U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretory 

of Transportation 

Dr. William Powers Jr. 

President 

The University of Texas at Austin 

P.O. BoxT 

Austin, Texas 78713-8920 

Dear Dr. Powers: 

Assistant Secretary 

April 20, 2012 

1200 New Jel'$ey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Thank you for your letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, supporting the award of 

oeyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to be 

used for nonstop service to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS}, Austin, Texas. 

Secretary LaHood asked me to respond to your letter. 

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Refonn Act of 2012, the 

U.S. Department of Transportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent 

carriers a total of eight slot exemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips. 

We received applications proposing to serve AUS from two carriers, Southwest Airlines and 

JetBlue Airways. Each sought two slot exemptions, which would support one daily DCA-AUS 

round trip; JetBlue also applied for two slot exemptions to serve San Juan, Puerto Rico. Other 

timely applications were received from 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; Frontier Airlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; Sun 

Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas; and Virgin America, Inc., two round trips to San 

Francisco. 

As the matter is still pending, I cannot comment on the merits of the 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 in the statute. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following our nonnal practice, I am 

placing a copy of your letter and this response in docket number DOT-2012-0029. 

I appreciate your interest in this matter. 

Sincerely yours, 

usan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN 

William Powers, ]1:, President 

University Distinguished Teaching Professor 

Hines H. Baker and Thelma Kelley Baker Chair in Latv 

Main Building 400 ·PO Box T • Atestin, Texas 78713-8920 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

March 27,2012 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Re: Docket DOT-OST-2012-0029 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

Direct Number (512) 471-1232 

Facsimile Member (512) 471-8102 

presidmt@po. tttexas. edu 

I write to you today on behalf of The University of Texas at Austin to give mY 

enthusiastic support for the addition of daily, non-stop flights between Austin-Bergstrom 

Intemational Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The University 

of Texas at Austin would gain immediate benefit from this service. Likewise, the capital 

city of Texas and the entire Central Texas region-on which the activities of the 

University have significant economic and cultural influence--would benefit immensely 

as well. 

Currently, travelers must make connecting flights to travel from AustinBergstrom to Reagan National, or else take a direct flight to Dulles and make their way 

into Washington via surface transportation. The efficiency provided by direct flights 

between Reagan National and Austin-Bergstrom would foster economic benefits at each 

destination. In these challenging economic times, Austin's economy is one of the most 

vibrant in the country, and this success is reflected in consumer demand for air travel. 

The market for this service already exists. The continued vibrancy and growth of several 

high-tech industries in the greater Austin metro area, coupled with the existing resources 

in place at The University of Texas at Austin, generates strong potential for future 

economic success in this region-potential that would be cultivated significantly by the 

convenience of non-stop flights between Washington and Austin. 

I am especially excited about the possibility of these non-stop flights as we 

continue to work within our local community to explore the creation of a medical school 

for the University here in Austin, as well as continue to cultivate the world-class 

educational opportunities and research programs we have here on campus. 

S10-120329-051 
The Honorable Ray LaHood 

March 27,2012 

Page2 

Both Austin and Washington would be well-served by non-stop service between 

the two cities provided by a dependable, safe, and efficient carrier. I understand that a 

number of carriers have applied to provide this service, including Southwest Airlines, and 

I strongly encourage you to approve one or more of these applications for this service. 

Thrulk you for your consideration in this matter, and for all that you do to make 

our transportation system in the United States among the best in the world. 

WP/dwd 

s 10-120329-051 

Sioo~ 

William Powers, Jr. 

President