By David Field in Washington
After nearly two years of intense campaigning by Southwest to end the Wright Amendment limits on Love Field operations – limits set in 1979 to shield the then-new Dallas/Fort Worth hub – the cities of Dallas, Forth Worth, the DFW Airport, DFW’s main tenant American Airlines and Southwest reached a compromise. The Love parties agreed in mid-June to ask Congress to phase out the Wright limits over eight years but to freeze Love’s gate capacity.
Although seemingly a regional issue, the Wright limits gained wide national interest as Southwest made its case to “Set Love Free”, using websites, blogs, clever ads and all the tools of modern public opinion campaigning in a newly aggressive stance that has become the hallmark of chief executive Gary Kelly. Under Kelly’s predecessor, the legendary Herb Kelleher, Southwest maintained a “strict agnosticism” on the Love limits.
Southwest’s pleadings, however much as they resonated with cities thirsty for its low-fares service, came up against the reality that both DFW and American were still recovering from the industry’s downturn and that neither North Texas city would risk its investment in the nation’s number four hub.
Under the compromise, the number of gates would shrink from 32 to 20, in part to allay local population concerns about increases in noise, traffic and air pollution. Only 19 of Love’s 32 gates are now in use, 14 of them by Southwest, three by American, and two by Continental. Under the deal, 16 gates go to Southwest, two to American, and two to Continental. Southwest will also spend up to $200 million for a new main terminal and a people mover from the airport to a rapid transit line. ■
Source: Airline Business
