U.S. Department of 

### Transportation
Of!ice 

### or the secretary ofTronsportalion



### Mr. Michael C. Turpen Assistant Secretary



### January 17, 2013



### Riggs, 

### Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison & 

### Lewis 5801 N. Broadway Extension, Suite 101 Oklahoma City, OK 73118



### Dear Mr. Turpen: 1200 h'ew Avel'lue, SE Wasn1ngtcm. 20590



### Thank you for your letter to Secretary ofTransportation Ray**LaHood~** 

### suppotting the application ofUS Airways for two**within~perimeter** 

### slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). US Airways proposes to serve Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport with one nonstop round trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that I 

### respond to you
on his behalf.

We received US Ainvays' application on December 5, 2012. Other timely applications were received from Southwest Airlines, proposing one nonstop round trip to Houston's William P. Hobby Airport, and from JetBlue, proposing one nonstop round trip to Jacksonville International Airport in Jacksonville, FL.

As the matter is still pending, I cannot comment on the merits of the points raised in your letter. However, I can assure you that all applications received by the U.S. Department of Transportation will be given due and careful consideration.

The Depattrnent's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following our normal practice, I am placing a. copy ofyour letter and this response in docket number DOT-OST**-2000~**

### 7182.

I appreciate your interest in this matter.

Sincerely yours,

Susan L. 

### Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs**G~ECORY \~** **ALB~RTY** lACK R .ANQ.S!<SON lHO

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The Honorable Ray LaHood Secretary of Transportation ATTORNEYS AND CoUNSELORSATlAW THE PARAQON BUILDING SUITE 101 5S016ROADWAY EXTENSION OKLAHOMA CITY, OkLAHOMA 73118-7489 ( 405)**843~9'9.09** Fax (405) 842-2913

December 13,.2012

U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 

### Nt:w**Jers~y** A vt:nue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590

Re: Docket OST-2000-7182

Dear Secretary LaHood: IKE Lu¢ERO, JR MAITO,**MAT>J~SON** .(**J"-ATR~K MEJIStfiiN~,**  .JI\ Rleli.>J>.O

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.. SHiUINGTON**t<ENN~~M** SM\r'H LAURENt) SIJIIH

I write in strong support ofUS Airways' application for daily nonstop service between Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and WiU Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City (OKC). US Airways proposes to initiate the only nonstop service between Oklahoma and DCA

. .Such direct access to the nation's Capital would be exceptionally beneficial to our community. Consideringour size and the strength of Oklahoma City's business**community~** we believe nonstop service to DCAis fully justified and long overdue.

Today, with no nonstop service to DCA, tens of thousands of OKC travelers 

### fly annually to DCAon connecting itineraries; Oklahoma City is the largest metropoJitan

area located within the 1,250-mile perimeter without nonstop service to DCA

Granting>the DCA slots wiil also trigger the introduction oftwo daily, first-ever, round trips between OKC and Charlotte, NC (CLT); the third-largest airline hub in the United States, offering connections to over 125 destinations. This obviously provides

even greater public benefitto our growing city.

You cannot read the news without knowing that greater Oklahoma City has defied many recent economic challenges. Led by its vibrant energy-related induStriesand defense and aerospace sectors, Oklahoma City is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States. Combined with being the seat ofstate government and home. to the Federal Aviation Administration's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center and the U.S. military's Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahomans have considerable business before the

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OICovnut SenJ3l"nti'I.P Ab;ttey**Be'~-~ a11t•ng~f** **C:I'Jat}ti'"S.Chap~N**December 13, 2012 Page2

federal government, driving demand for more direct, convenient and frequent service to Washington, D.C.

In summary, given the greater OklahomaCity's strong local passenger base combined with US Airways' vast domestic network, US Airways' application for OKCDCA service will provide the maximum benefits for consumers and is undoubtedly in the public interest.

Therefore, we respectfully request the Department ofTransportation to award the
two slot exemptions at issue in this proceeding to US Airways so that it can begin daily scheduled service between OKC and Ronald Reagan Washington National and Charlotte Douglas International airports. Thank you in advance for your considerafon ofthis request.