### U.S. Department of Transportation Office of fhe Secrefary 

### ofTransportation Assistant Secretary



### January 22, 2013

Dr. Laura G. Murillo President & 

### CEO Houston Hispanic Chamber ofCommerce 180 

### I Main Street, Suite 890 Houston, TX 77002 Dear Dr. Murillo: 1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE Washington, DC 20590



### Thank you for your Jetter to Secretary ofTransportation Ray LaHood, supporting the 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 one nonstop round 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 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 parties the opportunity to comment. Following our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter andthis response in docket number DOT-OST-2000-7182. 1appreciate your interest in this matter.
Sincerely yours,

Susan L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs< 'fwirman GILBLWI IIERRERA ( '/](limwn Ueu :\RI\li\NDO PEREZ l111111etliale /'ast ('hair tRiviA DiAZ-GONZALEZ
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f'resicl<!l/1 & (LU DR. LAL:RA G. i\IURILLO HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBEROF COMMERCE 

### The Leader of Houston's NewMajority®
December 7, 2012 The Honorable Ray LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 NewJersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590 Re: Docket No. DOT-OST-2000-7182 Dear Secretary LaHood: In the interest ofpromoting airline competition, affordable airfares and greater access between the Nation's Capital and Greater Houston, I respectfully request the Department of Transportation to approve Southwest Airlines' (Southwest's) application for two slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).**Southw~st** 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 betweenDCA and Hobby. The Houston-DCA market is underserved 

### and overpriced. As 

### the Nation's largest low-cost airline, Southwest is well suited to provide significant consumer benefits in this important market. Since 

### 1971, Southwest has a proven track record ofloweringticket prices and stimulating more passenger traffic in the markets it enters. Through new competition, lower airfares, and the 

### use ofa 

### 143-seat aircraft, Southwest's proposed serv.ice is projected to attract tens-of-thousand ofnew passengers and generate millions ofdollars ofconsumer benefits annually in the DCA-Houston market. Business and leisure travelers stand to benefit ifSouthwest is able to bring low-fare competition to the Houston-DCA inarket. Again, 

### I respectfully request that the Department ofTransportation approve Southwest's application for two slot exemptions 

### at DCA. Thank you in advance for your consideration ofthis important matter. Sincerely,

Dr. Laura G, Murillo President & CEO

cc: Gilbert A. Herrera, Chaitman
"The llouston Hispanic Chamber

### ofCommerce is a tax exempt organit.ation under Section 501 (c)(6) ofthe Internal Rev.cnue Code. i::ontributions .or gifts to the IUICCart' not tax drductiblc as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purJlOSes. However, a portion ofyour payment to the III ICC may be deductible as an ordinary and necessary business**e~Jlense.** Please consult yonr own tax ndvisor with respect to your elij!ibility to take such**deductions.~** 180I Main Street, Suite 890 Houston, 1X 77002 Tel:( 713) 6-14-7070 Fax: (713) 644-7377 11'11'11'. houstonhispanicclwmber.com 

## S10-121221-002IIOUSTON HISPANiCCHAMBER OF COMMr:.R<:E 

### 11reuaderof JJouston :,,'\·cw,lttdnrlt;·• /.'WI Main Strect. Suite H90

lloitS/1111, Te:ws 770111

The Honorable 

### Ray LaHood Secretary

### ofTransportation U.S. DepartmentofTransportation 1200 New JerseyAvenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590