THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, DC 20590 

The Honorable Scott Walker 

Governor of Wisconsin 

Madison, WI 53707 

Dear Governor Walker: 

Aprilll, 2014 

Thank you for your letter regarding service from Madison's Dane County Regional Airport 

(MSN) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which had been operated by 

Republic Airlines (Republic) under an agreement with Frontier Airlines through 

January 31,2013. 

On January 6, 2014, Republic, along with Shuttle America and Chautauqua Airlines, all 

wholly-owned subsidiaries of Republic Airways Holdings, Inc., filed a joint proposal to continue 

service from Madison to DCA, operating as Delta Connection. I am pleased to tell you that, on 

March 4, 2014, the Department issued Order 2014-3-3, allowing Republic to retain the slot 

exemptions that it uses for the service. The requisite Federal Aviation Administration authority 

was issued the next day. As such, Shuttle America, operating as Delta Connection, will be able 

to continue providing nonstop MSN-DCA service. 

As is our standard practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and my response in docket 

numbers DOT -OST -1999-6240 and DOT -OST -2013-0086, as a contact outside the record of this 

case. 

I hope this information is helpful. 

Anthony R. Foxx 
WISCONSIN IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

WWW.WISGOV.STATE.WI.US ▪ (608) 266-1212 ▪ FAX: (608) 267-8983

SCOTT WALKER

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

STATE OF WISCONSIN

P.O. BOX 7863

MADISON, WI 53707

December 11, 2013

The Honorable Anthony Foxx Michael P. Huerta

Secretary Administrator

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Federal Aviation Administration

Washington, DC 20590 800 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20591

Dear Secretary Foxx and Administrator Huerta:

Continuing nonstop service between Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) in Madison, Wisconsin and 

Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia is a crucial issue for Wisconsin. Direct air 

service to smaller communities, especially capital city to capital city is very important.

Republic Airlines currently operates daily nonstop service from MSN to DCA under an agreement with 

Frontier Airlines. Although this service is popular and well-utilized, Frontier was recently sold to a private 

equity firm and is terminating its agreement with Republic and therefore ending its nonstop MSN to DCA 

service in February 2014. It has come to our attention that Republic's sister carrier, Shuttle America, would 

like to continue direct flights to DCA under the Delta Connection brand. 

In light of this, and to avoid any possible disruption in service, the State of Wisconsin asks you to please 

ensure that Shuttle America is allowed to utilize the slots in question for nonstop service from MSN to DCA. 

Continued MSN-DCA service is important to Madison, Wisconsin and surrounding communities as it helps 

connect business and leisure travelers to the nation's capital, state officials to their federal counterparts, and 

provides faculty, researchers and students at the University of Wisconsin convenient access to Washington, 

DC. 

Furthermore, if Shuttle America is not allowed to continue service to DCA, Madison will lose its only direct 

flight to a Washington, DC area airport. Neither Dulles International nor Baltimore Washington International 

offer nonstop service to MSN. 

The State of Wisconsin respectfully requests that your Department allow the DCA slots currently operated by 

Republic Airlines under the agreement with Frontier Airlines to be used by Shuttle America under Delta 

Connection. 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter and please let us know any way that we may help to 

further expedite this issue.

Sincerely,

Governor Scott Walker