U.S. Department Assistant Secretary of Transportation Office ofthe Secretory ofTransportation



### Dr. Juan Andrade, 

### Jt. President United StatesHispanic Leadership Institute 431 S. Dearbom Street) Suite 1203 Chicago, IL 60605-1152 Dear Dr. Andrade: January 18, 2013 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, OC 20590



### Thank you for.your letterto Secretary ofTransportation Ray LaHood, supporting the application ofSouthwestAlrlines (Southwest)for two within-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan WashingtonNational Airport (DCA). Southwest proposes to serve Houston's William P. Hobby Airportwith one nonstop round trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that Irespond to you onhis behalf.
We

### received Southwest's application on December 5, 2012. Othertimely applications were received from JetBlue Airways, proposing one nonstop round trip to Jacksonville Intemational Airport, Florida; andfrom US Airways, proposing one nonstop round trip to Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. As the matter is stillpending, Icannot comment on the merits ofthe pointsraised in your letter. However, Ican assure youthat all applications received by the U.S. Department of Transportation will be given due and careful consideration. The Department's action on this matter is being administered through apublic docket, which allows all interested parties the.opportunity to comment. Following ournormal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in docket number DOT-OST-2000-7182. Iappreciate your interest in this matter. Sincerely yotn-s>

Susan L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International AffairsThe Honorable Raymond H. LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 NewJersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590 Dear Secretary LaHood: December 12, 2012

Re: Docket DOT-OST-2000-7182

As President ofthe United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI), a Chicago-based national nonprofit organization with an executive office in Washington, DC, I am writing to respectfully convey my strong support for Southwest Airlines and its application for two slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which Southwest would use to begin daily nonstop service between DCA and Houston Hobby Airport (Hobby). Today there is no scheduled air service between DCA and Hobby. USHLI is a member of a coalition of 30 national and regional policy advocacy organizations representing the Latino community and serving most of its 50 million people. Coalition members utilize DCA frequently to meet our travel needs. And, as part of a 16-member association of national organizations that focus on corporate responsibility, USHLI and our association members that frequently utilize DCA have endured inadequate travel options and highticketprices for years. Basically the Houston-DCA market is underserved and overpriced. As the nation's largest low-cost airline, Southwest is in position to provide significant consumer benefits in this important market. Since 1971 Southwest has engendered the highest degree ofconsumer confidence for consistently lowering ticketprices and stimulating more passengertraffic inthe markets it enters. Offering more competition, lower airfares and the use of a 143-seat aircraft, Southwest's proposed service is projected to attract tens-of-thousands ofnewpassengers and generate millions ofdollars in consumer benefits annually in the DCA-Houston market. And business and leisure travelers would also benefit ifSouthwest is able to bring low-fare competitionto the Houston-DCAmarket.
Forthese reasons, I respectfully urge the Department ofTransportationto approve the application by Southwest Airlines for two slot exemptions at DCA inthe above-referenced proceeding. Sincerely,

### ~~(.,(~ Dr. Juan Andrade, Jr President

431 S. Dearborn St. • Suite 1203 • Chicago, IL 60605-1152 Phone 312-427-8683 • Fax 312-427-5183