U.s.Departmentof Transportation Officeofthe Secretary ofTransportation

The Honorable Kelly Kirschner Mayor ofSarasota Sarasota City Commission Office 1565 First Street Sarasota, FL 34236 Dear Mayor Kirschner: ASSlsUw,t Secretary



## OCT 252010 ::coo New Jersey Ave" S E '/,asf'lngton, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter ofOctober 6 to Secretary LaHood supporting AirTran Airways, Inc. (AirTran) to serve Sarasota, Florida, in the ongoing slot-exemption proceeding at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The Secretaryhas asked that I respond to your letter directly. As you know, the U.S. Department ofTransportation commenced a proceeding on August 30 to reallocate two DCA slot exemptions that are currentlybeing used by Republic Airline, Inc. (Republic). Republic has been using these two slot exemptions for DCA

- Kansas City service. These slot exemptions may be used to serve any medium hub or smaller airport within the 1,250-mile perimeter ofDCA. We have received a total offive proposals, brieflyoutlined below:
• Sun Countryto serve Lansing, Michigan, with 129- or 162-seat aircraft; • Republic Airline, Inc., branded as Frontier Airlines, to continue to serve Kansas City, Missouri, with 99-seat regionaljet aircraft; • Southwest Airlines Co., to serve Kansas City utilizing 137-seat aircraft; • US Airways, Inc., to serve Pensacola, Florida, utilizing 76- or 86-seat regionaljet aircraft, depending on the season; and • Air Tran Airways, Inc., to serve either Fort Myers or Sarasota, Florida, utilizing either 117- or 137-seat aircraft. As the slot exemption proceeding is competitive and is currently under review by the Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the merits ofthe proposals. I assure you, however, that the Department will fully consider all ofthe proposals, and make its award based on the selection criteria detailed in the governing statutes.The Honorable Kelly Kirschner Page 2
As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and my response in Docket DOT-OST-2000-7182 as a contact outside the record ofthis proceeding. I appreciate your interest in obtaining access to the Nation's capital. IfI can provide further information or assistance, please feel free to call me.

,.v:,usan L. Kur and Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs

### u.s.Departmentof Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation

Mr. Fredd "Glossie" Atkins Vice Mayor Sarasota City Commission Office 1565 First Street Sarasota, FL 34236 Dear Mr. Atkins: ASSIst3nt SecreWrv



## OCT 

## 2 5 2010 iZCG New Jersey Avt.?, S E, '/;ash,n,]ton, CC**20~90**

Thank you for your letter ofOctober 6 to Secretary LaHood supporting AirTran Airways, Inc. (AirTran) to serve Sarasota, Florida, in the ongoing slot-exemption proceeding at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The Secretaryhas asked that I respond to your letter directly. As you know, the U.S. Department ofTransportation commenced a proceeding on August 30 to reallocate two DCA slot exemptions that are currently being used by Republic Airline, Inc. (Republic). Republic has been using these two slot exemptions for DCA

- Kansas City service. These slot exemptions may be used to serve any medium hub or smaller airport within the 1,250-mileperimeter ofDCA. We have received a total offive proposals, briefly outlined below:
• Sun Country to serve Lansing, Michigan, with 129- or 162-seat aircraft; • Republic Airline, Inc., branded as Frontier Airlines, to continue to serve Kansas City, Missouri, with 99-seat regionaljet aircraft; • Southwest Airlines 

### Co., to serve Kansas City utilizing 137-seat aircraft; • US Airways, Inc., to serve Pensacola, Florida, utilizing 76- or 86-seat regionaljet aircraft, depending on the season; and • AirTran Airways, Inc., to serve either Fort Myers or Sarasota, Florida, utilizing either 117- or 137-seat aircraft. As the slot exemption proceeding is competitive and is currently under review by the Department, I am sure you understand that Icannot comment on the merits ofthe proposals. I assure you, however, that the Department will fully consider all ofthe proposals, and make its award based on the selection criteria detailed in the governing statutes.Mr. Fredd "Glossie" Atkins Page 2
As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and my response in Docket DOT-OST-2000-7182 as a contact outside the record ofthis proceeding. I appreciate your interest in obtaining access to the Nation's capital. IfIcan provide further information or assistance. please feel free to call me.

### U.s. Departmentof Transportation Office ofthe Secretary ofTransportation

Mr. Richard Clapp Commissioner

- District 2 Sarasota City Commission Office 1565 First Street Sarasota, FL 34236 DearMr. Clapp: ASSlstclilt Secretary



## OCT 252010 1200 New Jersey Ave S E 'iidsrlngton, DC 20590

Thank you for your letter ofOctober 6 to Secretary LaHood supporting AirTran Airways, Inc. (AirTran) to serve Sarasota, Florida, in the ongoing slot-exemption proceeding at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The Secretaryhas asked that I respond to your letter directly. As you know, the U.S. Department ofTransportation commenced a proceeding on August 30 to reallocate two DCA slot exemptions that are currently being used by Republic Airline, Inc. (Republic). Republic has been using these two slot exemptions for DCA

- Kansas City service. These slot exemptions maybe used to serve any medium hub or smaller airport within the 1,250-mile perimeter ofDCA. We have received a total offive proposals, briefly outlined below:
• Sun Country to serve Lansing, Michigan, with 129- or 162-seat aircraft; • Republic Airline, Inc., branded as Frontier Airlines, to continue to serve Kansas City, Missouri, with 99-seat regionaljet aircraft; • Southwest Airlines Co., to serve Kansas City utilizing 137-seat aircraft; • US Airways, Inc., to serve Pensacola, Florida, utilizing 76- or 86-seat regionaljet aircraft, depending on the season; and • Air Tran Airways, Inc., to serve either Fort Myers or Sarasota, Florida, utilizing either 117- or 137-seat aircraft. As the slot exemption proceeding is competitive and is currently under review by the Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the merits ofthe proposals. I assure you, however, that the Department will fully consider all ofthe proposals, and make its award based on the selection criteria detailed in the governing statutes.Mr. Richard Clapp Page 2
As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and my response in Docket DOT-OST

-2000-7182 as a contact outside the record ofthis proceeding. I appreciate your interest in obtaining access to the Nation's capital. 

### IfIcan provide further information or assistance, please feel free to call me.October6, 2010
TheHonorable Ray H. LaHood S,ecretary ofTransportation U:S: Dep8rtirient'-OfTrangpOiitation 1200New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590 RE: DotketOST-1OOO-7182' :". DearSecretary LaHood: SI(I-I (J I()**15-(J2~**

We are writing to express our support for the application ofAirTran Airways Inc. for the two available Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) within-perimeter slots being allocated by the Department in Docket OST-2000-7182 to provide nonstop service from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) to OCA. The Sarasota Bradenton area has only one·dailynonstop·.on areg4ooll1jetto Washington, DC, even though it is the sixth largest destination market from this area. With over 750,000 residents and our prime location as a leisure destination for tourists, SRQ can certainly support additional service and it would be a great help to the tourism industry in this region, which suffered a significant impact from the BP oil spill. This new service wouldalsomitigatethenegative economic impacttherecession has had onthe community andthe airport.**whil~AirTranalso** offers an alternative to award the route to Southwest Florida International (RSW). we ask that thl>slotbe awarded to Airtran conditioned on the slot be utilized for SRQ. In addition to enhancing competition and lowering fares at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, the proposed service would increase connectivityto destinations in the Northeastand Midwest, critical markets for ourregion. Thankyou for yourconsideration. Sincerely,

.:' J.

•• "j'£" ! " ;. " ' , "



### ., Kelly Kirschner', " Mayor

. d

." .**~** ,,' Saraspta City Commission·Office· 1565 First Street, Sarasota, Florida 34236 Telephone: 941-954-4J15 Fax: 94J-954-4129 .: :'October 6, 20I0
The Honorable Ray H. laHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. DepartmentofTransportation 1200NewJersey Avenue, S
.E
. Washington, DC20590 RE: Docket OST-2000-7182 Dear SecretarylaHood: 

### S\0-\() \()**15-02~**

We are writing to express our support for the application ofAirTran Airways Inc. for the two available Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) within-perimeter slots being allocated by the Department in Docket OST-2000-7182 to provide nonstop service from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) to DCA. The Sarasota Bradenton area has only one daily nonstop on a regionaljetto Washington, DC, even though it is the sixth largest destination market from this area. With over 750,000 residents and our prime location as a leisure destination for tourists, SRQ can certainly support additional service and it would be a great help to the tourism industry in this region, which suffered a significant impact from the BP oil spill. This new service would also mitigatethe negative economic impactthe recession has had on the community and the airport. While AirTran also offers an alternative to award the route to Southwest Florida International (RSW), we ask that the slot be awarded to Airtran conditioned on the slot be utilized for SRQ. In addition to enhancing competition and lowering fares at SarasotaBradenton International Airport, the proposed service would increase connectivity to destinations in theNortheast and Midwest, critical markets for ourregion. Thankyou for your consideration. Bestregards,

Fredd "Glossie"Atkins Vice Mayor

Sarasota City Commission Office 1565 First Street, Sarasota, Florida 34236 Telephone:941-954-4115 Fax: 941-954-4129October 6, 2010
The Honomble Ray H
.LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. DepartmentofTransportation 1200NewJersey Avenue, S
.E. Washington, DC20590 RE: Docket OST-2000-7182 Dear Secretary LaHood: SI0-1 () I()**15-()~X**

We are writing to express our support for the application ofAirTran Airways Inc. for the two available Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) within-perimeter slots being allocated by the Department in Docket OST-2000-7182 to provide nonstop service from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) to DCA. The Sarasota Bradenton area has only one daily nonstop on a regionaljet to Washington, DC, even though it is the sixth largest destination market from this area. With over 750,000 residents and our prime location as a leisure destination for tourists, SRQcan certainly support additional service and it would be a great help to the tourism industry in this region. which suffered a significant impact from the BP oil spill. This new service would also mitigatethe negative economic impactthe recession has had on the community and the airport. While AirTran also offers an alternative to award the route to Southwest Florida International (RSW), we ask that the slot be awarded to Airtran conditioned on the slot be utilized for SRQ. In addition to enhancing competition and lowering fares at SamsotaBradenton International Airport, the proposed service would increase connectivityto destinations in theNortheast and Midwest, critical markets for ourregion. Thankyou foryourconsideration. Bestregards,

# (2tt~/6?~ Richard Clapp Commissioner

- District2

Sarasota City Commission Office 1565 First Street, Sarasota, Florida 34236 Telephone: 941-954-4115 Fax: 941-954-4129