### ' • -nHNoPORlATiO M :OCKE T OPERATION S Docke t Managemen t

Facility U.S
. Departmen t

o f Transportation , E\ l FEp J ! 5 R3

- I ' 1200 New Jerse y Avenu e SE. , Wes t Buildin g Groun d Floor , Roo m W12-i40 , Washington , D

C 2059 0 Rcf : Su n Countr> ' Slo t

Exemptio n - Docke t

Numbe r F AA-2012-008 9 Ladie s an dGentlemen : Sun Countr\' Airline s ha s requeste dan exemptio n fro mth e slo t

limi t fo r Ronal dReaga

n Washingto n ^National-Airport-(DCA ) set fort h in§-937l23(a):'to-pcrmit-the.FA A to.create.ai r carrierslots.during.ccrtai^ ^ limite dhour s fo

r Sun Countr>'' s use . Th e propose dai r earne r slot s woul dreplac e tw o slo t exemption s unde r DO T Orde r

20 1 0-12-1 6 awarde dt o Sun Countr>'
. O n Januar\ ' 6 , 2012 , th e Unite dState s Court o f Appeal s fo

r th e Distric t

o f Columbi aCircui t

vacate dth e DO T Order , andSu n Countr\' wil l los e it s existin g servic e betwee n DCA an dLansing' s Capita J Regio n Internationa l Airport
. Specifically , Sun Country, ' desire s on e dail y slo t durin g eac h o f

th e 1 00 0 an d1 1 0 0 hours
. Th e propose dexemptio n woul d permi t Sun Countr\' t o continu e operatin g it s existin g scr\'ice s an davoi da n inequitabl e resul t

o f th e Court' s order
. I a mcurrentl y on th e Boardo f Director s o f

anational associatio n base di n Washingto n DC , a s well a s havin g famil y member s livin g i n tha t area , s o 1 trave l ther e quit e frequently. Th e Su n Countr\' fligh t schedule s fit

perfectl y wit

h al l o f m y trave l needs , an dth e bes t reaso n fo

r usin g thi s airlin e i s tha

t th e flight s ar c al l non-stop . I a mafrequent

flyer o n Delt aan dwhil e i

t i s agrea t airline , I hav e ha

dnumerou s flight s experienc e length y delay s o r outrigh t cancellation s durin g th e stopove r i n Detroit
. Havin g a nonsto p fligh

t fro mLansin g t o Detroi t

allow s m

e th e comfor

t o f knowin g tha

t onc e w e hav e lef

t Lansing , th e next sto p i s i n D C an dthat

make s meetin g planning , an dtravel , muc h mor e efficient
. I hav e spoke n t o man y busines s traveler s wh o greatl y appreciat e thi s flight servic e t o ou r

nation' s capital an dI strongl y encourag e yo

u t o support

retainin g thei r

dail y flight s t o Reaga

n National Airport
. Th e Su n Country ' DC

A ser\'ic c i s essentia l t o th e economi c growth o f th e Greate r

Lansin g Region
. Th e dail y servic e i s th e onl y larg e aircraf t (737-XOO

) servic e t o Washingto n Reaga n Airport , i

n th e stat e o f .Michiga n outsid e o f

Detroit.
. Prio r

t o Su n Country' , th e regional eommunit\Jia drequeste dth e introductio n o f thi s servic e fro

mnumerou s othe r

airlin e operator s withou t success . Accordingly , i

t i s critica l that

th e FA A take th e necessary ' step s t o ensur e th e continuatio n o f th e Sun Countr\' slot s a

t th e establishe dflight time s i n suppor t o f Greate r Lansing' s busines s an deconomi c growlh
. You r immediat e approva l o f

thi s exemption , s o tha

t Sun Country ' ca

n begi n t o ente r

flights schedule s fo

r sal e for th e balanc e of2012 , wil l b e greatl y appreciated
. Sincerelv
.

John L aRos e Chie f Executiv e Office

r

390 0 Capita l Cit y Boulevar d Lansing , Michiga n 4890 6