U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Jeff Wentworth 

Texas State Senator 

P.O. Box 12068 

Austin, TX 78711 

Dear Mr. Wentworth: 

Assistant Secretary 

April 12 11 2012 

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 

JetBiue Airways. Each sought two slot exemptions, which would support one daily DCA-A US 

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. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
,J/j-i.t. "ii 

• ..-SENATOR JEFF WENTWORTH CHAIRM.AN 

SOUTHERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE 

2008.2009 

SBNATE DISTRICT 25 

AUSTIN 

Capitol Building, Room 1E.9 

P. 0. Box 12068 

Austin, Texas 78711 

(512) 463-0125 

PRESIDENT PROTEM 

OF THE TEXAS SENATE 

2004.2005 

COMMITTEES 

Toll-Free (888) 824-6984 

FAX (512) 463-7794 

Dial 711 for Relay Calls 

INTERNET E·MAlL 

jeff.wentwortb@senate.state.tx.us 

SAN ANTONIO 

1250 N. E. Loop 410, Suite 925 

San Antonio, Texas 78209 

(210) 826-7800 

FAX (210) 826-0571 

w~~ J;Jtt\tmlt lltf 

ir~Jt ~lhdtJt •f fl!.~tx~~ 

March 16, 2012 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

Select Committee on Open Government, Chairman 

Administration 

Higher Education 

Intergovernmental ReL"ltions 

Re<Ustricting 

Transportation and Homeland Security 

COUNTIES IN 

SENATE DISTRICT 25 

Bexar (north) 

Co mal 

Guadidupe 

Hays 

Kendall 

Travis (soutll) 

This letter is submitted in support of nonstop service between the 

Nation's capital from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) 

to the Texas capital at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). 

Austin is the 14th largest- and the third fastest-growing- city in 

the United States with an MSA population of 1.8 million. This is a 37 

percent increase since 2000. Moreover, this population is projected to reach 

2 million in just three years. 

AUS has grown right along with the city. Clean, safe, reliable nonstop 

air transportation is vital to Austin's continued growth. Austin has been 

ranked as "America's No. 1 Boom Town" by Forbes magazine. It has been 

named as one of the "Top 10 American Cities of the Future" by tDi 

Intelligence. 

Austin's unique blend of easy-going attitude and energetic capitalism 

has attracted residents and visitors from across the country and around the 

world. While the SXSW and ACL musical festivals and other entertainment 

events draw an ever-increasing number of leisure visitors, the SXSW 

Interactive Conference and leading research institutions examine pressing 

issues of technology and public policy that also attract and retain leading 

figures in business and academia. 

f'IUNTtl.l ON lti:C\'<::L!i!'l I~Af'Efl 
The Honorable Ray LaHood 

March 16, 2012 

Page Two 

Consistent contributions to America's cultural, political, and 

intellectual life by Austin have helped many. Your award of the necessary 

slots for nonstop A US-DCA service will ensure these contributions 

continue. 

Thank you for your consideration of Austin during this process. 

Please contact me if I may provide any further assistance to you during this 

process. 

Jeff 

~~ Wentworth 

JW/cb 

S~D-~20321-064.