;; ... 

THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON. D.C. 20590 

The Honorable Amy Klobuchar 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC. 20510 I 

Dear Senator Klobuchar: 

April16, 2012 

Thank you for your letter supporting the application of MN Airlines, LLG, operating as Sun 

Country Airlines, for beyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National 

Airport (DCA). Sun Country's application proposes to serve Las Vegas McCarran International 

Airport with one round trip per day from DCA. 

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012~ 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 Sun Country's application on March 12. Other timely applications were received 

from Air Canada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one 

round trip to San Diego~ California, and one round trip to Portland, Oregon; Frontier Airlines, 

one round trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado~ and beyond to San Diego; JetBlue Airlines, one 

round trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin, Texas; Southwest Airlines, one 

round trip to Austin and beyond to San Diego; and Virgin America, Inc., two round trips to 

San Francisco~ California . 

. As the matter is stilrpending, 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 opportu comment F.oUowing our normal practice, I am 

placi.ng a copy of your letter and is se i.n docket number D 12·0029. 

I appreciate your interest in 
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Th~flo1t0rab1e;:Raymond H. LaHo"od 

S.eoreia;cy··(!lfT.r~oftatioo 

U.S. D.epartment ofT:.t.atq~porlation 

1200 New Jersey Ave) SE \V~el\'"~ .. ·.. .. n.c :zos9o·· ····- ~1'0~ .v.. • . ... 

···Dilr SeoretaryL@Hoocl; 

I wnte today to ttrge your strong oonSideration ofSun Cottn:tey Ai'tlmes' applteatl'Ol:l~Ibr· 

two ~yand p~meter slots at National Aitpo:tt (DCA). 

·&un:·~·try·~ a low ... cost a4'lmelteadqll~e~ed m MendQta HeigptSJ Mhu:tesP:ta.andthe 

airline's main hub is atthe Minneap~11s .. Bai9,t"~aullptemauonf,ll Ah'porti Inpreviol;lSly awa;t\img 

Sutr€euntry ·tWO DCA slots fot servi~e to Lans~g, the•Dep~ent ofTraJ:l.ipo:ttdonreCt)gnited 

that the airline has a hi$tory of'offerirtg low fares and Presents an itrtpottant competitive 

alterna,tive·for airline passengers. 

·In order to im.~r.ease cQnsl.ll11erchoi:ce and 4r!proveac:oess•to DCA for travelers coming 

Dom·the Western United States, the re~ently enaeted reau:thorizati.on ofthe •Federal Aviation 

A<lmini~tration made ava1lal'ile: eight new slot exemptions for new entrant orlimited'ihcumhelti 

arDCA. sun Country has applied for two ofthese,~lots to operate o.ne ilight between DCA and 

Las Vegas McCarrmllntemattomil Airport. Xhi$·new ~ervi.ce W()l.lltl gteatl~ henefit airttl:\¥elers 

and the public interesthy offering anewlnwcostoption for airtravelers. 

I encourage your strong consideratiOn of Sun Country's pt·oposal. 

s 10-120328-012 

Sincerely, 

{-\~\~ 

Amy l;.lgtmcllar 

us: Se11ator