# Regiona l Ai rAllianc e Sg^W t ^ o f Wes t Michiga n ^'^'^M.. . Februar y8,201 2 Docke t Managemen t

Facility U.S . Departmen t

of Transportatio n Docke t No . FAA-2012-008 9 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenu e S A Wes t Building , Gran dFloor , Roo mW-12014 0

. .Washmgton, ^ 2059 0 Re : Su n Countr y Slo t Exemptio nDocke t

No . FAA-2012-008 9 T o Wh o I t Ma yConcern : It ha s jus t recentl y bee n brough t

t o ou r attentio ntha t

i nrespons e t o arecen t decisio nb y th e U

S Cour t o f Appeal s i n th e Republi c Airlines , Inc . v . Unite dState s Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Orde r

No . 2010-12-16 , tha t

th e Cour t

ha s ordere dth e retur n of

tw o landin g /

takeof f slot s a t

th e ReaganNationa l Airpor t ['DCA' ) t o Republi c Airlines . Notwithstandin g th e determinatio nb y th e Cour t t o retur nthes e slot s t o Republi c Airlines , w e respectfull y reques t tha t th e U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n seriousl y conside r

th e authorizatio no f

tw o additiona l slot s a t

Reaga nNationa l s o tha t th e existin g servic e betwee n Capita l Regio nInternationa l Airpor t ('LAN' ) an dReaga n Nationa l Airport , provide db y Su n Countr y Airlines , may continue .

-- - -Th e Regional-Air-Allianc e of-Wes t Michigan('RAAWM'J , aprivat e sectornot for-profi t organizatio n establishe di n200 8 an dsupporte db y 40 + majo r employer s in Wester nan dCentra l Michigan regio nwa s forme dspecificall y t o addres s an dimprov e anumbe r

o f commercia l ai r

servic e issue s o f

whic hai r

servic e retentio ni s one . I t i s for tha t reason , an do n behal f

o f th e businesse s an dresident s o f th e region , tha t

w e wis ht o g o 'o n th e record ' i n suppor t

o f bot hth e Capita l Regio nInternationa l Airpor t an dSu n Countr y Airline s in supportin g thei r respectiv e request s fo r th e authorizatio n o f additiona l slot s a t

Reagan Nationa l sufficien t t o allo w th e continue dservic e betwee nReaga n Nationa l an dth e Capita l Regio nInternationa l Airport . A s th e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n('FAA' ] consider s furthe r th e authorizatio n o f

additiona l slot s a t

ReaganNationa l insuppor t of th e servic e betwee n Lansing , M

I an dWashington , DC, w e woul das k tha t yo u d o s o whil e recognizin g tha t

290 0 Charlevoi xDdv e S E Suit e 35 0 Gran d Rapids , M l 495-1 6 (616 ) 57^-653 9 www.raawm.or gthi s ai r

servic e has , t o date , bee n successfu l i naddressin g th e ai r

servic e nee dof

th e residents , businesses , airpor t an dcarrie r

all withou t

th e nee dof

aFedera l ai r

servic e subsidy . I

n thi s er aof

'shrinkin g federa l budgets ' I believ e you'l l agre e tha t thi s reques t position s th e authorizatio nof additiona l slot s a s a'marke t place ' respons e t o th e need s of

th e region . Your seriou s consideratio nan danalysi s of thi s reques t

i s sincerel y appreciated . Sincerely , Regiona l Ai r

Allianc e o f

Wes t Michiga n 

## G ^ DickDeVo s Chairma n 'lersm a civ e Directo r

C c Rober t

Seli g Executiv e Directo r

- Capita l Regio nInternationa l Airpor t ('LAN' ) Stanle y Gade k Chief Executiv e Office

r - M NAirlines , LL

C ('d/b/ aSu nCountr y Airlines' )