U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation



### Dr. Robert W. Pearigen President, Millsaps College 1701 North State Street Jackson,MS 39210-0001

Dear Dr. Pearigen: Assistant Secretary

April 19, 2012 · : .,•I• DTI-'C'j 7 

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Thank you for your letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, supporting the application ofUS Airways for two within-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National .Airport (DCA). These two slot exemptions are available for reallocation under 49 U.S.C. 

### § 41718(b) as a result of the return oftwo such exemptions that had earlier been granted for service to Jackson, Mississippi. Secretary LaHood has asked me to respond to your letter.

US Airways' application, which the Department received on March 5, proposes to continue the service to Jackson with .one round-trip per day. Other timely applications for the exemptions

were received from Frontier Airlines, proposing daily round trip service to Louisville, Kentucky, and Southwest Airlines, proposing daily round trip service to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

As the matter is still pending, I cannot comment on the merits ofthe points raised in your letter. However, I can assure you that all applications the Department receives will be given full and fair consideration and will be evaluated against the selection criteria specified by statute.

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in docket number DOT-2000-7182.

I appreciate your interest in this matter.
Sincerely yours,

Susan 

### L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International AffairsHonorable Raymond H. LaHood Secretary of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington DC 20490

Dear Mr. LaHood: 

# MILLSAPS COLLEGE

HOllfHT W f'EARIGEN, f'RLSIDENl April 2, 2012

I am writing to express appreciation and support for US Air's direct flight from Jackson, Mississippi, to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. On behalf of Millsaps College, I sincerely hope this flight will be continued.

Millsaps is a private, four-year college with an exceptional academic program that is gaining recognition outside the State of Mississippi. One of our most important recruitment

areas is the Eastem Seaboard, pmiicularly the Washington, D.C. area. Members of our admissions staff and 

### I travel to D.C. sc;lveral times:a year, and we have four members of our board oftrustees- including the chainnan- who live in the D.C. area and who travel to Mississippi on college business at least three,times a year for scheduled meetings. Also, there

are a number of regional and national educational organizations that hold conferences and meetings in W ashiugton annually which require my attendance as a college president.

With recmitment efforts being concentrated in the Northeast, we have a number of students fi:om the D.C. area who greatly benefit from this direct flight, as do their parents when they come to campus for special events. Also, this will be a strong incentive to parents and students as they consider higher education opportunities in the future.



### I strongly encourage US 

### Air to continue to offer this direct flight to Washington from Jackson. I assure you that if 

### it is continued, there will be a number of Millsaps trustees, faculty, staff, parents and students who will utilize this flight.

With gratitude for the fine services you offer, I am

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