The Honorable Norman Mineta

Secretary

U.S. Department of Transportation

400 Seventh Street SW

Washington DC 20590 

Dear Mr. Secretary,

I am an Alaska Airlines employee and am writing to express support for the company’s application for two "beyond-perimeter" slots between Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

None of the current beyond-perimeter slot allocations are being used to serve California and approving our application would provide this badly needed convenient service. Approving our application would also provide "domestic network benefits" throughout the West Coast because together with our codeshare partners, we serve 43 domestic and international communities beyond Los Angeles.

Approving this application would also clearly "increase competition by new entrant air carriers." Although Alaska Airlines is a major presence on the West Coast, it currently has only two slots at DCA—the round-trip flight to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) authorized by the Department’s slot award last year.

Alaska’s DCA-SEA service has been a big success and has resulted in more competitive fares between Seattle and all Washington-area airports. It has led to the initiation of our new service to other East Coast airports---Boston, Newark, Washington Dulles and Miami.

Most importantly from my perspective as an employee, allowing Alaska Airlines to fly to Washington’s Reagan National airport from LAX will best serve the public interest because of the award-winning customer service we will provide. We live our values of Alaska spirit, resourcefulness, integrity, professionalism and caring every day as we serve the traveling public.

Please allow us the opportunity to offer our unique customer service to travelers between LAX and DCA by granting Alaska Airlines the two available slots at Reagan National Airport. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,	

Bryan Pherson

Customer Service Supervisor

Fairbanks, Alaska