# DELTA TOWNSHI P February 3,201 2

I • — _ Docke t Managemen t

Facility U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 1200 Ne w Jerse y Avenu e SE . Wes t Buildin g Groun dFloor , Roo mWI2-14 0 ; i ; ^ - ' Washington , D C 2059 0 B Re : Su n Countr y Slo t

Exemptio n - Docke t

Numbe r FAA-2012-008 9 Ladie s an dGentlemen : Su n Country Airline s ha s requeste dan exemptio n fromth e slo t limi t fo r Ronal dReaga n Washingto n Nationa l Airport (DCA ) se t

fort hin §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 for Su n Country' s use . Th e propose dai r carrie r slot s woul d replac e tw o slo t

exemption s unde r

DO T Orde r

2 0 I 0-12-1 6 awardedt o Si mCountry . O n January 6 , 2012 , th e Unite dState s Court o f Appeal s for

th e Distric t

o f Columbi aCircui t

vacate dth e DO T Order , an dSu n Country 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 Country desire s on e dail y slo t durin g eac ho f

th e 1,000 an d 1,100 hours . Th e propose dexemptio n woul dpermi t Su n Country t o continu e operatin g it s existin g service s an davoi da

n inequitabl e resul t

o f th e Court' s order . Retainin g direc t

servic e fromLansin g t o Washingto n D C i s critical . Lansin g i s th e hom e o f Michigan' s stat e government , Michiga n Stat e University , several majo r insuranc e companies . General Motors , hundred s o f stat e association s an davibran t corporat e community whos e need s fo r ai r servic e hav e tim e an dtim e agai n bee n demonstrated . Washingto n D C remain s th e numbe r on e destinatio n fo

r busines s ai r

traveler s in th e region . I n additio n t o providing direc t flight s t o Washingto n DC , th e rout e wil l als o offe r traveler s i

n central Michiga n connectivity throughou t th e Atlanti c seaboard , a s wel l a s internationa l destinations . Give n th e curren t economi c situatio n in Michigan , thi s propose dne w ai r servic e wil l pla

y acritica l rol e in helpin g t o secur e th e economi c wel l bein g o f

th e mid-Michiga n area . Accordingly , retainin g direc t servic e t o ou r

nation' s capita l i s critica l t o Lansing . Th e Su n Country DC A servic e i s essentia l t o th e economi c growtho f th e Greate r

Lansin g Region . Th e dail y servic e i s th e onl y larg e aircraf t (737-800 ) servic e t o Washingto n Reagan Airport , in th e stat e o f

Michiga n outsid e o f

Detroit . Prio r

t o Su n Country , th e regiona l community ha d requeste dth e introductio n o f thi s servic e fromnumerou s othe r airlin e operator s withou t success .

771 0 Wes t

Sagina w Highway • Delt aTownship , Michigan 48917-971 2 Informatio n Ph : 517-323-S50 0 • Fax : 517-323-859 9

v \v\AV.deltami.govDocke

t Managemen

t Facilit y U.S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio

n Re : Su n Countr y Slo t Exemptio n - Docke t Numbe r FAA-2012-008

9 Februar y 3 , 201 2 Pag e 2 o f 2 Accordingly , it

i s critica l that

th e FA A tak e th e necessary step s t o ensur e th e continuatio n o f th e Su n Country slot s a

t th e establishe dflight

time s i n support

o f Greate r Lansing' s busines s an deconomi c growth . You r immediat e approva l o f

thi s exemption , s o tha t

Su n Country can begi n t o ente r flight s schedule s for

sal e fo r th e balanc e o f

2012 . wil l b e greatl y appreciated . Thank yo u fo r you r timel y consideratio n o f

this mos t importan t

issue . Pleas e d o no t

hesitat e t o contac t

m e i f yo u hav e an

y question s o r

i f 1 may b e o f

any assistanc e i n you r

revie w o f

tbt s matter . Sinc^el; ^ ^ J^fft^y^C . Hick s D^ii aTownshi p Truste e