Nearly Year-Long Feud Over Gate Assignments Continues in Court

Southwest Airlines is bringing the city of San Antonio to court in an attempt to earn some space at the airport’s nearly $2 billion, under-construction Terminal C. The carrier has been attempting to void its Terminal A gate agreement for almost a year, but now it seems the feud may finally be getting resolved.

The case, which has been brewing since September 2023, revolves around a lease that locks Southwest into Terminal A while the airport builds a shiny new facility with 17 gates…none of which (so far) are assigned to the carrier.

Southwest says airport director Jesus Saenz “repeatedly promised” it access to the new terminal… a claim the city denies. The airline contends that without gates at Terminal C, its ability to expand in San Antonio and add international routes is limited. Airport officials counter that Southwest is trying to twist the Airline Deregulation Act to force a gate assignment and insist their allocation process has been based on the airport’s long-term planning needs rather than favoritism.

Southwest’s Terminal A operation runs to a long list of domestic destinations, plus seasonal flights to places like Cancún and Fort Lauderdale. Terminal A is slated for renovations that will add concessions and a wider concourse, but it doesn’t compare to Terminal C; it will accommodate both domestic and international flights, including widebodies.

The city has asked US District Judge Xavier Rodriguez to throw out Southwest’s lawsuit. If the judge agrees, the airline could be stuck in Terminal A for years while its rivals take advantage of the expansion. If the court sides with Southwest, San Antonio might be forced to rewrite its lease agreements just as the multibillion-dollar project gains traction.

For San Antonio International, which averages 260 daily departures across 27 gates, the outcome will shape which carriers get to claim the new capacity. For Southwest, the decision could mean either business as usual in Terminal A, or the chance to get its hands on the terminal it’s been eyeing for nearly a year.

FMI: www.southwest.com