# Gar yR . Hubbard , DD S

Cosmeti c ^ famifi j "DenMr y ,.j,;il|g[ g Februar y 12.201 2 ?;, 7 j ^ ^ , ^ Docke t Managemen t

Facilit y U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportation , 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenu e SB. , Wes t Buildin g Groun dFloor , Roo mW12-140 , Washington , D C 20590 . Re : Su n Countr > Slo t

Exemptio n - Docke t

Numbe r

FAA-2012-008 9 Ladie s an dGentlemen : 

# - ' :^:o o

Su n Countr y Airline s ha s requeste da n exemptio n fro mth e slo t limi t fo r Ronal dReaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA ) se t

forth i n § 93.123(a) , t o permi t th e FA A t o creat e ai r carrie r slot s durin g certai n limite dhour s fo r Su n Country' s use . Th e propose dai r carrie r slot s woul dreplac e tw o slo t exemption s unde r

DO T Orde r

2010-12-1 6 awarde dt o Su n Country . O n Januar y 6 , 2012 , th e Unite dStale s Cour t o f Appeal s fo r

th e Distric t

o f Columbi aCircui t

vacate dth e DO T Order , an dSu n Countr y wil l los e it s existin g servic e betwee n DC A an dLansing' s Capita l Regio n Internationa l Airport . Specifically , Su n Countr y desire s on e dail y slo t durin g eac h o f

th e 100 0 an d110 0 hours . Th e propose d exemptio n woul dpermi t Su n Countr y t o continu e operatin g it s existin g service s an d avoi da n inequitabl e resul t o f th e Court' s order . The y hav e 1 a msure , investe d considerabl e resource s i n fijnding an doperatin g thi s route . 1 hav e rea dth e histor y o f thi s situatio n an dca n certainl y understan dRepublic' s desir e t o re-acquir e th e exemption s fro mabusines s standpoint . I t i s importan t

t o not e tha t Republic , throug h thei r subsidiarie s Midwes t and/o r Frontie r

offe r n o servic e fro m Lansing . The y currentl y alread y hav e servic e fro mKansa s City . Whil e th e FA A mus t compl y wit h th e cour t

order , I hop e tha t

an accommodatio n fo r a n exemptio n ca n b e extende dt o Su n Countr y fo r th e reason s 1 detai l below .

— ^ The-Sun-Country-D(rA-servicei s essentia l to-th e economi c growth-ot-the-Greater-Lansin g

Region . A s a n example , Lansin g i s th e capita l cit y o f Michiga n an dther e ar e man y business . Ie^isla^ive . an dpersona l reason s fo r convenien t

trave l t o Washington , DC . M y persona l issue s includ e th e fac t tha t m y so n attend s Georgetow n University . M y wif e an d 1 , an dh e himsel f

us e thi s fligh t

numerou s time s eac h yea r a s aresul t

o f this . Additionally , fro mabusines s standpoint , I wil l b e attendin g aprofessiona l conference ^ thi s Ma y i n th e D C are aan dwil l b e takin g tw o o f m y staf f members . I

t i s aMAJO R inconvenienc e i n term s o f tim e an dexpens e t o hav e t o trave l t o Detroit . Additionally , I hav e aprofessiona l colleagu e wh o travel s t o addres s legislativ e issue s affectin g ou r \professio n wit h ou r Senator s (Stabeno w an dLevin ) an dals o Representative-'Rogers . I \canno t

hel p bu t believ e numerou s other s i n th e cente r o f ou r stat e governmen t

shar e thi s \ opinion .

America n Academ yo f Cosmeti c Dentistry'' ' ACCREDITE D MEMBE R 3515Coolidge,Suite C • Eas t Lansing , M l 4882 3 • 517.332.242 2 • GRHubbardDDS@aol.co m • www.GRHubbardDDS.co m

### Th e dail y servic e i s th e onl y larg e aircraf t (737-800 ) servic e to Washingto n Reaga n Airport , i n th e state o f

Michigan outsid e o f

Detroit . Prior

to Sun Countr>' , th e regional community ha

drequeste dthe introductio n o f thi s servic e fro

mnumerou s othe r

airlin e operator s withou t

success . A s amatte r

o f history , th e capital cit

y o f Michiga n ha s been sporadicall y andinconsistentl y serve db y th e defunc t

Independenc e Ai r

whic h lef

t th e Lansin g marke t

i n January 2005 , an dth e forme r Northwest , whic h cancelle dthei r Route i n Januar y 2006 . Sun Countrj ' ha s safely andefficientl y operate dthi s servic e sinc e it s inception . Thi s i s aver y popula r route , ever

y tim e 1 hav e been o n thi s flight i t i s a t capacity or

nearl y so . Accordingly , i

t i s critical tha

t th e FA A take th e necessary step s t o ensur e th e continuatio n o f th e Sun Countr\ ' slot s a t th e establishe dflight

time s i n suppor t o f Greater Lansing' s busines s andeconomi c growth . 1 hav e include da s a n attachmen t

aletter fro mJohn .Frederickso n of.Sun.Countr>Lto_Ms . MacPhcrso n detailin g hi s request . I wholl y concu r wit h th e contex t

o f thi s correspondence . " ^ I n summary , base do n th e logi c o f m y fact s above , I implore you t o institut e immediate approval o f

thi s exemption , s o tha

t Sun Country ca

n begi n to ente r

flights schedule s fo

r sal e fo r th e balanc e o f

2012 . I t will b e greatl y appreciated . Sincerely ^ 

# ^ a ^ /^//oc-^U^^^ ^ Gar y RHub^r dDD S Enc : Letter

fro mSu n Countrv to Ms . MacPhcrso n

# su n countr

y airline s

January 26 , 201 2 Rebecc aMacPherson , Esq . Assistan t Chie f Counse l fo

r Regulation s Federal Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Ave . S W Washington , D C 2059 1 Re : Petitio n fo

r Exemption : Docke t

No . FAA

- 2012

- DearMs . MacPhcrson : Pursuan t t o 1 4 C.F.R . Part

11 , M N Airlines , LL C db aSu n Countr y Airline s (Su n Country ) hereb y petition s th e Federal Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA ) fo r a n exemptio n from1 4 C.F.R . 93.123 . an dfroman y other relevan t regulatio n (o r

statute) , t

o th e exten t necessai- y t o penmi t

Su n Countr y t

o continu e it s flight

operation s a

t Ronal dReaga

n Washingto n Nationa l Airport (DCA) . Th e exemptio n i s necessar y t o avoi dth e cessatio n o f valuabl e servic e betwee n Lansing , Michigan an dDCA . A s require db y 1 4 C.F.R . 11.81(0 , asummary fo r publicatio n i

n th e Federal Registe r

i s attached . Backgroun d B y DO T Orde r

2010-12-1 6 date dDecembe r 10 , 2010 , th e Departmen t o f Transportatio n allocate dtw o within-perimete r slo t exemption s a

t Ronal dReaga n Washingto n National Airport (DCA ) t o M N Airlines , LL C db aSun Country Airline s (Su n Country) . Pursuant J o the.Order..Sim.CQuntrv.commence dround.trip.seryice.betwee n Lansmg,_Mjchiga n (LAN ) an dDC A o n Apri l 1 , 2011 . Th e slot s awarde dt o Su n Country wer e i n th e 1100 an d140 0 hou r

tim e periods , but

Su n Country ha s operate dit s flights a t DC A i n th e 100 0 an d110 0 hou r

tim e perio dpursuan t

t o aslo t trad e wit h anothe r airline . Thi s reques t

fo r exemptio n i s necessary a s aresul t o f th e receo t

decisio n o f

th e U.S . Court o f Appeal s for

th e Distric t

o f Columbi aCircui t

i n Republi c Airlines . Inc . v . Unite d State s Departmen t

o f Transportation : No. l 1-101 8 date dJanuar v 6 . 2012 . Th e Court vacate dDO T Orde r

No . 2010-12-16 , andthereb y ordere dth e retur n o f tw o DC A slot s t o Republi c Airlines . U i s importan t t o note tha

t Sun Country wa s no t

apart y t o th e Republi c Airlines . Inc. , case , an dth e Court' s decisio n wa s no t relate di n any way t o Sun Country' s performanc e unde r th e Hig h Densit

y Rule . I n orde r t o relu mth e tw o slot s t

o Republic , andensur e that Su n Country ca

n continu e t

o provid e th e existin g beneficial

130 0 Mendot a Height s Road , Mendot a Heights , M N 5512 0 Corporat e Headquarter s 651.661.390 0 Reservation s 800.359.678 6 Fax651.681.390 1Reques t fo r Exemptio n Pag e Tw o servic e fro

mLansin g t

o DCA , additiona l slot s mus t b e authorize dtluoug h thi s exemptio n proceeding . Specifically , Su n Country request s on e dail y slo t durin g eac h o f

th e 100 0 an d110 0 hours , s o a s t o continu e it s curren t servic e patter n i n th e LAN-DC A market . Consume r

Benefit s Th e introductio n o f

Su n Countr y Airline s servic e o n th e LAN-DC A rout e ha s bee n extremely beneficia l t o th e consumer s i n tha t market . Accordin g t o DO T dat afor th e ,-third.quarter.of.20I. l ,Jhe.averafi e fare on.thatrout e ha s decrease db y 26 % year^e r year , an dth e numbe r

o f dail y passenger s on th e route ha s risen b y 156% . Se e Attachmen t A . Su n CounU-

y ha s prove n tha t

ane w entran t

cairie r a t DC A can successfull y compete , eve n wit h thi s ver y limite dslo t

availability , andeve n i

n ane w entran t

market . I n additio n t o th e competitiv e benefit s enjoye db y consumer s i n th e Lansin g metropolita n area , th e servic e ha s provide dadditiona l benefi t t o consumer s i

n Minneapolis-St . Paul . Th e LAN

DC A servic e connect s with dail y servic e i n th e LAN-MS P market , providin g citizen s o f Minneapolis-St . Pau l wit h alo w fare alternativ e t o th e non-sto p servic e provide dt o DC A b y Delt aAi r

Lines . Gran t o f th e Exemptio n Woul dPreven t a n Inequitabl e Resul t Su n Countr y applie dfor

th e within-perimete r

slo t exemption s durin g th e Augus t 201 0 reallocatio n proceedin g base do n th e goo dfait h belie f that th e carrie r

wh o wa s awarde d th e slot s coul dutiliz e the mo n agoin g forwar dbasi s withou t

concern fo

r future cancellatio n o f

th e slots . Onc e awarde dth e slots . Sun Countr y investe dove r $500,00 0 i

n advertising , marketin g an dstartu p cost s associate dwit h introductio n o f

th e LAN-DC A service . I n addition , th e Lansin g Airport an dthe surroundin g regiona l authoritie s mad e substantia l economi c investment s i n th e introductio n o f th e ne w service . Absen t agran t o f thi s exemptio n request , thos e investment s woul db e wasted , despit e th e publi c consume r support for th e service . Th e FAA^ha s grante dSimila r exemption s i n th e pastrwher e th e servic e loTparticulaT ^ marke t depende dentirel y o n a

n availabiUt

y o f appropriat e slots , an dth e slo t availability i s bein g los t

throug h n o fault

o f th e carrier . Se e e.g. . Exemptio n No . 10063 , Docke t No . FAA-2010-0101 , grante dt o Ai r Canada , Ma y 10 , 2010 . Publi c Interes t Withou t th e exemption . Su n Country wil l b e force dt o terminat e servic e betwee n LAN andDCA . Lansin g wil l n o longe r hav e direc t

ai r acces s t o DCA , an dthos e passenger sReques t fo r Exemptio n Pag e Thre e wh o us e Sun Countr y connectin g servic e throug h LA N wil l los e tha

t optio n a s well . Sun Country currentl y offer s schedule dservic e fo r sal e on th e LAN-DCA-LA N rout e onl y throug h th e en do f

April , du e t o th e Republi c Airlines , Inc . decision , andpendin g a decisio n b y th e FA A o n thi s Applicatio n fo r Exemption . Summe r

seaso n sale s i n th e marke t ar e largel y dependen t

on availabilit y fo

r sal e a s soo n a s possible . Furthe r delay i n th e abilit y t o offe

r th e niavket

fo r sal e wil l resul t

i n significan t

negativ e financial impact , on bot

h Su n Country ando n it s customers . N o Advers e Effec t

o n Safety iN u Avuvcrb c niicc i o n oarci y ___ __ Grantin g thi s exemptio n woul dno t adversel y affec t

safety . Th e exemptio n merel y allow s Su n Country t o continu e t o operat e the existin g saf e servic e int o an dou t

o f DC A that

i t ha s bee n providin g sinc e Apri l o f 2011 . Conclusio n Fo r th e reason s describe dabove , M N Airlines , LL C db aSu n Country Airline s respectfull y request s that th e FAA gran t

thi s Applicatio n for

Exemption , wit

h a n awardo f slot s i n th e 100 0 an d110 0 tim e period , s o a s t o avoi dan y interruptio n o f th e currentl y operatin g LAN-DCA-LA N service . Re^pectiiill y submitted . Jcm h S . Frederickse n Vic e Presiden t

an dGenera l Counse l cc : Ro b Hawks , Esq . FAA Offic e o f

Chie f Counse l