U.S. Department of 

Transportation 

Ass•slant Secretary 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation April 20, 2012 

The Honorable Esperanza "Hope" Andrade 

Secretary of State of Texas 

P.O. Box 12697 

Austin, Texas 78711-2697 

Dear Madam Secretary: 

1200 New Jersey Ave .. S E. 

Washington. DC 20590 

v.J 

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

beyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to be 

used for nonstop service to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin, Texas. 

· Secretary LaHood asked me to respond to your letter. 

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 applications proposing to serve AUS from two carriers, Southwest Airlines and 

JetBlue Airways. Each sought two slot exemptions, which would support one daily DCA-AUS 

round trip; JetBlue also applied for two slot exemptions to serve San Juan, Puerto Rico. Other 

timely applications were received from Air Canada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver, 

British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one round trip to Portland, Oregon, and one round trip to San 

Diego; Frontier Airlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; Sun 

Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas; and Virgin America, Inc., two round trips to San 

Francisco. 

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 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 opportunity to comment. Following our normal practice, I am 

placing a copy of your letter and this response in docket number DOT -2012-0029. 

I appreciate your interest in this matter. 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
the Honorable R~Y LaHood 

S,eeh~:t~rftofTtartsportatlon 

120b New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Mr; Se<:retary: 

Esperanza "Hope" Andrade 

SECltETARY OF STATE 

State 'Of Texas 

As;Texas',s chiefiinternatlona.J protocol officer., I write in strong support of nonstop service from Ronald 

Reagan Wcrshlngton National Airport (DCA) to Austin-Bergstrom lnterna.tional Airport (AUS). 

Both theAustih and Texas economy rely on quality air service to fosterbusrness1 government,. and 

leisure trC:~vei •. Avsthi is home to the Mexican consulate general and others who have regular business in 

Washington related to international relatit:ms antttral;Jeand who n.eed ncmstop. servtce;As the region 

continues to grow, this need will only increase. 

Both the State ofTexa.s and Austi.n have strongly supported previous service expansions. 1 ask that you 

make an award of the necessary slots for non•stop'AUS4 0CAto further cement the commercial and 

cultural t1es between 'Texas, Washir1gton, and our so.uthern border; 

Thank you for your consideration of Austin during the slot award process. Please contact me if I may . . .· ... 'Pr:~\tid~e,~;~l:ly .. futt.h~t:as$J~tan¢e;to you .durtng this. pro¢ess, ,. <]:':"?:,A~:~~~;\~+~~;+~~>< ~<Y~!S~!~> ·-<~:;·~~.~ , ": ,, ,):.·> ·.~ ·,, . . ' 

Sincerely, 

S10-120402-028 

Post Office Box 12697, Capitol Station 

Aus.tin, ·n~xas 78711-2697 

512-463-5770