gw_lit said:
You would think you would have the facts straight. Southwest didn't sign on with the other airlines to move from Love to DFW when it was constructed, since that all happened in 1968 and Southwest didn't even come into exisitence until 1971. Southwest never agreed to the Wright Amendment, they were forced to abide by it since Jim Wright wanted to protect DFW on his home turf.
Second, why doesn't AA have to fly out of Midway in Chicago as well as O'Hare to compete with Southwest? With the justification they're using to cut flights out of DFW and move them to Love, why aren't they doing the same thing in Chicago? I'd expect them to cut flights at O'Hare, so they can compete with Southwest at Midway. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, huh?
Disclaimer: I'm Platinum on American and I fly Southwest frequently, as well.
You are right. I did mis-speak. Southwest wasnt around then. But, when they came into being, they did sign on to be an intrastate carrier only. They agreed to limit the flights within Texas. The WA came into being AFTER Southwest started operations. The reason, Dallas and Fort Worth had always been fighting for years because of the city airports. Together they came up with DFW for the region. All airlines were to move operations from Greater Southwest in Fort Worth, and Love from Dallas.
Despite the clear intention of the cities and the cooperation of all other air carriers, Southwest Airlines (which began operating solely intrastate service from Dallas Love Field in 1971) steadfastly refused to move its operations to DFW, leading to a series of long and expensive law suits in the 1970s. Southwest, by arguing that the Civil Aeronautics Board determinations and Bond Ordinance provisions did not apply because it only served intrastate markets, successfully thwarted the efforts of Dallas, Fort Worth, and DFW to fulfill the Bond Ordinance objective of consolidating passenger service at DFW. As a result of this litigation, Southwest continued to offer intrastate service from Love Field.
Shortly after Congress deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Southwest applied for permission to provide interstate service between Love Field and New Orleans, in clear contravention of the intention of the Cities (as set out in the Bond Ordinance). This action threatened yet another round of litigation and controversy regarding Love Field. In order to put an end to the dispute and resolve all legal challenges, Texas Congressman Jim Wright negotiated a settlement among the interested parties. To make it binding, the agreement was codified into the so-called Wright Amendment (section 29 of the International Aviation Transportation Act of 1979). The law allowed Love Field to stay open instead of being closed down to commercial aviation as originally intended.
With the agreement of Southwest Airlines, the City of Dallas, the City of Fort Worth, the DFW Airport Board, and other interested parties, the Wright Amendment allowed the airport to remain open only so long as service would be limited to points in Texas and the four contiguous states. Without this amendment, the city of Dallas would have continued the process of closing Love Field. Since 1979, two changes to the law were made. In 1997 "Shelby Amendment" to allow service to an additional three close-by states and unrestricted flights on aircraft with less than 56 seats and now in 2005, Missouri was added to the list.
BTW, AA does compete in Midway, albeit very small. They should open that city up as well, but they cant because there isn't space. With Southwest buying parts of ATA, there isn't room to expand. Through in the talk with adding another airport south of the city, they are waiting to see what happens. If it does, you will see the reductions there as well.
