Thu, Feb 17, 2005
DFW, SWA Battle Over Love Field Restrictions
Lobbyists for both DFW Airport and Southwest Airlines are making
the rounds on Capitol Hill this week, trying for all they're worth
to change some minds on whether the Wright Amendment restricting
flights to and from Dallas Love Field should finally be lifted.
It doesn't matter which side of the argument you're on -- among
members of the North Texas congressional delegation, there are
minds to be changed wherever you look.
And some members are sitting firmly on the fence. Take, for
instance, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX): "I
understand both vantage points," she told the Dallas Morning News.
Her district now includes Love Field. It used to encompass DFW
Airport.
The Wright Amendment (along with the Shelby Amendment) limits
commercial passenger flights from Love to Texas, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Love is Southwest Airlines' headquarters and the company would very
much like to beef up its schedule to and from Love.
While some lawmakers are on the fence about changing or
repealing the Wright Amendment, others are firmly entrenched in
their respective camps.
"Why change a formula that's working well?" asked Congressman
Michael Burgess, quoted by the Morning News. "We've got two great
airports that are providing jobs and economic activity for our
area."
SWA had said it was "passionately neutral" on whether to repeal
Wright. But back in November, as Delta pulled out of its DFW gates,
leaving them open to other discount carriers, Southwest decided it
was time to remove what some have called its "geographical
shackles."
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