"Wright Amendment: Waiting for bill on Love Field"

Friday, March 18, 2005

Waiting for bill on Love Field
American VP expects Wright legislation, but nothing is filed yet 
By ERIC TORBENSON
The Dallas (TX) Morning News


WASHINGTON - American Airlines Inc.'s top lobbyist said Thursday that he
wouldn't be surprised to see federal legislation introduced to change flight
restrictions at Dallas Love Field. 

Southwest Airlines Co. has been lobbying legislators in recent weeks to lift
the Wright law, which limits most commercial service from the airport to
nearby states. 

"Eventually they're going to find somebody who's going to do it for them,"
said Will Ris, American's senior vice president of government affairs. "But
it's a long way from having a bill offered out there from having some
changing legislation being enacted," he said. 

An effort last year to add Tennessee to the list of states Southwest can
serve from Love Field died at the congressional session's end. 

Southwest, which wants to offer nationwide service from Love Field, says the
Wright law is anti-competitive and inflates airfares in North Texas. 

No bill is imminent, said Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart. 

"That's what we're working towards," he said. "We're meeting with lawmakers,
and lawmakers will have the final say." 

American and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport strongly oppose any
changes to the 25-year-old law, which they say would weaken service in North
Texas as more traffic would shift from D/FW to Love Field. 

American has other legislative priorities it would like to devote more time
to - such as lower taxes on carriers and creating laws that would allow
American to keep its pension plans. 

"The fact that we've had to spend so much time and energy and resources
focusing on the Wright amendment is immensely frustrating to us because of
the magnitude of the other issues facing us," Mr. Ris said.


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