"Dallas Airport Balks at Southwest Airlines Petition Drive"

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Southwest collects petitions opposing Wright Amendment
The Dallas (TX) Business Journal


Employees of Southwest Airlines on Tuesday delivered packets containing
petitions from more than 250,000 Texans who want the Wright Amendment
repealed, Southwest said. 
 
The petitions are a result of a "Right to Fly" petition drive that began
June 27. 

"Southwest Airlines wants to show our Texas leaders that there is support
throughout Texas to repeal the Wright Amendment," said Southwest President
Colleen Barrett. "The economic prosperity of the entire state should be
their first priority, not just the concerns of one airport." 

The Wright Amendment limits flights from Dallas Love Field Airport to
short-haul trips to a few surrounding states. Dallas-based Southwest which
flies out of the city-owned airport wants to repeal the Wright Amendment so
it can begin offering long-haul service out of Love Field. American and D/FW
Airport want Southwest to move some of its operations to D/FW Airport. 

North Texas business leaders, representatives from Dallas/Fort Worth
International Airport and American Airlines issued statements Tuesday
afternoon in response to the petition drive. 

" We believe -- in spite of Southwest's petition announcement today -- that
if Southwest were to start long-haul service at D/FW Airport, it would
provide a real boost to our economy and make the region more attractive when
competing for corporate relocations, expansions and business investment,"
said Dan Petty, president and CEO of the North Texas Commission, an
organization that promotes the economic vitality and quality of life in the
Dallas-Fort Worth area. 

American, in a written statement, referred to more than 30 chambers of
commerce, city councils and community organizations in Texas and other
states, representing more than 2 million people, who have urged Congress to
leave the Wright Amendment intact. 

"We acknowledge that competition between airlines is good, but there's
plenty of evidence that competition between airports is bad," Fort
Worth-based American said in the statement. "What's really at issue is
whether or not it is a good public policy decision to shrink D/FW Airport
for the benefit of a single airline that runs a virtual monopoly at Love
Field today -- because that is exactly what will happen if the restrictions
on Love Field are lifted." 

Web sites: www.setlovefree.com and www.keepdfwstrong.com

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