;; ...
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 ofMN 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 ofeight 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 ofthe 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 ofyour letter and is se i.n docket number D 12·0029.
I appreciate your interest in"'

...**'.t~IM'Y.ltJ;;G~beHAta**

..**~INN!t5m·** . 

# nitro·**JO)Mi'"leOt'l~lOc~~M~I! ~l!)l($~ft'f** **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 atNational Aitpo:tt 

## (DCA).**·&un:·~·try·~** 

### alow

...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 

### ofSun Country's pt·oposal.



# s 10-120328-012 

### Sincerely,

# {-\~\~ Amy 

### l;.lgtmcllar 

## us: Se11ator