U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Mark Strama 

State of Texas 

House of Representatives 

P.O. Box 2910 

Austin, Texas 78768-2910 

Dear Representative Strama: 

Assistant Secretary 

April 20, 2012 

1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Thank you for your letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, supporting the award of 

beyond-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to be 

used for nonstop service to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin, Texas. 

Secretary LaHood asked me to respond to your letter. 

Under authority granted in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, the 

U.S. Department of Transportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent 

carriers a total of eight slot exemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips. 

We received applications proposing to serve AUS from two carriers, Southwest Airlines and 

JetBlue Airways. Each sought two slot exemptions, which would support one daily DCA-AUS 

round trip; JetBlue also applied for two slot exemptions to serve San Juan, Puerto Rico. Other 

timely applications were received from Air Canada, proposing one round trip to Vancouver, 

British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one round trip to Portland, Oregon, and one round trip to San 

Diego; Frontier Airlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to San Diego; Sun 

Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas; and Virgin America, Inc., two round trips to San 

Francisco. 

As the matter is still pending, I cannot comment on the merits of the points raised in your letter. 

However, I can assure you that all applications the Department received will be given full and 

fair consideration and will be evaluated against the selection criteria specified in the statute. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment. Following our normal practice, I am 

placing a copy of your letter and this response in docket number DOT-2012-0029. 

I appreciate your interest in this matter. 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
March 19, 2012 

The Honorable 

Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

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MARK STRAMA 

DISTRICT SO 

This letter is submitted in support of nonstop service between the Nation's capital from Ronald Reagan 

Washington National Airport (DCA) to the Texas capital at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). 

Austin is the 14th largest- and the third fastest-growing- city in the United States with an MSA population 

of 1.8 million. This is a 37 increase percent since 2000. Moreover, this population is projected to reach 2 

million in just three years. 

AUS has grown right along with the city. Clean, safe, reliable nonstop air transportation is vital to Austin's 

continued growth. Austin has been ranked as "America's No. 1 Boom Town" by Forbes magazine. It has been 

named as one of the "Top 10 American Cities of the Future" by fDi Intelligence. 

Austin's unique blend of easy-going vibe and energetic capitalism has attracted residents and visitors from 

across the country and around the world. While the SXSW and ACL musical festivals and other entertainment 

events draw an ever-increasing number of leisure visitors; the SXSW Interactive. Conference and leading 

research institutions examine pressing issues of technology and public policy that also attract and retain leading 

figures in business and academia. • 

Consistent contributions to America's cultural, political, and intellectual life by Austin have helped many. Your 

award of the necessary slots for nonstop AUS-DCA service will ensure these contributions continue. 

Thank you for your consideration of Austin during this process. Please contact me if I may provide any further 

assistance to you during this process. 

Sincerely, 

A1~~ Mark Strama 

MS/mt 

P.O. BOX 2910 ·AUSTIN. TEXAS 78768·2910 · (512) 463-0821 ·FAX: (512l 463-1199 

S10-120327-073 MARK.STRAMA@HOUSE.STATE.TX.US