U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary ofTransportation



### Mr. Mickey Ibarra Founder

### & Chairman Latino Leaders Network Assistant Secretary


### January 18, 2013



### 1140 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20036-4007 Dear Mr. Ibarra: 120Q New Jersey Avenu11. SE Washington, DC 20590

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### Thankyou for youdetterto Secretary ofTransportation Ray LaHood, supportingthe application ofSouthwest Airlines (Southwest) for two within-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Southwest proposes to serve Houston's William P. Hobby Airport with onenonstop rotmd trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that I respond to you onhis behalf. We received Southwest's application on December 5, 2012. Other timely applications were received from JetBlue Airways, proposing one nonstop round trip to Jacksonville International Airport, Florida, and from US Airways, proposing one nonstop round trip to Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. As the matteris still pending, I cannot comment onthe merits ofthe points raised in your letter. However, I can assure you that all applications received by the U.S. Department of Transportation will be given due and careful consideration. The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which allows all interested pmties the opportunity to comm:ent. Following our normal practice, I 

### am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in docket number DOT MOSTM 2000-7182. I appreciate your interest in this matter. Sincerely yours,

Susan L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs

## LATINO LEADERS NETWORK'" MICKEY lMRIV'I,**FouND£~<** & CHAmMAN December I 2012 The Honorable Ray LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590 Re: Docket No. DOT-OST-2000-71 Dear Secretary LaHood: ln the interest ofpromoting airline competition, affordable and greater access betweenthe Nation's Capital and Greater Houston, 1respectfully request the Department ofTransportationto approve Southwest Airlines' (Southwest's) application fottwo slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Southwest proposes to usetheseslot exemptionto begin daily nonstop service between DCA and Houston Hobby Airport (Hobby). Today, there is no scheduled air service between DCA and Hobby. The Houston-DCA market is underserved and overpriced. As the Nation's low-cost airline, Soutltwest is well suited topnwide significant consumer benefits in this important**mark~;,>t.** 1971, Southwest has a proven track record oflowering ticket prices and stimulating more passenger traffic in the markets 

### it enters. Through new competition, lower airfares, and the useofa 143-seat aircraft, Southwest's proposed service is projected to attract tens-of-thousand ofnew and generate millions ofdollars of consumer benefits annually in the DCA-Houston market Business and leisure travelers standto benefit ifSouthwest is able to bring low-fare competition totheHouston-DCA market Again, 1respectfullyrequest lhat the Department ofTransportation approve Southwest's application for two slot exemptions at DCA Thank you in advance tbr your consideration important

Mickey Tharra Founder & Chairman

1i40**Connect~eut** Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Wm;hin!lton, Phone: 202.969.8777 Fax: 202.969.3773**HlLe<11.1er:;Net~NorK**