sixteen new slot 

exemptions (eight round-trip 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. 

The San Diego region is the largest area without nonstop service to Reagan National 

Airport. San Diego is home to the most active-duty military personnel than any other 

region in the country. As a result, the region's defense industries and active-duty staff 

require nonstop air service to the closest Washington airport to the Pentagon. 

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. 

On behalf of the City Council of the City of Imperial Beach, I request Alaska Airlines' 

SAN-DCA application be given full consideration allowed under the law and look forward 

to a favorable review of their application. The City of Imperial Beach supports Alaska ~ 

Airlines' application for new nonstop SAN-DCA service. 

Jam -r··.Ja 

Mayo · 

City o mperial Beach 

Beach Blvd, Imperial Beach. CA 91932 Tel: (619) 423-8303/ax: (619) 628-1395