THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, O.C. 20590 

April16, 2012 

'·!·i! 1 i:i:il, 

The Honorable Barbara Boxer 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Boxer: 

Thank you for your letter~ eosigned by Senator Dianne Feinstein, supporting the recent air canier 

applications to fly non-stop from Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) to San Francisco 

and San Diego. 

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012, the 

U.S. Department of Transportation will be awarding tO new entrant or limited incumbent 

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

We receive<! applications from Virgin America; Inc.~ proposing two round trips to San Francisco; 

Alaska Airlines, one round trip to San Diego! and one round trip to Portland, Oregon; Southwest 

Airlines, one round trip to Austin, Texas and beyond to San Diego; Frontier Airlines~ one round 

trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; Air Canada, one round trip to Vancouver, 

British Columbia; JetBlue Airlines, one round trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and one :round trip 

to Austin, Texas; and Su:n Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas. 

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 the Department rec.eived will be given full and 

fair consideration and will be evaluated against the selection criteria specified in th" statute. 

The Department's action on thls matter is bei 

allows all interested parties the opportunity 

placing a copy of your letter and this 

A similar response has been sent to 

ministered through a public docket, which 

ent. Following our normal practice, l am 

docket number DOT-20 029. 
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 

The Honorable Diane Feinstein 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Feinstein: 

April 16. 2012 

Thank you f'Or your letter, cosigned by Senator Bar-bara Boxer, supporting the recent air carrier 

applications to fly non-stop from Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) to San Francisco 

and San Diego. 

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Refonn Act of2012, the 

U.S. Department of Transportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent 

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

We received applications from Virgin America, Inc., proposing two round trips to San Francisco; 

Alaska Airlines, one round trip to San Diego, and one round trip to Pc0rtland~ Oregon; Southwest 

Airlines, one round trip to Austin, Texas and beyond to San Diego; Frontier Airlines, one round 

trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; Air Canada, one round trip to Vancouvert 

British Columbia; JetBlue Airlines, one round trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and o.ne round ttip 

to Austint Texas; and Sun Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas. 

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 the Department received will be given full and 

fair consideration and will be evaluated against the selection criteria specified in the statute. 

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

allows aU interested parties the opportunity to comtnent. Following our .nonnal practice, I run 

placing a copy of your letter and this re.sponse in docket number DOT-2012 .. ()029. 
• ilnitnl tatts ~matt 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey A venue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

WASHINGTON, 20510 

March21, 2012 

We write to you in support of the recent ttir carrier .applieations to fly non.;stop frQm 

Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) to destinations in th.e state of California, 

specifically San Francisco an:d San Diego. 

As you know, California is currently drastically underserved because of the limitations 

on non-stop, long distance flights out of DCA. San: Francisco and San Diego are the largest 

markets in the country that have not had non-stop service to the closest airport to our nation's 

capital. 

Increasing non-stop service from DCA to these California des~tnations will help increase 

travel options, lower fares and reduce travel time. for the 151 ,000 travelers that fly between DCA 

and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and the 125,000 travelers who fly from San Diego 

International Airport (SAN) to DCA each year by connecting through other cities. 

Air travel deman:d at San Francisco International Airport (SFQ) and San Diego 

International Airport (SAN) is strong; demand at SFO has grown 8 percent in the last five. years~ 

while flights from .other Washington Area airports. to San Diego are at full capacity an:d have 

some of the highest priced fares for flights to westcoast cities. 

We were proudto.support th~ provision in the recently passed FAA Modernization and 

Reform Act that allows for additional flights from DCA beyond the. perimeter, and we feel 

strongly that these applications to provide non• stop service to San· Fnmcisco and San Diego meet 

the criteria for the DOT competition outlined in the law. We thankyott for your consideration of 

these applications. 

Barbara Boxe 

United States Senator 

Sincerely, 

Dianne Feinstein 

United States Senator