&

U.S . Departmen t Assistan t secretar ywrhS'Sc'sSrw" ' ^ ' OfTic e o f th e Secretary.: ; ofTron^portatio n ^^ ^ j ^ ^01 0 Mr . Bra dDea n - ; — ^ Presiden t & CE O j ~ < t" - Myrtl e Beac hAre aChambe r o f Commerc e r- i T:;^ ^ P.O . Box211 5 " ^ g Myrtl e Beach , S C 2957 8 "' LS Dea r Mr . Dean : Than k yo u fo r you r lette r supportin g apropose dtransactio n betwee n U S Airway s an dDelt aAi r Lines , b y whic hDeU awoul dexchang e certai n slo t interest s a t

Ronal dReaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t

(DCA ) fo r

certai n U S Airway s slo t interest s a t

LaGuardi aAirpor t

(LGA) . O n Februar y 9 , th e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA ) issue datentativ e determinatio n approvin g th e propose dtransaction , bu t subjec t t o certai n conditions . I t tentativel y foundtha t

th e publi c interes t

woul dbes t

b e serve di f

th e potentia l har mcreate db y th e increase dconcentratio n a t th e airport s wer e counterbalance db y affordin g ne w opportunitie s fo r competitio n b y ne w entran t an dlimite dincumben t carriers . Specifically , th e tentativ e finding woul drequir e divestitur e o f

1 4 pair s o f

slo t interest s a t

DCA , an d2 0 pair s o f

slo t interest s a t

LGA » t o suc h carriers . Th e propose ddeteiminatio n wa s publishe di n th e Federa l Registe r o n Februar y 1 8 (7 5 Fed . Reg . 7306) , wit haclosin g dat e fo r comment s fro mintereste dperson s o f Marc h22.2010 . Afte r receipt an drevie w o f

th e comments , w e wil l tak e suc hfurthe r actio n a s appropriate . A cop y o f

you r lette r ha s bee n place di n th e docke t fo r th e proceeding , FA A 2010-0109 . Tha t docke t als o contain s acop y o f th e tentativ e determinatio n an dothe r relevan t documents , shoul d yo u wis ht o follo w development s i n th e matter . I t i s accessibl e throug hth e Federa l Government' s regulation s website , http://www.rcgulations.eQv . I f I ca n provid e furthe r

mforraatio n o r

assistance , pleas e fee l &e e t o cal l me . Sincerel y yours ,

Susa n L . Kurlan d Assistan t

Secretar y fo r Aviatio n an dInternationa l Affair sMYRTL E BEAC H ARE ACHAMBE R O F COMMERC E



### Septembe r11 , 200 9 Th e Honorabl e Ra

yLaHoo d Secretar yo f Transportatio n U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne wJerse

yAvenue , S.E . Washington , D. C 2059 0 Dea rSecretar

yLaHood , Attache d i s m ylette ro f support fo rth e recently-announce d transactio n betwee n U S Airway s an d Delt a Ai rLine s t o exchang e slot s a t Washingto n Reaga n (DCA ) an d LaGuardi a Airports . Thi s t s particularl yimportan t t o us , a s consummatio n o f th e entir e agreemen t woul d resul t i n Myrtl e Beac h an d th e entir e Gran d Stran d are a receivin g non-sto p service t o DCA . Pleas

e joi n u s i n expressin g you rsupport fo rthi s exchange . Wit h warmes t r^ards , I am , Sincerely , Brad Dea n Presiden t & CE O

P.O . Bo x211 5 • 120

0 North Oa

k Street-Myrtl e Beach , South Carolin a 2957 8 • (843)626-744

4 www.MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.co m • www.VisilMyrtleBeach.co m

### S I 0-0^^0' ) 1S-(I! ?

Septembe r11 , 200 9 "^"^ ^ °^*^ " *" " CHAMBE R O F COMMERC E Th e Honorabl e Ra

yLaHoo d Secretar yo f Transportatio n U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 NewjerseyAvenue , S. E Washington , DC 2059 0 Dea rSecretar

yLaHood : Recentl yU

S Airway s an d Delt a announce d a n agreemen t t o exchang e slot s a t bot h Reaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA ) an d LaGuardi a (LGA) . O n behal f o f th e nearl y300 0 businesse s an d 40,00 0 employee s w e represent , 1 writ e t o expres s m ystron g suppor

t fo rthi s slo t transactio n a s f t provide s benefrts o f importanc e t o m ycit yan d indee d m ystate . U S Airways ha

s announce d tha t upo n consummatio n o f thi s agreemen t an d i n acceptin g 4 2 slots fro m Defta a t DCA , the ywil l provid e non-sto p servic e betwee n Myrtl e Beach , Sout h Carolin a an d Reagan Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t W e hav e lon g sough t suc h servic e a s i t wil l enabl e u s t o gro w ou rtouris m industr

yattractin g mor

e tourist s fro m tiie D.C . metr o area . J t wil l also provid e ou rloca l communitygreate racces s t o federa l governmen t office s an d agerKJes . I n addition , becaus

e U S Airway s ha

s a wef l establishe d networ k syste m a t DCA , ou rresidents an d visitors wil l hav

e th e abilit yt o easil yconnec t wit h majo rcities , particularl ythroughou t th e East . Such acces

s i s vita l t o ou reconomi chealt h an d w e applau d thi s innovativ e an d importan t us e o f th e slots a t DCA . Obviously , fo ru s t o achiev e thi s servic

e th e pla n must be adopte d a s a singl e entil yan d I urg e you r inpu t i n encouragin g th e governmefr t t o endors e thi s excellen t agreemen t Than k yo u fo ryou rconsideratio n o f thi s excitin g an d ver yconsumer-oriente d arrangement . Wit h warmes t regards , I am , Sincerely , Bra d Dea n Presiden t & CE O cc : Honorabl e Randolp h Babbitt Administrato ro f th e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independence Avenue , SW Washington , D C 2059 1 P.O . Bo x211 5 • 120 0 Nort h Oa k Street • Myrtl e Beach , Sout h Carolin a 2957 8 • (843 ) 626-744 4 www.MyrtIeBeachAreaChamber.co m • www.VisitMyrtleBeach.co m