# MICHIGA N STAT E UNIVERSIT Y

OFFIC E O F TH E VIC E PRESIDEN TFO R FINANC E AN D -OPERATIONS - 

## ;ri^ARTMENTO F :-ANSPORTATiO N ^'Kn'OPERAIiQN S n\ l FEB ? i P I - S S

Mark P . Haa s Assistan t Vice Presiden t fo rBusiness an d Chief Financia l Office r Michiga n Stat e Unrveisity A1 2 Administratio n Buildin g East (arising , Michiga n 48824-104 6 Phon e 517.355.501 4 Fa x51 7 353.6772 www.vpfo.ms u ed u Februar y7 , 201 2

Docke t Managemen t Facilit y U.S . Departmen t o f Transportation . 120 0 Ne wJerse yAvenu e SE. . Wes t Buildin g Groun d Floor , Roo m W12-140 , Washington . D C 2059 0 Ref : Su n Countr> ' Slo t Exemptio n - Docke t Numbe rFAA-2012-008 9 Ladie s an d Gentlemen : Su n Countr yAirline s ha s requeste d a n exemptio n fro m th e slo t limi t fo rRonal d Reaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA ) se t fort h i n § 93.123(a) , t o permi t th e FA At o creat e ai rcarrie rslot s durin g certai n limite d hour s fo rSu n Country' s use . Th e propose d ai rcarrie rslot s woul d replac e tw o slo t exemption s unde r DO TOrde r2010-12-1 6 awarde d t o Su n Country . Thi s reques t fo rexemptio n is necessarya s a resul t o fth e recen t decisio n o fth e U.S . Cour t o f Appeal s fo rth e Distric t o fColumbi a Circui t i n Republi cAirlines , Inc . V . Unite d State s Departmen t o fTransportation ; No . 11-101 8 date d Januar y 6 , 2012 . Th e Cour t vacate d DO TOrde rNo . 2010-12-16 , an d thereb yordere d th e retur n o f tw o DC Aslot s t o Republi cAirlines . I t is importan t t o not e tha t Su n Countr ywa s no t a part yt o th e Republi cAirlines . Inc. , case , an d th e Court' s decisio n wa s no t relate d i n an ywa yt o Su n Country' s performanc e unde rth e Hig h Densit yRule . I n orde rt o retur n th e tw o slot s t o Republic , an d ensur e tha i Su n Countr yca n continu e t o provid e th e existin g beneficia l ser\'ic e fro m -Lansing-to-DCA , additiona l slot s mus t b e authorize d throug h thi s exemptio n proceeding . Specifically , Su n Countr yrequest s on e dail yslo t durin g eac h o fth e 100 0 an d 1 j 0 0 hours , s o a s t o continu e it s curren t servic e patle m i n th e LAN - DC Amarket . Th e Su n Countr yDC Aservic e is essentia l t o th e economi cgrowt h o fth e Greate r Lansin g Region . Th e dail yservic e is th e onl ylarg e aircraf t (737-800 ) servic e t o Washingto n Reaga n Airport , i n th e stat e o fMichiga n outsid e o fDetroit . Prio rt o Su n Country , th e regiona l communit yha d requeste d th e introductio n o fthi s servic e fro m numerou s othe rairlin e operator s withou t success . Accordingly , i t is critica l tha t th e FA Atak e th e necessarystep s t o ensur e th e continuatio n o fth e Su n Countr> ' slot s a t th e establishe d fligh t lime s i n suppor t o fGreate rLansing' s busines s an d economi cgrowth .

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action . equal-opportunii yemployer .

# MICHIGA N STAT E UNIVERSIT Y You rimmediat e approva l o fthi s exemption , s o tha t Su n Countr yca n begi n t o ente rflight s schedule s fo rsal e fo rth e balanc e o f2012 , wil l b e greatl y appreciated . Sincerely , 

### Mar k P . Haa s Assistan t Vic e Presiden t fo rBusines s an d Chie fFinancia l Office r Michiga n Stat e Universit y• cc : M . Bumha m