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# I ! U.S. Department ofTransportation Office of the Secretory ofTransportation

The HonorableSenfronia Thompson Texas .House ofRepresentatives PO Box2910 Austin, TX 78768-2910
Dear Ms. Thompson: Assistant Secretary

January**18~** 2013 1200 NewJersey Avenue. SE W!!shingtoo. DC 20590

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(J'''\ Thank you for your letter to Secretary ofTransportation Ray LaHood, suppo1ting the application ofSouthwest Airlines (Southwest) for two within-perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan WashingtonNational AirpOit (DCA). Southwest proposes to serve Houston's William P. Hobby Airportwith.one nonstop round trip perday i:i'om DCA. Secretary LaHood asked that I respond to you onhis behalf. We received Southwest's application on December5, 2012. Other timely applications were received from JetBlue Airways, proposing one nonstop round trip to Jacksonville Intemational Airport, Florida, and from US Airways, proposing one nonstop round trip to Will Rogers World Airport 

### inOklahoma City. As the matter is still pending, I camiot comment on the merits ofthe points raised in your letter. However, I can assure you that all applications received by the U.S. Department of Transportation will be given due and careful consideration. TheDepartment's action onthis matter is being administered through a public docke4 which allows all interested parties the opportunity to comment Following ournormal practice
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## am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in docket number DOT-OST -2000-7182. I appreciate your interest in this matter. Sincerely yours,

Susan 

### L. Kurland Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs',

P.O. Bm: 2910**Au~tin.** lex11s 78768-2910 (512) .Jb:l-0720 Fax (5l2l 463-6306


### December 10, 2012TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

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The Honorable Raymond H. LaHood Secretary ofTransportation U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590 Re: Docket No. DOT-OST-2000-7182 

## Dear Secretary LaHood: 10527 Homestead Houston, Tt!xos 77016 (713) 633-3390 Fax (713) (,:B-7830



### I write in strong support of Southwest Airlines' (Southwest's) application to begin daily nonstop service between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Houston Hobby Airport (Hobby). Southwest has been an important part ofthe Greater Houston community for over 40 years. Southwest continues to grow in Houston, and now operates over 140 daily departures at Hobby to overthree dozen cities throughout the United States. · DCA is one ofthe few major airports not served directly by Southwest from Hobby. 

### In fact, no airline flies directly between DCA and Hobby. 

### It is long overdue for HoustonIs downtown airport and Washington, DC's downtown airport to be linked with daily nonstop air service. Through new DCA-Houston service, Southwest proposes to attract tens-of-thousand of new passengers and generate millions ofdollars ofconsumer benefits annually in the DCA-Houston market.

-A: E-mail: senfmnia.thompsonii!Jhouse.>tilfc.tx.us

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### Forthese reasons, I respectfully ask the Department of Transportation to approve Southwest's application. As one ofthe largest and fastest growing cities in the United States, Greater Houston is deserving of more affordable and frequent access to/from the Nation's Capital. Thank you for your consideration ofthis request. Sincerely,

SenfroniaThompson