# CITY oF HousToN Annise D. Parker

# -~ HOLISTON AIR.POR.T SYSTEM George Bush Intercontinental

- William P. Hobby- Ellington Airport November 19, 2013

Ms . Barbara Hairston DOT Supervisory Dockets Officer U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E. Washington, D .C. 20590 Mayor Mario C . Diaz Director of Aviation

Reference : Application of SkyWest Airlines, Inc . for an exemption under 49 U .S .C. §40109 (Houston-Nassau, Bahamas), docket DOT-OST-2013-0198 Dear Ms. Hairston: The City ofHouston ("Houston") respectfully submits this letter in answer to, and in strong support of, the application filed on November 14, 2013 by SkyWest Airlines, Inc. ("SkyWest") for authority to operate services between Houston and Nassau, Bahamas, pursuant to a code-sharing arrangement with United Airlines, Inc. ("United") . Houston enthusiastically welcomes and supports SkyWest' s application. Nassau is a popular leisure destination and gateway for passengers from Houston. According to data from the Bahamas Ministry ofTourism, in 2011 (the most recent year for which data is available), more than 17,500 travelers from Houston visited Nassau and the rest ofthe Bahamas. Additionally, in 2012 Houston and the Bahamas exchanged cargo with a value of more $751 million. Since 2000, the trade has grown at a compounded annual rate of more than 31%, and the Houston/Galveston Customs District currently is the Bahamas' second-largest gateway for trade with the U.S . According to data from the Greater Houston Partnership, forty-two Houston companies maintain subsidiaries in the Bahamas; for example, Houston-based Buckeye Partners LP recently acquired an 80% stake in Bahamas Oil Refining Company International (BORCO), which operates the Caribbean ' s largest petroleum storage terminal. Houston understands that the authority that Sky West has requested in this proceeding is consistent with that previously granted to other carriers on the basis ofcomity and reciprocity and the 1946 "Bermuda I" agreement between the U.S . and the U.K., the terms ofwhich have continued to govern the bilateral aviation relationship between the U.S . and Bahamas since its independence in 1973. Indeed, the approval ofSkyWest's application would be beneficial both to the U.S . as a whole- by Council Members. W anda Adams C.O. " Brad" Bradford Helena Brown Andrew C. Burks, Jr. Jack Christie Ellen R. Cohen Stephen C. Costello Jeny Davis Edward Gonzalez Lany V. Green AI Hoang Mike Laste r Melissa Noriega Oliver Pennington James G. Rodriguez Dave Martin Controller: Ronald C. Green Mario C. Diaz PO Box 60106, Houston, Texas 77205-0106

- Phone: 281 233-1877- Fax : 281 233

- 1864 www.F1y2Ho uston .com . - www.houstontx.govIVIS. 11aroara 11a1rswn t'age**~** Novemoer 1**~. ~u**  u U.S. Department ofTransportation promoting continued trade and travel between the two countries

- and to Houston, which through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is a primary gateway for flights between the U.S. and Latin America and the Caribbean. By enabling year-round service to Nassau, SkyWest would enhance and solidify the diverse service and connecting options available to passengers through IAH, which also would benefit communities throughout the south central U.S. Sincerely,

Ian Wadsworth MD:IW;mw cc: Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker Saba Abashawl, HAS Chief External Affairs Officer temerson@skywest.com (SkyWest) gmumhy@crowell.com and sseiden@crowell.com (Counsel for SkyWest) efaberman@wileyrein.com (Counsel for AirTran Airways) francis.heil@aa.com and robert.wirick@aa.com (American Airlines) jcanny@amerijet..com (Amerijet International) jrichardson@johnlrichardson.com (Counsel for Amerijet International) sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com and sametta.c.barnett@delta.com (Delta Airlines) msinick@ssd.com (Counsel for Florida West International Airlines) jhill@dowlohnes.com (Counsel for JetBiue Airways) kevin.montgomery@polar.com and peter.beckett@polar.com (Polar Air Cargo) agoerlich@ggh-airlaw.com (Counsel for Ryan International) pmurphy@lopmurphy.com (Counsel for Sky Bahamas) jyoung@yklaw.com and dkirsetin@yklaw.com (Counsel for Spirit Airlines) john.frederickson@suncountry.com and thomas.ting@suncountry.com (Sun Country) dan.weiss@united.com and steve.morrissey@united.com (United Airlines) dsmalls@ups.com (UPS) anita.mosner@hklaw.com and jennifer.nowak@hklaw.com (Counsel for UPS) howard.kass@usairways.com and benjamin.slocum@usairways.com (US Airways) mlbenge@zsrlaw.com (World Airways and North American Airlines) matwood@cozen.com (Counsel for Xtra Airways) john.allen@faa.gov and john.s.duncan@faa.gov (FAA) esta.rosenberg@dot.gov and barbara.hairston@dot.gov (DOT) uskr@state.gov and dobrescudm@state.gov (State Department) dwight.moore@ustranscom.mil (USTRANSCOM) obrooks@naca.cc and pdoell@naca.cc (NACA) info@airlineinfo.com Council Members : Wanda Adams C.O. "Brad" Bradford Helena Brown Andrew C. Burks, Jr. Jack Christie Ellen R. Cohen Stephen C. Costello Jerry Davis Edward Gonzalez Larry V. Green AI Hoang Mike Laster Melissa Noriega Oliver Pennington James G. Rodriguez Dave Martin Controller: Ronald C. Green Mario C. Diaz PO Box 60106, Houston, Texas 77205-0106- Phone: 281 233-1877- Fax : 281 233-1864 www.Fiy2Houston.com.- www.houstontx.gov