"Wright Amendment: Flight plans"

Saturday, December 3, 2005

Opinion
Flight plans
The Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram


What the federal government was trying to eliminate when it ordered Dallas
and Fort Worth to build a common airport is on the road to resurgence.

With passage of an amendment to the federal transportation bill, a
restriction blocking direct flights from Dallas Love Field to Missouri
departed. But what arrived was an announcement from American Airlines.

The company said it would move into Love to compete directly with Southwest
Airlines on routes to cities such as St. Louis and Kansas City, and possibly
other locations as well.

That could mark resurgence of two major competing airports a stone's throw
apart.

Southwest has been lobbying for repeal of the Wright Amendment, which
settled a long dispute involving Southwest, Fort Worth and Dallas over
operations out of Love. The 1979 amendment restricted direct flights out of
Love to protect long-haul business at then-new Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

American's move to Love may provide a glimpse of a future without a Wright
Amendment, with air carriers competing for business at Love to the detriment
of D/FW.

How much competition will move from D/FW to Love depends on how hard
American wants to push the issue and on available gate space at Love. The
stakes are high, and Love has an edge: 57 percent of D/FW customers live
closer to Love. Losing a big share of business could greatly harm the big
airport that has been such a benefit to the North Texas economy.

Right now, gate space is limited by Dallas' airport master plan, and folks
say there's no reason to think that will change.

But they said that about the Wright Amendment, too. Both, after all, are
just words on paper.


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