### U.S. Deportment ofTransportation Office of the Secretory ofTransportation



### Mr. Steve C. 

### Hull Arvest Bank P.O. Box 55500 Oklahoma City, OK

### 73155 Dear Mr. Hull: Assistant Secretary 

### January 17, 2013 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590



### Thankyou for your letterto Secretary ofTranspo1iation Ray LaHood, supporting the application ofUS Airways for two within-perimeter slotexemptions 

### at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). US Airways proposes to serve Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport with one nonstop round trip perday from DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that I 

### respond to you on his behalf. We received US Airways' application on December 

### 5. 2012. Othertimely applications were received fTom Southwest Airlines, proposing one nonstop round trip to Houston's William 

### P. Hobby Airport, and from JetBlue, proposing one nonstop round trip to Jacksonville International Airport in Jacksonville, 

## FL. As the matter is 

### still pending, I 

### cannot comment on themerits ofthe points raised in your Jetter. However, I can assure you that all applications received by the U.S. Departmentof Transportation will be given due and careful consideration. The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which allows 

## aU interested parties the opportunity to comment. Followingour normal practice, 

## I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in docket nmnber DOT-OST-2000-7182. 

### 1appreciate your interest in this matter. Sincerely yours,

Susan L. 

### Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International AffairsDecember 13,2012
The HonorableRay LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U:S. Department ofTrausportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590 Re: Docket OST-2000-7182 Dear Secreta!)' LaHood: 

# Af\VESf

Steve C. Hull Executive Viee Pretident antlt.oan Manager

On behalfofArvest Bank, I write in strong support ofUS Airways' application for daily nonstop serviCe between Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City (OKC). US Airways proposes to initiate the only nonstop service between Oklahoma and DCA. Such direct access to the nation's Capital would beexceptionally beneficial to ourcommunity. Considering oursizeand the strength of Oklahoma City'sbusiness community, we believe nonstop serviceto DCA is fullyjustified at1d longoverdue. Today, with no nonstop service to DCA, tens ofthousands ofOKCtravelers Oy annually to DCA on connecting itineraries. Oklahoma City is the largest metropolitan at·ea located within the 1,250-mile perimeter without nonstop service to DCA Granting the DCA slots will also triggerthe introduction oftwo daily, first-ever, round trips between OKC and Charlotte, NC (CLT); thethird-largest akline hub in tlte United States, offeringconnections to over 125 destinations. This obviously provides even greaterpublic benefit to our growing city. You cannot read the news without knowing that greater Oklahoma City has defied many recent economic challenges. Led by its vibrant energy-related industries and defense and aerospace sectors, Oklahoma City is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States. Combined with beingthe seat ofstate government and home to the Federal Aviation Administration's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Centerand the U

### $. military's Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahomans have considerablebusiness before !he federal government, drivingdemand for more direct, convenient and frequent service to Washington, D.C. h1 summary, given the greater Oklahoma City'sstrong local passengerbasecombined with US Ahways' vast domestic network, US Airways' application for OKC-DCA servicewill provide the maximum benefits for consumers and is undoubtedly in the public interest. Therefore, we respectfully request the Department ofTransportation to award the two slot exemptions at issue in this proceeding to US Airways so that it can begin daily scheduled service between OKC and Ronald Reagan Washington National and Charlotte Douglas International airports. Thankyou in advance for your consideration ofthis request. 

# s;"lueW

Steve C. Hull Executive Vice-President Loan Manager**P~** 0. Box 55 50 0 • 0kIahoma C 

### ily, 0K 73155 419-371'6 • Fax 1405) 419·3725 • Cell (405) u£3-7938 • sllull@arves\.com