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- US.D«partrTWn t o f Assistan t Secretar y " ' 120 0 Ne w Jersey Avenue , S E Transportatio n , _ ^ ^ Wos^hington , D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar y • - : ^ i - - J o f Transportatio n 

### OCT 2 5 20t O Mr . Joh n LaRos e Chie f Executiv e Office r Celin k 390 0 Capita l Cit y Boulevar d Lansing , M I 4890 6 Dea r Mr . LaRose : Thank yo u for you r lette r o f Octobe r 1 4 t o Secretar y LaHoo dsupportin g Su n Countr y Airline s t o serv e Lansing , Michigan , i n th e ongoin g slot-exemptio n proceedin g a t Ronal d Reagan Washingto n Nationa l Airport (DCA) . Th e Secretar y ha s aske dtha t I respon dt o you r lette r directly . A s you know , th e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n commence daproceedin g o n Augus t 3 0 t o reallocat e tw o DC A slo t exemption s that

ar e currentl y bein g use db y Republi c Airline , Inc . (Republic) . Republi c ha s bee n usin g thes e tw o slo t exemption s fo

r DC A - Kansa s Cit y service . Thes e slo t exemption s ma

y b e use dt o serv e any mediu m hu b o r smalle r airport withi n th e 1,250-mii e perimete r o f DCA . W e hav e receive datota l o f fiv e proposals , briefl y outline dbelow ;

• Su n Countr y t o serv e Lansin g with 129

- o r 162-seat aircraft ; • Republi c Airline , Inc. , brande da s Frontie r Airlines , t o continu e t o serv e Kansa s City , Missouri , with 99-sea t regiona l je t

aircraft ; • Southwes t

Airline s Co. , t o serv e Kansa s Cit y utilizin g 137-sea t aircraft ; • U S Airways , Inc. , t o serv e Pensacola , Florida , utilizin g 76

- o r 86-seat regiona l je t aircraft , dependin g o n th e season ; an d • Ai r Tra n Airways , Inc. , t o serv e eithe r For t Myer s o r

Sarasota , Florida , utilizin g eithe r 117

- o r 137-sea t aircraft . A s th e slo t

exemptio n proceedin g i s competitiv e an di s cuirentl y unde r revie w b y th e Department , I a

msur e you understan dtha t I canno t commen t

o n th e merit s of

th e proposals . I assur e you , however , tha t th e Departmen t

wil l full y conside r

al l o f th e proposals , andmak e it s awardbase do n th e selectio n criteri adetaile di n th e governin g statutes .Mr . Joh n LaRos e

Pae e 2 A s i s ou r norma l practice . I a

mplacin g acop y o f

you r lette r an dm y respons e i

n Docke t DOT-OST-2000-718 2 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor dof

thi s proceeding . I appreciat e you r interes t i n obtainin g acces s t o th e Nation' s capital . I f I can provid e furthe r informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e fee l fre e t o cal l me . iacerel y yours .

,an L . Kurl a Assistan t Secretar y fo r Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair sSM)-l()l()!<S-()2 0

Octobe r 14,201 0

The Honorabl e Raymon dL . LaHoo d Secretar y o f Transportatio n Unite dState s Depaiimen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jersey Avenu e S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Ref : SnnCounti7AJrU]]C9AppUcatiOD-#DOT-OST-2000-718 2 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : I a mabusines s owne r

locate di n Lansing s Michiga n an dlearne drecentl y o f

Su n Country' s applicatio n for

approval t o develo p ai r

servic e directl y fromLansin g t o th e Washingto n Reaga n Nationa l Airpor t I strongl y urg e yo u t o approv e this request . I unve l t o Washingto n D.C . abou t adoze n time s durin g th e yea r for conferences , meeting s wit h ou r industry' s association , visitin g with m y Congressional representatives , an dmeeting s wit h som e o f m y clients . Som

e o f th e peopl e I mee t

with i n D.C . wil l ofte n fly t o Lansin g t o visi t wit h m y staf f an dadirec t

flight woul db e ver

y convenient , an dlikel y les s expensiv e dian th e current options . A direc t flight woul db e ver

y beneficial t o m

y conqMui y becaus e i t

woul db e ahug e timesaver an dmoney saver

a s well . I recentl y hadt o sen dthre e employee s t o D.C . o n shor t notice , an dth e cheapes t airfiu e fromLansin g wa s over $700.00 . Su n Country' s airfare woul db e a t leas t ! ^ tha t far e an dI a msure you can appreciat e tha t i n today' s economy , busines s owner s lUc e m e nee d ever y brea k w e ca n ge t Pleas e suppor

t Su n Country' s sqipUcation ; i t woul db e ahug e boos t

t o th e mid-Michiga

n area . y yours . LaRos e Chief Executiv e Office

r

390 0 Capita /

Crt y Boufevar d Lansing , Michiga n 4890 6