### ':,^^^ . •".;i'ARTMENTG F

• • ' • • • .";^N;PORTATIO N



## "^'-ERATiON S N ' ( • . 0 R P ' 0. ' ( "• * T r0 Februar y 2 , 201 2 fljIMTii ) I b P hU b Docke t Managemen t

Facilit y . . •, . ; , , . • . U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 1200 Ne w Jerse y Avenu e S E . , Wes t Buildin g Groun dFloor , RoomW12-14 0 . Washingto n D C 2059 0 Ref : Sun Countr

y Slo t Exemptio n - Docke t

Numbe r FAA-2012-008 9 , . Ladie s andGentlemen : Sun Countr\ ' Airline s ah s requeste da n exemptio n fro

mth e slo t limit fo r Ronal dRega

n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor

t (DCA ) se t

fort h i n Sectio n 93.123(a) , t o permi t th e FA A t o creat e ai r

carrie r slot s durin g certai n limite dhour s fo

r Su n Country' s use . Th e propose dai r carrie r slot s woul dreplac e tw o slo t exemption s under

DO T Order

2010-12-1 6 awarde dt

o Sun Country . O

n Januar y 6 , 2012 , th e Unite d State s Cour

t o f Appeal s fo

r (h e Distric t o f Columbi aCircui t

vacate dth e DO T Order , an dSun Countr> ' wil l los e it s existin g servic e betwee n DCA an dLansing' s Capital Regio n Internationa l Airport . • Specit'ically , Su

n Countr y desire s on e dail y slo t

durin g eac h o f

th e 100 0 and1100 hours . Th e propose d exemptio n woul dpermi t

Su n Countr

y t o continu e operatin g it s existin g service s an davoi da n inequitabl e resul t o f th e Court' s order . Yo u hav e no doub t

hear dfro mman y governmental , educatio n andbusines s leader s o n thi s issu e becaus e accessibl e servic e betwee n our nation' s capital an dMichigan' s capital cit y i s acritica l componen t

o f regional economi c growt

h fo r MidMichigan . A s asmal l business , our cas e i s equall y compelling . Much o f ou r wor k i s i n th e governmenta l sector , includin g education , transportatio n an dhousing . Ou r client s includ e bot

h stal e an dfedera l agencies . Whil e w e make goo dus e o f technolog y t

o communicate , face-to

fac e meeting s ar

e essentia l t

o conduc t curren t busines s an dsecur e ne w business . Washingto n D C i s our numbe r on e trave l destination . Inefficient servic e cost s ou r

busines s time andmoney . Maintainin g direc t

servic e fro

mLansin g t

o Washingto n D C will hel p our busines s continu e t

o gro w an d prosper . I t is servic e tha

t our fir muse s o n aregula r basis . Andit' s no

t jus t our business . Th e Su

n Countr y DC A ser\Nc c is essentia l l

u ihc economi c giowi h o f th e entir e Gieate r

Lansin g Region . Th e dail y servic e i s th e onl y larg e aircraf

t (737-800 ) servic e t

o Washingto n Reaga

n Airpor t i n th e slat e o f

Michiga n outsid e o f Detroit . Prior

t o Sun Countr>' . th e regional community ha 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 critical tha

t th e FA A lake the necessar y step s t o ensure th e continuatio n o f th e Su n countr y slot s a t th e establishe dfligh

t time s i n suppor t o f Greate r Lansing' s busines s andeconomi c growth . Your immediat e approval o f

thi s exemptio n s o tha

t Su n Countr y ca n begi n t o ente r fligh t schedule s fo

r sal e fo r th e balanc e o f

201 2 will be greatl y appreciated . Sincerelv . / Elis? aS . Crumley , Presiden t v^Pac e & Partners , Inc . MA/(KETIN G COMMUNICATION S 122 3 lURNt R SIREM , SUM E 10 1 . LANSING , MICHIGA N ^ 8 9 0 6- 1 3 6 3 . 51 / 267.980 0 . FA X 517.267.981 5