THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTAT10N . 

The Honorable Zoe Lofgren 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congresswoman Lofgren: 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 

Aprill6, 2012 

Thank you for your letter supporting the application of Virgin America, Inc., fol' beyondperimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). If awarded 

those exemptions, Virgin America would provide two daily round-trip flights from DCA to 

San Francisco. 

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 rec.eived Virgin America's application on March 12,2012. 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 Airli.nest 

one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; JetBlue Airlines. one round trip to 

San Juan, Puerto Rico, and one round trip to Austin~ Texas; Southwest Airlines, one round trip to 

Austin and San Diego beyond; and Sun Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas. 

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 spe.cified in the statute. 

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

allows all interested parties the oppo to comment. Following our normal practice, I am 

placing a copy of your letter and this nse in docket number DOT~2 029. 
2023663675 line OS TW85 31 0 

• MkR~2/2012/THU 04:45 PM REP. ZOE LOFGREN . . 

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• SUIICOMMmll ON INW8'11G-.TIIIN8 AND 

•. Ovellf!QIIT .. ,, ZOE LOFGREN 

16TH DISTRICT, CAUFORNIA 

The Honorable Ray LaHood, Secretary 

. U.S. Department ofTransportation 

· 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Wasbingto~ DC 20590. 

March 22, 2012 

03 22 2012 1 /1 . 

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Re: Docket.No. OST .. 2012 .. 0029, Applleation of Virgin America Inc. for "Beyond-

·-:. 

Perbneter'~ Slots 

Dear Secretary LaHood, 

I write in support of Virgin America Inc.'s application for two nonstop slots between Ronald 

Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and San Francisco Intemational Ahport (SFO). 

A!J you know, the FAA Modernization and Reform Aot of2012 authorized new "beyondperimeter'" flights from DCA. California, the most p9Pulous state in the country, currently has 

only one flight from DCA, to Los Angeles, and the Bay Area rmnains the latgost metropolitan 

area without servi~ to DCA. It is ~y understanding that Virgin America's proposal would 

provide Bay Area. businesses and consumers more transportation options and lower fares through 

increased competition. The proposal would also provide the Washington, D.C. area with 

inoreased access to the economic centers of San Francisco and Silicon Valley. 

This proposal provides a great opportwrlty for both Northem California and the Washington, 

D.C. area. Thank you far the Department's full and fair consideration of this application. . . . 

Sincerely, 

PAINIIIO ON RIICYC:UD PAPER