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 or '. ' t\: 11 1\!lc/\ 1 r- ... -~t\'')(;POfiTA T/QN 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

· .. J 1 ()Pi:PAY:Q! /Washington, DC 20590 ·'' ;[,_,_ '·"·· 1 Lf i "'\. t .d\\) 

II: I b 

Thank you for your letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, supporting the application 

of US 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 of two 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 of the 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 Affairs 
Honorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey A venue, 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 

RP:eb 

·:~:£~ Cc: Duane O'Neill 

....... 

1701 NORTH STATE Sl REFT • JACKSON, MS 3'1210·llii!Jl • (101-974-1!30 • FAX 601-'174·1137 • www.mill~;aps.cdu 
· ...... ·· .... .... , .. 

,: 

Honorable Raymond H. LaHood 

Secreta1y of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington DC 20490 

1t::E. ·3i"JSGD:j i ........ = .... :....;:_::_J H! ! ; ' H t; H ii ;i i