This is already posted on the AA Board. Well there goes the neighborhood.
Does anbody have any tips for our possible new neighbor? I say lunch at the local Whata Burger is to die for.
American sets Love meeting, weighs options
Session may be first step toward return to city airport
12:00 AM CST on Thursday, November 17, 2005
By ERIC TORBENSON and SUZANNE MARTA / The Dallas Morning News
Real estate officials from American Airlines Inc. will meet with Dallas Love Field's airport director Friday in what could be the initial steps of the carrier's return to the city facility.
However, Love Field director Kenneth Gwyn quickly added Wednesday that he's received no formal indications from American suggesting it's getting its three gates there ready for flights.
"I've not been notified orally or in writing" about American's intents, Mr. Gwyn said. The agenda for the meeting at Love hadn't been formally set either, he said.
The Fort Worth-based carrier could be positioning itself to combat Southwest Airlines Co., should Missouri become the eighth state that can be served with interstate commercial service from Love.
A spending bill in front of Congress this week contains language that would exempt Missouri from Wright amendment flight restrictions.
An American spokesman confirmed that the meeting has been scheduled but wouldn't elaborate on the carrier's plans at Love except to say it's considering its options.
Southwest launched the campaign to repeal Wright a year ago. The Dallas-based discounter wants to serve its nationwide network from its home airport.
American, along with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, has opposed lifting Wright.
Possible consequences
American has said that if the rules were lifted, it would be forced to divert flights to Love from D/FW because so many of its best customers live closer to the city airport.
But by doing that, American argues, its largest hub would be weakened, resulting in less service to smaller cities and some international destinations, eventually hurting the region's economy.
"St. Louis is the kind of mid- to long-range market that generates a lot of local traffic," said American's Tim Wagner. "That's the kind of market we've been saying all along that we expect to have diverted under the scenario where the Wright amendment is opened up at Love Field."
Although American doesn't fly directly against Southwest's service to 11 cities from Love today, it does compete on fares to those cities from D/FW.
Southwest won't say officially that it would launch service to St. Louis or Kansas City, but spokesman Ed Stewart noted that it appears increasingly likely that Missouri will be added to the Wright perimeter.
"If it does happen, it would be fair to say that the people of Missouri ought to be very encouraged," Mr. Stewart said. Southwest is already the largest carrier in Kansas City and the No. 2 carrier at St. Louis.
American last diverted planes to Love Field to compete against Legend Airlines, which flew for just eight months in 2000. American shared gates with Continental Airlines Inc.
Continental continues to serve Love with regional jet service to Houston. American suspended its Love service after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Never used
American's three gates at Love, adjacent to the two operated by Continental in the East Concourse, have never been used. They were set to open on Sept. 23, 2001.
They're in "good shape," Mr. Gwyn said, and simply would require jet bridges to be attached and some other equipment to become operational.
Does anbody have any tips for our possible new neighbor? I say lunch at the local Whata Burger is to die for.
American sets Love meeting, weighs options
Session may be first step toward return to city airport
12:00 AM CST on Thursday, November 17, 2005
By ERIC TORBENSON and SUZANNE MARTA / The Dallas Morning News
Real estate officials from American Airlines Inc. will meet with Dallas Love Field's airport director Friday in what could be the initial steps of the carrier's return to the city facility.
However, Love Field director Kenneth Gwyn quickly added Wednesday that he's received no formal indications from American suggesting it's getting its three gates there ready for flights.
"I've not been notified orally or in writing" about American's intents, Mr. Gwyn said. The agenda for the meeting at Love hadn't been formally set either, he said.
The Fort Worth-based carrier could be positioning itself to combat Southwest Airlines Co., should Missouri become the eighth state that can be served with interstate commercial service from Love.
A spending bill in front of Congress this week contains language that would exempt Missouri from Wright amendment flight restrictions.
An American spokesman confirmed that the meeting has been scheduled but wouldn't elaborate on the carrier's plans at Love except to say it's considering its options.
Southwest launched the campaign to repeal Wright a year ago. The Dallas-based discounter wants to serve its nationwide network from its home airport.
American, along with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, has opposed lifting Wright.
Possible consequences
American has said that if the rules were lifted, it would be forced to divert flights to Love from D/FW because so many of its best customers live closer to the city airport.
But by doing that, American argues, its largest hub would be weakened, resulting in less service to smaller cities and some international destinations, eventually hurting the region's economy.
"St. Louis is the kind of mid- to long-range market that generates a lot of local traffic," said American's Tim Wagner. "That's the kind of market we've been saying all along that we expect to have diverted under the scenario where the Wright amendment is opened up at Love Field."
Although American doesn't fly directly against Southwest's service to 11 cities from Love today, it does compete on fares to those cities from D/FW.
Southwest won't say officially that it would launch service to St. Louis or Kansas City, but spokesman Ed Stewart noted that it appears increasingly likely that Missouri will be added to the Wright perimeter.
"If it does happen, it would be fair to say that the people of Missouri ought to be very encouraged," Mr. Stewart said. Southwest is already the largest carrier in Kansas City and the No. 2 carrier at St. Louis.
American last diverted planes to Love Field to compete against Legend Airlines, which flew for just eight months in 2000. American shared gates with Continental Airlines Inc.
Continental continues to serve Love with regional jet service to Houston. American suspended its Love service after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Never used
American's three gates at Love, adjacent to the two operated by Continental in the East Concourse, have never been used. They were set to open on Sept. 23, 2001.
They're in "good shape," Mr. Gwyn said, and simply would require jet bridges to be attached and some other equipment to become operational.