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THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON DC 20590 

September 09, 2011 

.-;'-^RTMENT OF 

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•"••'^T OPERATIONS 

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The Honorable Mark R. Warner 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Warner: 

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, expressing your concerns 

with a proposed agreement, which has since been revised, by which Delta Air Lines would 

exchange certain slot interests at Reagan Washington National Airport for certain US Airways 

slot interests at LaGuardia Airport. 

You express concerns that if tlie U.S. Department of Transportation approves the agreement, 

flights from LaGuardia to Roanoke Regional Airport could be discontinued, as well as 

potentially other flights to other communities in Virginia and elsewhere. You also note the 

potential that such an approval, coupled with recent consolidation in the airline industry, could 

reduce competition at affected airports and create a ripple effect of reducing travel options in 

many Virginia communities. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. We will evaluate all of the comments 

we receive before taking appropriate action. Following our normal practice, 1 am placing a copy 

of your letter and this response in the docket. For your reference, the docket number is 

FAA 2010-0109. As the matter is still pending, 1 hope you understand that 1 cannot comment on 

the merits of the points raised in your letter. 

I appreciate your interest in this proceeding. A similar response has bep»sent to each cosigner 

of your letter. If I can provide further information or assistance, pleaK fpel free to call me. 
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON. O.C. 20590 

September 09, 2011 

The Honorable Jim Webb 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Webb: 

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, expressing your concerns 

with a proposed agreement, which has since been revised, by which Delta Air Lines would 

exchange certain slot interests at Reagan Washington National Airport for certain US Airways 

slot interests at LaGuardia Airport. 

You express concerns that if the U.S. Department of Transportation approves the agreement, 

fliglits from LaGuardia to Roanoke Regional Airport could be discontinued, as well as 

potentially other flights to other communities in Virginia and elsewhere. You also note the 

potential that such an approval, coupled with recent consolidation in the airline industry, could 

reduce competition at affected airports and create a ripple effect of reducing travel options in 

many Virginia communities. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. We will evaluate all of the comments 

we receive before taking appropriate action. Following our normal practice, I am placing a copy 

of your letter and this response in the docket. For your reference, the docket number is 

FAA 2010-0109. As the matter is still pending, I hope you understand that I carmot comment on 

the merits of the points raised in your letter. 

I appreciate your interest in this proceeding. A similar response ha^^en sent to each cosigner 

of your letter. If I can provide furtly^information or assistance, jHe^e feel free to call me. 
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON DC 20590 

September 09 , 2011 

The Honorable Bob Goodlatte 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congressman Goodlatte: 

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, expressing your concerns 

with a proposed agreement, which has since been revised, by which Delta Air Lines would 

exchange certain slot interests at Reagan Washington National Airport for certain US Airways 

slot interests at LaGuardia Airport. 

You express concerns that if the U.S. Department of Transportation approves the agreement, 

fliglits from LaGuardia to Roanoke Regional Airport could be discontinued, as well as 

potentially other flights to other communities in Virginia and elsewhere. You also note the 

potential that such an approval, coupled with recent consolidation in the airline industry, could 

reduce competition at affected airports and create a ripple effect of reducing travel options in 

many Virginia communities. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. We will evaluate all of the comments 

we receive before taking appropriate action. Following our normal practice, I am placing a copy 

of your letter and this response in die docket. For your reference, the docket number is 

FAA 2010-0109. As the matter is still pending. 1 hope you understand that I cannot comment on 

the merits of the points raised in your letter. 

1 appreciate your interest in this procgedin 

of your letter. If lean provide fuKneri 

^A similar response has been sent to each cosigner 

lation or assistance, please feel free to call me. 
J^^Smt<h THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

%TESO«'' " 

WASHINGTON DC 20590 

September 09 , 2011 

The Honorable Robert Hurt 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congressman Hurt: 

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, expressing your concerns 

with a proposed agreement, which has since been revised, by which Delta Air Lines would 

exchange certain slot interests at Reagan Washington National Airport for certain US Airways 

slot interests at LaGuardia Airport. 

You express concerns that if the U.S. Department of Transportation approves the agreement, 

flights from LaGuardia to Roanoke Regional Airport could be discontinued, as well as 

potentially other flights to other communities in Virginia and elsewhere. You also note the 

potential that such an approval, coupled with recent consolidation in the airline industry, could 

reduce competition at affected airports and create a ripple effect of reducing travel options in 

many Virginia communities. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. We will evaluate all of the comments 

we receive before taking appropriate action. Following oiu- nornial practice, I am placing a copy 

of your letter and this response in the docket. For your reference, the docket number is 

FAA 2010-0109. As the matter is still pending, I hope you understand that I cannot comment on 

the merits of the points raised in your letter. 

1 appreciate your interest in this proceeding. A similar response has been sent to each cosigner 

of your letter. If 1 can provide further lyArmation or assistance, please feel free to call me. 
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON DC 20590 

September 09, 2011 

The Honorable H. Morgan Griffith 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congressman Griffith: 

Thank you for your letter, cosigned by your congressional colleagues, expressing your concerns 

with a proposed agreement, which has since been revised, by which Delta Air Lines would 

exchange certain slot interests at Reagan Washington National Airport for certain US Airways 

slot interests at LaGuardia Airport. 

You express concerns that if the U.S. Department of Transportation approves the agreement, 

flights from LaGuardia to Roanoke Regional Airport could be discontinued, as well as 

potentially other flights to other communities in Virginia and elsewhere. You also note the 

fwtential that such an approval, coupled with recent consolidation in the airline industry, could 

reduce competition at affected airports and create a ripple effect of reducing travel options in 

many Virginia communities. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. We will evaluate all of the comments 

we receive before taking appropriate action. Following our normal practice, I am placing a copy 

of your letter and this response in the dbcket. For your reference, the docket number is 

FAA 2010-0109. As the matter is still pending, I hope you understand that 1 cannot comment on 

the merits of the points raised in your letter. 

1 appreciate your interest in thisj^ceeding. A similar response hg 

of your letter. If 1 can provid^urther yjfonnation or assistance,^ 

een sent to each cosigner 

se feel free to call me. 
Congres^s of ttje Mnitth Ma M 

OTiififjiiTston, BC 20510 

August 4,2011 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood, 

We write today to express our concern regarding the potential impact on small 

communities of the proposed "slots svmp" agreement between Delta Air Service and US 

Airways, where the carriers would exchange slots they currently control at Ronald Reagan 

Washington National Airport (DCA) and New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA). The United 

States Department of Transportation (DOT) recently gave tentative ^proval to this so-called 

"slot-swap," the effect of which would expand the presence of Delta at LGA and US Airways at 

DCA. 

It is our understanding that if the DOT approves this agreement, flight service fi^m 

Roanoke Regional Airport (ROA), Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO), and potentially 

other communities in the region could be eliminated. US Airways currently flies to New YorkLaGuardia (LGA) non-stop from Roanoke three times per day, as it has for many years. The slot 

swap at LGA would give Delta the previously owned slots from US Airways. Delta has 

informed the Roanoke Regional Airport that it does not plan to continue its New York service if 

the swap is approved. It is our understanding that other communities in Virginia and elsewhere 

could also suffer a similar outcome. 

Losing flight operations at Roanoke, Charlottesville, and other communities would have 

detrimental economic consequences and impact our constituents' quality of life. Access to New 

York City, the preeminent financial center in the country, provides a vital one-stop connection 

for the people in these Virginia communities, as well as for regional businesses and major 

universities that rely on this air service. This direct link to New York City has proven vital to the 

regional employment base. 

Further, we have strong concerns that approval of the proposed agreement, coupled with 

recent consolidation in the airline industry, could reduce competition at affected airports and 

create a ripple effect of reducing traveling options in many Virginia communities. As you 

irii ' -''—-"'•'•^' 
SI 0-1 10S()5-()()5 

review the agreement between Delta and US Airways, we request that steps be taken to preserve 

the interests of Roanoke, Charlottesville, and other smaller markets that now enjoy service to 

New York. 

Sincerely, 

/l/l(jc^U «»*ti 

Mark R. Warner 

United States Senator 

Bob Goodlatte 

MeiptJera MemtJenjf f Congress 

Robert Hurt 

Member of Congress 

(joJfi 

tates Senator 

I. Morgan i 

Member of Congress