U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

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 

...... , .. ,'• 

······· 

:... .. ~ .• ,1 

Thank you for youdetter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, supportingthe application 

of Southwest 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 one nonstop rotmd trip per day from DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that I respond 

to you on his 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 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 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 of your letter and this response in docket number DOT MOST M 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 of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Docket No. DOT-OST-2000-71 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

ln the interest of promoting airline competition, affordable and greater access between the 

Nation's Capital and Greater Houston, 1 respectfully request the Department ofTransportation to 

approve Southwest Airlines' (Southwest's) application fottwo slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan 

Washington National Airport (DCA). Southwest proposes to use these slot exemption to 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 of lowering ticket prices and stimulating more passenger 

traffic in the markets it enters. 

Through new competition, lower airfares, and the use of a 143-seat aircraft, Southwest's proposed 

service is projected to attract tens-of-thousand of new and generate millions of dollars of 

consumer benefits annually in the DCA-Houston market Business and leisure travelers stand to 

benefit if Southwest is able to bring low-fare competition to the Houston-DCA market 

Again, 1 respectfully request lhat the Department of Transportation approve Southwest's application 

for two slot exemptions at DCA Thank you in advance tbr your consideration important 

Mickey Tharra 

Founder & Chairman 

1 i40 Connect~eut Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Wm;hin!lton, 

Phone: 202.969.8777 Fax: 202.969.3773 HlLe<11.1er:;Net~NorK