### SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

Robert W. Kneisley

Associate General Counsel
1901 L Street, N.W.

– Suite 640 Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 263

- 628 4 (202) 263

- 6291 Fax

bob.kneisl ey @wnco.com



### _______________________________________________________________________ _______

April 5 , 2012

Filed in the Docket Electronically

The Honorable Susan Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs U.S. Departmen t of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590

Re: Application of Southwest Airlines Co. for Beyond

- Perimeter Slot Exemption s (DCA

- AUS

- SAN ); Docket DOT

- OST

- 2012

- 0029

Dear Assistant Secretary Kurland :

Attached please find additional letters of support for Southwest Airlines’

A pplication in this proceeding for two beyond

- perimeter slot exemptions for nonstop service between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Austin

Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), with single

- pl ane beyond service to San Diego (SAN) , from Lieutenant Governor of Texas David Dewhurst and the small

- business organization Women Impacting Public Policy

. In addition, I have enclosed a copy of the press release that Southwest issued this week announcin g that over 12,000 individuals endorsed a petition on Southwest's website, www.southwest.com/aus

, in support of the above captioned service

.

Copies of these attachments are being served on all parties to this pro ceeding.

Sincerely,

_____________________ Robert W. Kneisley

cc: All parties on Southwest’s service list.1156 15th St. NW Suite 1100 , Washington, DC 200 05 ~ 888.488.WIPP ~ Fax: (202) 872

- 8454 1714 Stockton Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94133 ~ 415.434.4314 ~ Fax: 415.434.4331
Website: www. WIPP .org March 20, 2012

The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood Secretary of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590

Re: Docket DOT

- OST

- 2012

- 0029

Dear Secretary LaHood,

On behalf of Women Impacting Public Policy I write to voice my strong support for Southwest Airlines’ (Southwest’s) application for daily nonstop service between Reagan Nation al Airport (DCA) and the City of Austin. As a national organization working on behalf of one million business owners through 61 small business associations across the country, we know that smal l
business owners need access to convenient

– time conscious t ravel and low fares. Because of the lack of effective low

- fare competition, DCA travelers have endured inadequate travel options and high average ticket prices for years.

With Southwest’s 40

- year history of providing low

- fare completion and with a natio nwide route map that is second

- to

none among low

- cost airlines, Southwest is in the best position to bring competitive benefits to DCA. Moreover, as the nation’s largest domestic airline, Southwest would bring competitive benefits to markets beyond DCA

- Au stin. This would include several cities with few travel options to DCA today and which would benefit from one

- stop or connecting opportunities via Austin.

Finally, Southwest proposes serving the DCA

- Austin market

– as well as same

- plane, continuing serv ice to/from San Diego

– with large Boeing aircraft (i.e., the 737

- 800 with 175 seats). Large plane service will ensure that DCA’s limited slot authorizations are used in a manner that serves the greatest public benefit.

For these reasons, I re spectfully ask for the Department of Transportation’s approval of Southwest’s application in the
above

- referenced proceeding.

Sincerely,

Barbara Kasoff
President

### SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CUSTOMERS RALLY FOR NEW FLIGHTS CONNECTING AUSTIN AND RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT

Liberty and LUV: Stakeholders Urge DOT to A pprove F lights B etween Capital Cities

DALLAS

– April 4, 2012 , 2012

– Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) this week filed comment s
reflecting the resounding endorsement of more than 12,000 petitioners, as well as dozens of community and

political leaders , all of whom echo support for the carrier’s application with the U

. S

. Department of

Transportation (DOT) to offer nonstop service between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and

Austin

- Bergs trom International Airport. During a two

- week period, thousands of visitors to

southwest.com/aus registered their support of the application, which also details Southwest’s proposal to

provide one

- stop, same

- plane service between Washington National and San Diego via Austin

. R ecent

federal l egislation makes possible the proposed service by authorizing new flights to cities beyond

Washington National ’s traditional 1,250 mile service perimeter.

“ This outpouring of support reflects the need for Southwest Airlines to offer our low fares, new

ser vice options, and increased competition in these m arkets,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman,

President, and CEO. “ Consumers will have all of this along with Southwest’s Legendary Customer Service. ”

Current fares for connecting service between Austin

- Bergstrom and Washington National are more

than 50 percent higher than Southwest’s average fare for the same distance, enabling Southwest to offer

sharply lower prices to consumers on this currently un

- served nonstop route.

This new nonsto p service, if approved by the DOT, also would connect Washington National with

other Southwest destinations such as Dallas Love Field and Houston Hobby

— offering Customers low fare

, connecting opportunities to and from Washington National via Austin. South west plans to operate the

proposed daily Washington National

- Austin

- San Diego service utilizing Boeing 737

- 800 aircraft with 175

seats

.
A decision by the DOT is expected in May, and Southwest is prepared to begin service this summer

, provided Southwest’s application is approved

.

About Southwest Airlines Co.

Now in its 39 th consecutive year of profitability, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other

low

- fare carriers

— offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southw est Airlines is the

nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded and has acquired AirTran

Airways, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co. Southwest serves 73 cities in 38 states

and remains one of the most h onored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line

of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a goodcitizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report(TM). Based in Dallas,

Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 37,000 Employees.