U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

The Honorable Stephen E. Ogden 

Texas State Senate 

P.O. Box 12068 

Austin, Texas 78711-2068 

Dear Mr. Ogden: 

Assistant Secretary 

April 20, 2012 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

~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 Refonn Act of2012, 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 
f•li:IR 22 2012 11:44 FR ~3EH IJGDEH 51241535713 TIJ 9202.3E·672iZI2 

P.O. BOX 12068 

Austin, Texas 7871H!068 

steve.ogden@senate.statG.tx.us 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenuet S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

TI-IE SENATE of 

THE STATE of TEXAS 

Stephen E. Ogden DistrictS 

March 22, 2012 

Tel; (512) 463·0105 

Fax; (512) 463-5713 

Dial 71i For Relay Calls 

1·888·694·2609 

This letter is submitted in support of nonstop service between the Nation,s capital from 

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to 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 percent increase since 2000, and the 

population is projected to reach 2 million in three years. 

There is certainly a strong demand by the travelling public for a direct flight fhlm AUS to 

DCA. Furthermore, because of Austin's role as the state capital of Texas, there is a need for 

convenient travel to Washington, D.C. for matters related to both state and federal government. 

Thank you for your consideration of Austin during this process. 

Sincerely, 

SEO/vrb 

~~ 

cc: Mr. Rich Bailey, City of Austin 

OommittEJes: Finance. Chairman; Education; Administration; G;ovarnment Organization