THE SECRETARY O,F TRANSPORTATION ·

The Honorable John Garamendi U.S. House ofRepresentatives Washington, DC 205 15 DearCongressman Garamendi: WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 May02, 2012

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, supporting n()nstop service to Sacramento International Airport from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). As your lettet states, under authority granted in the FAA Moder:nization and Reform Act of 2012, the U.S. Department ofTransportation will 

### be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbentcarriers atotal 

### of eight slot exemptions 

### at DCA. which would support fourdaily round trips, for service beyond the airport's 1,250 mile perimeter. Atotal ofseven carriers submitted timely applications for these exemptions. While the application submitted by Virgin America, Inc., did propose two round trips to San Francisco, no carrier proposed nonstop service to Sacramento. Other timely applications were received from Air Canada. proposing one round trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one**round~trlp** to Portland, Oregon, and one round

..trlp to San Diego; Frontier**Airlines~** oneround trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; JetBlue Airlines, oneround trip to SanJuan, Puerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin, Texas; SouthwestAirlines, one round trip to Austin and

### San Diego. beyond; and 

### Sun Country Airlines, one round trip to LasVegas. As the matter is still pending, I cannot commenton the merits ofthe points raised inyour letter. However, l can assure you that all applications the Department received 

### will be given full and fair consideration and will be evaluated againstthe selection criteria specifiedin the statute. The**Department~s** action 

### on this matteris being admitUstered through a public docket, Which allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following ournormal practice, I am placing acopy ofyour letter and this response i docket number DOT-2012

..0029. Asimilar response has been sentto matter.THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590

The Honorable Wally Herger U.S. House ofRepresentatives Washington, DC 20515 DearCongressmaJ;l Herger: Thankyou for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, supporting nonstop service to Sacramento International Airportfront Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). As yourletterstates, under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, the U.S. DepartmentofTransportation will be awarding tonew entrantorlimited incumbentcarriers atotal ofeight slotexemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips, for service beyond the airport's 1,250mile perimeter. Atotal ofseven carriers submittedtimely applications for these exemptions. While the application submitted by Virgin America,**Inc.~** did propose two round trips to San Francisco, no carrierproposednonstop service to Sacramento. Othertimely applications were received from Air Canada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one round-trip to Portland, Oregon, and 0ne round-trip to SanDiego; FrontierAirlines, one round trip t0 Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; JetBlue Airlines, one round trip to San Juan, PUerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin, Texas; Southwest Airlines, one round trip to Austin and San Diego beyond; and Sun Country Airlines. one round trip to Las Vegas. As the matter is still pending, I cannotcomment onthe merits ofthe points raised in yourlette.r. However, I can assure you that all applications the Departmentreceived will be given full and fair consideration and 

### will be evaluated againstthe selection criteria specified in the statute. The Department's action on this matteris being administered through apublic docket, which allows aU interested parties the opportunity to comment Following our normal practice, I am placing acopy ofyour letter and this response in docketnumber DOT**~20**12-0029. Asimilarresponse has been sentto eachc matter.THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590



### ·The Honorable Daniel E. Lungren U.S. House ofRepresentatives· Washington, DC 20515 DearCongreSS1llall Lungren: May02,2012



### Thank.you for yourletter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, supporting nonstop service to Sacramento International Airport from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). As your letter states, under authority granted in the FAA Mod.emization and Reform Act of 2012, the U.S. DepartmentofTransportation will be awarding to new entrant orlimited incumbentcarriers atotal ofeight slotexemptions at DCA, which would supportfour daily round trips, for service beyond the**airport~s 1~250**  

### mile perimeter. Atotal ofseven carriers submitted timely applications for these exemptions. While the application submitted by Virgin America, Inc., did propose two round trips to San Francisco, no carrierproposed nonstop service to Sacramento. Othertimely applications were receivedfrom Air Canada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one round-trip to Portland,**Oregon~** 

### and one round-trip. to San Diego; FrontierAirlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; .JetBlue Airlines, one round trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin, Texas; Southwest Airlines, one round trip to Austin and 

### San Diego beyond; and Sun Country Airlines, one round trip to Las 

### Vegas. As the matter is still pending, I cannotcomment on the merits ofthe points raised in your letter. However" Ican assure you thatall applications the Departm.entreceived will be 

### given full and fair consideration and will be evalWl.ted againstthe selection criteria specified in the statute. The Department's action on this matteris being administered through apublic docket, which allows all interested parties the opportunityto c ent. Following ournormal practice, Iam placing acopy ofyour letter and this respon'Se**c~t** 

### numberDOT-2012-0029. Asimilarresponse has been sentto each c matter.THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590

The Honorable Doris 0. Matsui U.S. House ofRepresentatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congresswoman Matsui: May 02, 2012

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, supporting nonstop service to Sacramento International Airport fron1 Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). As your letter states, under authority granted in the FAAModernization and Reform Act of 2012, the U.S. Department ofTransportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbentcarriers a total ofeight slotexemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips, for service beyond the airport's 1,250 mile perimeter. Atotal ofseven carriers submitted timely applications forthese exemptions. Whilethe application submitted by Virgin America, Inc., did propose two round trips to San Francisco, no carrierproposed nonstop service to Sacramento. Othertimely applications were received fron1 Air Canada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver. British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one round-trip to Portland, Oregon. and one round-trip to San Diego; FrontierAirlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; JetBlueAirlines, one round trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin, Texas; SouthwestAidines, one round trip to Austin and San Diego beyond; and Sun Country Airlines, one roundtrip to Las Vegas. As thematteris still pending, I cannot cotnment on the merits ofthe 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 inthe statute. The Departmenfs action on this matteris being administered through a public docket, whi.ch allows all interested parties the opportunityto comment. Following ournormal p.ractice, Iarn placing acopy ofyourletter and this response · docket number DOT-20**12~0029.** Asimilarresponse has been sentto each matter.THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590



### The Honorable Mike Thompson U.S. House ofRepresentatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congressman Thompson: May02, 2012



### Thankyou for your letter, cosigned by yourcongressional colleagues> supporting nonstop service to Sacramento International Airport from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). As your letter states, under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, the U.S. Department ofTransportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent carriers atotal ofeight slot exemptions atDCA, which would support four daily round trips, for service beyond the airport's 1,250 mile perimeter. Atotal ofseven carriers submitted timely applications tor these exemptions. While the application submitted by Virgin America, Inc., did propose two round trips to SanFrancisco, no carrierproposed nonstop service to Sactamento. Othertimely applications were received from AirCanada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; AlaskaAirlines, one round-trip to**Portland~** 

### Oregon, and one round

..trip to San Diego; Frontier Airlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; JetBlue Airlines, one round trip to San**Juan~** 

### Puerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin, Texas; Southwest Airlines, one round trip to Austin and San Diego beyond; and Sun Country Airlines,**om~** 

### round trip to Las Vegas. As the matter is 

### still pending, I 

### cannot comment on the merits ofthe points raised in your letter. However, I

### can assure you that all 

### applications the Departmentreceived will be given full 

### and fair consideration and will be evaluated against the selection criteria specified inthe statute. The Departmertf's action on this 

### matter is 

### being administered through apublic**docket~** 

### which allows all interested parties the 

### opportunity to comment. Following our normal practicet I am placing a copy of

### your**ll;~tter** 

### Md this response in docket number**DOT-2012-0029~** 

### Asimilarresponse basbeen sentto each. ate yourinterest in this matter.

## Otougress of**t~e** 

## Jtniteb**~fates** 

### illa.ul}ingtnn, iJC!t 20515

The Honorable Raymond L. LaHood Secretary Department ofTransportation 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Secretary LaHood: April 4, 2012

As you are most likely aware, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012, as passed and signed into law, includes a provision authorizing the Department ofTransportation (DOT) to award sixteen (16) new flight slots (8 round-trip flights) between Washington Reagan Airport (DCA) and domestic airports located beyond that airport's 1,250 mile flight "perimeter limit." The initial beyond perimeter awards were made in 2004. Airports receiving this service included Denver, Seattle and Phoenix. In this new round ofslot awards, eight flight "slotc;" { 4 round trips) will be awarded to "incumbent" legacy airlines already operating at DCA; specifically American, Delta, United and US Airways. Eight additional flight "slots'' (4 round trips) will be awarded to "new entrant and limited incumbent" carriers. With the exception ofone flight from Los Angeles, California remains the largest beyond perimeter market without nonstop access to DCA. Incumbent carriers have recently filed their preferred routes with the DOT and these new routes include service to San Francisco (United}, Los Angeles (American Airlines), Salt Lake City (Delta), and San Diego (US Airways}. Sacramento was highly competitive with San Diego for the US Airways selection but ultimately was not successful. Among the critical initiatives contemplated in the award ofthese slots are: the encouragement of competition, improved service to under-served communities, and service opportunities for new entrant airlines. Vet, this allocation by the incumbents amounts to little more than providing the already wellserved communities with additional options and leaving under-served cities like Sacramento without nonstop access to DCA. The "new entrant and limited incumbent carriers" have submitted their applications to the DOT, and it is our understanding that San Francisco (SFO) has also been identified as a beyond-perimeter point of service for new entrant or limited incumbent carriers in order to provide acompetitive alternative to United Airlines in the SFO-DCA market. With SFO already selected for nonstop DCA service by Incumbent United Airlines, the Northern California and East Bay markets would be better, and more competitively served, ifSacramento were selected for one ofthe round trips applied for by a new entrant or limited incumbent carrier.

510-120405-002 91\INUO ON**RECVC~ED** PAPER

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Sacramento is the capital ofCalifornia, which as astate Is the 9'h largest economy In the world. As such, capital to capital air service is atransportation Imperative that will significantly facilitate efficient and timely governmental and economic interface, and, as such, should be considered as a higher priority than simply increasing the level ofcompetition that will be available in already well-served markets. Air travel between Sacramento and the Washington D.C. area represents an economically strong business case. Currently, atotal ofapproximately 2SO passengers per day (each way) use Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to fly to the three airports {DCA, BWI, lAD) that serve the Washington D.C area using existing nonstop, one-stop or connecting air service. Airlines serving the Sacramento to Washington, D.C. route operate at average annual load factors in excess of87% and extract a premium price in excess of $243 (before taxes and fees)**one~way** for available service. Extensive route analyses Indicates that nonstop service from SMF to DCA would be highly stimulative tothe Northern California and East Bay markets; would facilitate the political and economic commerce between these major capitals; and would be financially successful. Our constituents and local communities have expressed support forthis additional flight option and as their elected representatives, we are asking for your consideration In awarding one ofthe round trip "slots" to SMF. Should you have any questions orconcerns, please do not hesitate to contact either PeterTateishl in Congressman Lungren's office at peter.tateishi@mall.house.gov, orJill. Harrelson in Congresswoman Matsui's office at iill.harrelson@mall.house.gov.

Joh Me Sincerely, 

# lih_r;s 

# 0. 

# lhA"f:kcl Doris 0. Matsui Member ofCongress

Mike Thompson Member ofCongress

cc: Susan Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs



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