### y ^

- ..vi T OPERATION S ULS . Departmen t o f Assistan t Secretar y 120 0 Ne w Jersey Avenue , SE Transportatio n ,,.,.,,.- , , ^ p | . j ^

^ashington , D C 2059 0 Of f ic e O f th e Secretar

y o f Transportatio n



## m2 5 

## 201 0 Mr . Ros s P . Woodstoc k Administrato r Mid-Micliiga n Busines s Trave l Coalitio n c/o Kol t Communications , Inc . 210 4 Joll y Road , Suit e 20 0 Okemos , M I 4886 4 Dea r Mr . Woodstock : Than k yo u for you r lette r o f Octobe r 6 t o Secretar y LaHoo dsupportin g Su n Countr y Airline s t o serv e Lansing , Michigan , i n th e ongoin g slot-exemptio n proceedin g a t Ronal d Reaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airpor t (DCA) . Th e Secretar y ha s aske dtha t I respon dt o you r lette r directly . A s yo u know , th e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n commence daproceedin g o n Augus t 3 0 t o reallocat e tw o DC A slo t exemption s tha t

ar e currentl y bein g use db y Republi c Airline , Inc . (Republic) . Republi c ha s bee n usin g thes e tw o slo t exemption s for DC A - Kansa s City service . Thes e slo t exemption s ma y b e use dt o serv e an y mediu m hu b o r smalle r airport withi n th e 1,250-mil e perimete r o f DCA . W e hav e receive datota l o f fiv e proposals , briefl y outline dbelow :

• Su n Country t o serv e Lansin g with 129

- o r 162-seat aircraft ; • Republi c Airline , Inc. , brande da s Frontie r Airlines , t o continu e t o serv e Kansa s City , Missouri , wit

h 99-sea t regiona l je t

aircraft ; • Southwes t

Airline s Co. , t o serv e Kansa s City utilizin g 137-seat aircraft ; • U S Airways , Inc. , t o serv e Pensacola , Florida , utilizin g 76

- o r 86-sea t regiona l je t aircraft , dependin g o n th e season ; an d • Ai r Tra n Airways , Inc. , t o serv e eithe r Fort Myer s o r Sarasota , Florida , utilizin g eithe r 117

- o r 137-seat aircraft . A s th e slo t

exemptio n proceedin g i s competitiv e an di s currentl y unde r revie w b y th e Department , I amsur e yo u understan dthat I canno t commen t

o n th e merit s o f

th e proposals . I assur e you , however , that th e Departmen t

wil l fully conside r

al l o f th e proposals , an dmak e it s awar dbasedo n th e selectio n criteri adetaile din th e governin g statutes .Mr . Ros s P . Woodstoc k

Pag e 2 A s i s ou r norma l practice , I amplacin g acop y o f you r lette r an dmy respons e in Docke t DOT-OST-2000-718 2 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor do f

thi s proceeding . I appreciat e you r interes t in obtainin g acces s t o th e Nation' s capital . I f I can provid e further informatio n o r

assistance , pleas e fee l fre e t o cal l me . rel y yours ^

Tusa n L . Kurfan d assistan t Secretar y fo r Hatio n an dInternationa l Affair sS I 0-101015-07 0 

## MID-MICHIGA N

m BUSIN E 

# • COA I BUSINES S TRAVE L 

# COALITIO N Octobe r 6,201 0 The Honorabl e Raymon dL . Lahoo d Secretar y o f Transportatio n Unite dState s Department

o f Transportatio n 1200 Ne w Jerse y Avenu e S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Re : Sun Countr

y Airline s Applicatio n - #DOT-OST-2000-718 2 Dea r Secretar y LaHood : The Mid-Michiga

n Busines s Trave l Coalitio n represent s more than 20 0 businesses , governmenta

l an deducational organization s in th e Mid-Michiga n area . Our

missio n i s t o wor k towar dth e developmen t

o f th e stronges t

possibl e air

servic e i n our

region . T o tha

t end , w e write thi s letter

t o suppor t an dreques t

approva l o f th e Su n Countr

y applicatio n reference dabove . The member s o f

ou r organizatio n collectivel y spen dapproximatel y $2 5 millio n pe r yea r o n air travel . Our

periodi c survey s o f

our member' s trave l habit s consistentl y sho w tha t Washingto n D C i s th e number on e destinatio n o f

ou r busines s travelers . A s th e home o f athrivin g manufacturin g an dinsiuanc e sector , Michiga n State University , more tha n 40 0 state association s an da s Michigan' s state capital , direc t servic e t o Washingto n D C i s o f vital importanc e t o ou r

region . Th e Mid-Michiga

n Busines s Trave l Coalitio n view s stron g air servic e a s acritical componen t o f ou r region' s economi c groAvt

h strategy . W

e als o vie w direc t

servic e t o Washingto n D C a s somethin g tha t addresse s ademonstrate dcommunit y need . Accordingly , w e woul dgreatl y appreciate your approval o f

th e Su n Countr

y slo t application . Sincerely , Ros s P . Woodstock Administrator Mid-Michiga

n Busines s Trave l Coalitio n