It's Almost Like Southwest Is Flying From There... But They're Not

In the latest twist to the Wright Amendment pretzel, Southwest Airlines announced Thursday the airline would expand its code-sharing agreement with ATA Airlines Inc. to include ATA's four daily nonstop flights to Chicago's Midway Airport -- meaning a passenger can now purchase one ticket to fly out of D/FW to any one of the 42 cities Southwest flies to out of Midway, and only have to change airplanes once.

"It will stimulate a lot of traffic," said Kevin Cox, D/FW's senior executive vice president, to the Dallas Morning News. "We hope that this will be a first step and that over time, perhaps, Southwest Airlines will put some of its own jets out here."

While it's not the nonstop service Southwest wants to offer from Love Field if the Wright Amendment is repealed -- and contrary to Cox's wishes, Southwest is in no hurry to begin flying it's own planes from D/FW -- the agreement does give those at D/FW something to cheer about.

It also puts American Airlines -- which is based at D/FW (below)-- in an odd position: the carrier offers five daily nonstop flights to Midway between its mainline service and regional operator American Eagle, as well as 17 nonstop flights to O'Hare International.

While the airline does stand to lose at least some of its business to ATA with the new agreement, however, officials with the airline believe those losses are worth it to prove their main argument -- that's there's plenty of room for Southwest at D/FW.

"It does illustrate that there is a lot of room for competition at D/FW Airport," said American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner. "Airline competition benefits consumers."

Tickets under the code-sharing agreement will go on sale January 3rd, with flights beginning from D/FW January 11. Flights can be booked through either Southwest or ATA.

"You'll see our famous low fares, which will be substantially less than what the prevailing fares on those routes are today," Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly to the DMN.

Those low fares, however, mean space will be limited on ATA's four daily nonstop flights to Midway from D/FW -- and the bankrupt carrier currently has limited resources to add aircraft to the route if needed. However, ATA could emerge from Chapter 11 next year, according to spokeswoman Michelle Foley, and plans are underway to add additional flights.

Southwest says the new deal does not mean the Love Field-based LCC is giving up its fight over repealing the Wright Amendment.

"Southwest still has no interest in splitting our operation between Dallas Love Field and D/FW Airport," said Mr. Kelly in a prepared statement. "We will continue our efforts to repeal the anti-consumer, anti-competitive Wright amendment."

FMI: www.ata.com, www.southwest.com