Served: May 24, 2012

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Applications of Alaska Airlines, Inc., JetBlue Airways Corporation, 

Southwest Airlines Co., and Virgin America Inc., 

For exemptions from 14 C.F.R. Part 93, Subparts K and S, 

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 41718(g), 

Special rules for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (beyond-perimeter slot 

exemptions), as added by Section 414 of the Federal Aviation Administration 

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012

Docket DOT-OST-2012-0029

NOTICE

By Order 2012-5-12 (May 14, 2012), the Department granted a total of eight “beyond-perimeter” 

slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to the above-listed new 

entrant and limited incumbent air carriers, pursuant to a proceeding held under the FAA 

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (FAA 2012), P.L. 112-95.1 The Department also 

directed these four air carriers to file in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0029, no later than ten business 

days after the service date of the order, their proposed flight schedules and effective dates of 

operations authorized by the order. 

By this notice, we are assigning slot times awarded by Order 2012-5-12, as follows: Alaska

Airlines, Inc., 1700 and 1800; JetBlue Airways Corporation, 0800 and 2100; Southwest Airlines 

Co., 1600 and 1800; and Virgin America Inc., 1600 and 1700. In making these determinations, 

we were required to balance the number of limited operations with the carriers’ operational 

needs, while fully complying with the statutory requirements of FAA 2012.2 The assigned slot 

exemption times indicate the hourly periods during which the slot exemptions must be operated, 

but not the precise departure and arrival times. Additional consultation related to exact 

operational times and effective dates may be required between the air carriers and the FAA Slot 

Administration Office prior to initiating service. 

We acknowledge that carriers may wish to propose changes that may be necessary to optimize 

the slot exemption times listed above. Carriers may seek authorization from the FAA Slot 

 

1 FAA 2012 amended 49 U.S.C. Section 41718 to add a new subsection (g)(2), directing the Department 

to grant, not later than 90 days after enactment, eight slot exemptions for nonstop service between DCA 

and airports beyond the 1,250-mile perimeter (known as “beyond-perimeter” slot exemptions) for service 

to be provided by new entrant and limited incumbent air carriers. 

2 Section 414 (b) of FAA 2012 allows us to assign two additional slot exemptions per one hour period 

(for a total of five), an increase from the three per hour authorized in Vision 100-Century of Aviation 

Reauthorization Act, P.L. 108-176. See 49 U.S.C. Section 41718(c)(2)(A)(ii). 
- 2 -

Administration Office to temporarily exchange assigned slot exemption times with other slots or 

slot exemptions in a different hour for the purpose of conducting operations authorized by 

Order 2012-5-12. In acting on such requests, the FAA will employ standard practices in 

conjunction with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements for the utilization of slot times 

between and among individual air carriers. 

Finally, as stated in Order 2012-5-12, air carriers must commence their proposed service no later 

than September 8, 2012. Regardless of subsequent slot time exchanges, the slot times assigned 

by this notice will be fixed. Furthermore, if any of the service granted by Order 2012-5-12 is 

suspended, or does not commence in a timely manner, the Department will withdraw the slot 

exemptions based on their fixed slot times. 

We shall serve a copy of this notice on Alaska Airlines, Inc., JetBlue Airways Corporation, 

Southwest Airlines Co., Virgin America Inc., the Federal Aviation Administration Slot 

Administration Office, and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. 

By:

SUSAN L. KURLAND

Assistant Secretary for Aviation

and International Affairs

Dated: May 24, 2012

(SEAL)

An electronic version of this document will be available on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.regulations.gov