U.S. Department Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Ms. Maudine R. Cooper 

President & CEO 

January 22, 2013 

Greater Washington Urban League, Inc. 

2901 14111 Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20009 

Dear Ms. Cooper: 

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Thank you for your letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, supporting the application 

of Southwest Airlines (Southwest) for two within-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan 

Washington National Airport (DCA). Southwest proposes to serve Houston's William P. Hobby 

Airport with one nonstop round trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that I respond 

to you on his behalf. 

We received Southwest's application on December 5, 2012. Other timely applications were 

received from JetBlue Airways, proposing one nonstop round trip to Jacksonville International 

Airport, Florida, and from US Airways, proposing one nonstop round trip to Will Rogers World 

Airport in Oklahoma City. 

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 Department'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 of your 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 

I 

J 
BOARD OF DmECTORS 

J crrr A. Moore Ill 

Chair 

Stephen A. Horblitt 

CREATIVE ASSOCIATES 

INTERNATIONAL. INC. 

First \lice Chair 

Craig 1\1. Muckle 

SA FEW A'~ INC. 

Second '1•1cc Chair 

Karen Price· Ward 

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES COMPANY 

Secmary 

Lorcttn s. c,ldwcll 

L.S. CALDWELL & ASSOCIATES 

A.~~istam SecrtiOIJ' 

Frnnk IC. RoS! 

KPMG UP Partner (Retired) 

and Visiting Professor 

HOWARD UNIVERSITY 

Treasurer 

Mary P. Dkk.<on 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATiON OF 

BROADCASTERS (Retired) 

k;s/stant Trtn.<uur 

MEMBERS 

Michncl P. Akin 

Marcellus W. Alexander, Jr. 

Robin L. Anderson 

Alex Barron 

Jackie Bradford 

Jerald .L. Brram 

Hakimu S. Da\'isdon 

We.•lley H. Dickerson. Jr. 

Curtis L. Etherh·, Jr. 

Derrick Frcema;., 

Todd E. Hc.wrtcr 

EMic F. Jones 

Stephanie R. Jont'S 

Tonya Kinlow 

Slc\',en Knapp 

Roger A. Krone 

Rita lassiter 

Dionne C. Lomax 

Re•·· Dr. I.loyd T. McGriff 

Walter l\1. Oliver 

Be•·crly L. Perry 

Jesse Price 

R)1llhia Rost 

lauric F. Rowe 

Willa Hall Smith 

Herbert R. Tillery 

Donna Rnttley Washington 

Annie P. Whatley 

ADVISORY .BOARD 

Gregory W. Fa7.akcrlcy 

Sharon Smallwood Gund 

Judy Holland 

Jessica Kruvant 

Don l.ower)· 

Jack H. Olender 

Bryan! Robinson Ill 

William B. Simons 

Sean Trice 

Greater washinf!ton IJrban leaeue, In£. 

Empowering Co/11muniiies. Changing Lives. 

December .18, 2012 

The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey A venue, S.E. 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Docket No. DOT-OST-2000-7182 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

Maudine R. Cooper 

President & CEO 

On behalf ofthe Greater Washington Urban League and its distinguished Board of 

Directors, I write in strong support of Southwest Airlines' application to begin daiJy 

nonstop service between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and 

Houston Hobby Airp01t (Hobby). 

The Houston-DCA market is underserved and overpriced. As the Nation's largest 

low-cost airline, Southwest is well suited to provide significant consumer benefits in 

this important market. Through new competition, lower airfares, and the use of a 143-

seat aircraft, Southwest's proposed serviceis projected to attract tens-of-thousands of 

new business and leisure passengers, generating millions of dollars annually for the 

DCA-Houston market. 

Southwest is engaged in many civic programs beneficial to underserved residents 

throughout the District, Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, as well as 

Houston, Texas. Given its 41-year history of airline service to Houston, its strong 

community partnerships in both cities, and the fact that there is no airline currently 

flying directly bet-ween DCA and Hobby, this daily nonstop service is long overdue. 

Under any scenario, Greater Houston is one of the largest and fastest growing cities in 

the United States, and is deserving of more affordable fares and frequent access to and 

from the Nation's Capital. For all of these reasons and more, 1 respectfully ask the 

Department ofTransportation to approve Southwest's application. 

Thank you, in advance, for your consideration of the Greater Washington Urban 

League's views in this important matter. 

Sincerely, 

2901 Fourteenth Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20009 

(202) 265·8200 

FAX (202) 265-6122 

E-Mail LUWGDBS@aol.com 

Website: www.gwuJ.org