810-100217-01 1 

# c ) Aesistan t Sacretar y 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue . S E U-b-uepanmen T Washington , D C 2059 0 o f iransportatio n Offic e o f th e Secretar

y ofTransportatior , ^^ y 2 6 201 0

Th e Honorabl e Mike D . Beeb e Governo r o f Arkansa s Littl e Rock , A

K 7220 1 Dea r Governo r Beebe : Thank yo u fo r your lette r t o Secretar

y LaHoo d relatin g to apropose d transactio n betwee n U S Airway s and Delt aAirlines . A s par t o f tha t transaction , Delt apropose d t o transfe r 4 2 pair s o f slo t interest s a

t Ronal d Reagan Washingto n National Airpor t (DCA ) to U S Airways , in exchang e fo r 12 5 pair s o f U S Airways ' slo t

interest s a

t LaGuardi aAirport

(LGA) . Your

letter supporte d th e propose d transaction , notin g that wer e i t approve d ne w direc t

servic e woul d b e initiate d betwee n DC A an d Littl e Rock . Th e Secretar y requeste d tha t

I respon d o n hi s behal f A s you ma

y know , on Ma

y 4 Secretary LaHoo d an d FAA Administrato r Babbit t grante d th e carriers ' request , bu t

subjec t t o certai n conditions . The y found that , whil e th e transactio n coul d produc e many publi c benefits , th e increjise d concentratio n an d th e additiona l pricin g power that th e carrier s woul d achiev e at th e airporfc s wer e likel y t o caus e consume r harm . Overall , th e Secretar y and Administrato r

foun d that

di e publi c interes t

woul d bes t

b e serve d i f

aportio n o f

th e slot s wer e se t asid e s o ne w entran t

an d limite d incumben t

carrier s coul d biin g additional competitio n to eac h airport . Specifically , the y determine d that 1 4 pair s o f

slo t interest s a

t DCA , an d 2 0 pah s o f

slo t interest s a

t LGA , shoul d b e diveste d t o suc h carriers . We appreciate you r

interes t mthi s proceeding . A cop y o f tli e final determinatio n i s availabl e in Docke t FA A 2010-0109 , whic h i s accessibl e o n th e web a t http://www.regulations.gov . A cop y o f your letter an d thi s repl y wil l als o b e place d there . If I ca n provid e additiona l informatio n o r assistance , pleas e fee

l free to cal l me . Sincerel y yours .

Susa n L , Kurlan d Assistan t Secretar y fo r Aviatio n an d Internationa l Affair sS I 0-100217-01 1

'*9- , STAT E O F ARKANSA S MiKi ; Bi'r.iii CiOVIiRNO R Februar y 1,201 0 Th e Honorabl e Raymon d H . LaHoo d U.S . Secretar

y o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E . Washington , D C 2059 0 RE : Approva

l o f th e U S Airway s an d Delt aAir Line s Propose d Slo t

Transactio n Dea r Mr . Secretary : O n Augus t

12 , 2009 , US Airway s and Delt aAi r Line s announce d apropose d transactio n tha

t woul d switc h thei r

departur e an d arrival slots , allowin g U S Airway s to increas e it s operation s t o and fro mRonal d Reaga

n Washingto n National Airpor t (DCA) . Thi s arrangemen t

woul d resul t

i n new direc t

servic e fro

mLittl e Roc k

National Airpor

t (LIT ) t o DCA , aroute th e State ha s lon g desired . 1 a mwritin g t o reques t

approval o f

thi s transaction . Littl e Roc k serve s a n extensiv e are acoverin g more tha n 9 0 percen t

o f th e State . Currently , flight s fro

many cit y in Arkansa s t o DCA mus t make asto p o r

aconnectio n in another city , whic h add s tim e and expens e to th e trip . Ne w nonsto p servic e wil l reduc e flying tim e an

d expense , and wil l provid e th e much-neede d convenienc e ou r citizen s an

d visitor s deserve . Th e resul t wil l b e more business , mor e competition , and more frequen t trip s betwee n our

state' s capital cit

y and th e nation' s capital . I t i s critical tha

t U S Airway s and Delt ab e permitte d t o -cjose

- thi s transactio n a s soo n a s possible . Th e carrier s ar e facin g a n approachin g deadlin e t o make th e necessar y change s i n facilities , scheduling , and crew-biddin g in tim e fo r th e ne w service s to b e availabl e fo

r th e star t o f th e 201 0 summer-pea

k trave l season . Thank

yo u fo r your carefu l consideratio n o f

thi s request . I look

forwar d to afavorabl e reply . Sincerel y 'Mik e Beeb e MB:j b SiA M ( -VTi(«.S(iii i 'JiO * liti u KJKX . A K 71*1!( H