Frequent readers of this blog will know that I have a strong interest in the Wright Amendment and what it means to Southwest Airlines and flights to and from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Tonight I was pleased to read that a new law was enacted at the end of 2005 that allowed Missouri to be added to the states with an exemption from the Wright Amendment. Consequently, two new non-stop flights to St. Louis and Kansas City are now available from Dallas Love Field. Progress is progress, but there are still 41 more states that have direct flight restrictions into and out of Love Field. Might I add that it's great to see a Senator take action rather then send a crappy form letter saying that DFW has too much to lose from allowing Southwest unrestricted non-stop flights from Love Field.
Keep the pressure on the suits in DC!
Wright Is Wrong! Set Love Free!
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Chuck Norris doesn't sleep
7 years ago
7 comments:
Spread the word. Maybe, someday, commercial air travel between Tennessee and North Texas will be less than the cost of flying to Europe.
Sigh, monopolies are a beautiful thing... for American Airlines!
It's great to have cheaper airfare to Missouri, but Southwest has always had the option to run flights to all 50 states out of DFW, but they chose to stay at Love. I blame them as much as the Wright Amendment, it wa a company decision.
American Airlines has effectively taken control of the DFW Airport Board and runs the facility in a manner which serves no one's interests but their own.
The exodous from DFW has been breathtaking:
- Aeromexico
- Air France
- Braniff I
- Braniff II
- The Delta Hub
- Japan Airlines
- Mexicana
- Texas International
- Thai Airways
- Vanguard
- Western Pacific
American has run many of the weaker companies entirely out of business for daring to challenge its fortress hub. Others (like JetBlue) simply choose to do business elsewhere.
The primary beneficiaries of DFW Airport appear to be American Airlines and the families of Rep. E.B. Johnson and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (along with assorted cronies and hangers on).
Southwest, like most rational carriers, is avoiding establishment of a major presence at DFW. At the very lease, I think we should commend Southwest for sticking it out at Love Field and holding strong in the face of harrassment from American Airlines and its stooges at the DFW Airport Board.
How about the issue of the people in Dallas should have a local airport that they can use to fly to Chicago on business if they need to go to Chicago? When we lived in Dallas it sucked to have to go out to DFW, Love Field was much easier. One advantage I would give Houston over Dallas is Hobby airport. The Wright amendment has turned Dallas into a one airport town.
I totally understand the argument that American is so entrenched at DFW it is hard to compete there. However, implying that Southwest is not allowed to fly from Dallas to all 50 states is simply not true. They have always had that option and they made the CHOICE not to pursue it.
It is true that Southwest chooses not to operate out of DFW but why should they be forced to move their infrastructure in order to be allowed to fly to all 50 states? Southwest has not been afforded the same type of protection that DFW and American Airlines have recieved. What I am opposed to is the idea DFW still needs to be protected from Love Field. One could just as easily argue that American Airlines should offer cheaper fares, but they don't have to because of the antiquated protectionism that is the Wright Amendment.
Take AA and SWA out of the picture. American could offer flights out of Love to be competitive. The real question, how is restricting flights out of an aiport promote competition? How does handcuffing Love Field help promote business in Dallas?
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