U.S.Departmentof Transportation Ass•slant Secretary Office of the Secretary ofTransportation April 20, 2012 The Honorable Esperanza "Hope" Andrade Secretary ofState ofTexas 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 ofTransportation 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 ofTransportation 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 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 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 opportunity to comment. Following our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour 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 NewJersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20590 Dear Mr; Se<:retary: 

### Esperanza "Hope"Andrade SECltETARY OF STATE State 'OfTexas

As;Texas',s chiefiinternatlona.J protocol officer., Iwritein strong support ofnonstop 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 tofosterbusrness1 government,. and leisure**trC:~vei**•.Avsthi is home to the Mexican consulate general and others who have regularbusiness 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. Boththe State ofTexa.s and Austi.n have strongly supported previous service expansions. 1askthatyou make an award ofthe necessary slots for non•stop'AUS40CAto further cement the commercial and cultural t1es between 'Texas, Washir1gton, and ourso.uthern border; Thank you for yourconsideration ofAustin during the slot award process. Please contact me if I

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S10-120402-028 Post Office Box 12697, CapitolStation Aus.tin,**·n~xas** 78711-2697 512-463-5770