Southwest to raise prices at DAL?

[swamt]

I seriously doubt that.  If prices were to increase at DAL it will be to off set the fuel cost or parking cost or building cost or something other than just "if Delta leaves DAL".  This guy forgets how airlines over at DFW (10 miles away) have had to lower their prices to compete with Southwest at DAL.  Of course Delta will use this type of an excuse to try and save themselves from having to leave.  We will all see come 7-6 or maybe longer now.  
 
Delta, Southwest Duke It Out In Dallas…And That Could Mean Higher Prices

 

[WorldTraveler]

it is illegal for WN or any other airline to signal that it will increase fares.

it either raises them and they stick or they don't.

And the reason why the article is PREDICTING higher prices is because DL and WN are both selling capacity that presumably can't both be accommodated at DAL. Less capacity will force fares up

WN just might find that their legendary history of legal battles to get their airline off the ground might be copied by other airlines that actually have the ability to win the case in forcing WN back into a small little box again.

 

[WNMECH]

Might, might, might.

Way to go out on a limb there.

 

[WorldTraveler]

It seems pretty certain that the DAL access issue is headed for a showdown.

and given that DL has made it clear it isn't going to be bullied out of DAL and WN is just as convinced that WN won't budge even though WN and DAL have had umpteen opportunities to push DL out but have not, I fully expect that it will be DL that will be the victor in all of this.

The only reason why WN has been able to achieve what it has is because WN was able to convince a DOJ that admitted they weren't ready to argue the AA/US merger case so instead caved to WN's wish list instead of performing any real analysis of what they prescribed.

given that WN has used the AA/US merger and the end of WA restrictions to dominate DAL like has never happened at any other airport even close to DAL's size, it won't take very long for a judge to rule that WN has far overstepped antitrust laws including by starting routes which other carriers said they would start if they had access to DAL.

DAL is going to become a real federal airport again or WN will be sent the bill for operating it as its own without federal funds.

 

[Kev3188]

When are all the tow on/tow offs and :15-20 minute turns going to start for DL?

I'm sure they'll pursue this, but IMO, at this point it's more about saving face/posturing than anything else.

And I'm absolutely sure Hauenstein & co. have an easily deplorable plan to shift any ex-DAL flying elsewhere (including over to DFW) should it come to that...

 

[WorldTraveler]

how about you look at the turn times for the 717 on the LAX-SFO Shuttle and in other 717 operations on the west coast?

DL couldn't tow the planes off the gate as fast as they are turning them as live flights.

Hauenstein has a plan to fly the schedule it proposed at DAL and then some, not cow down to WN.

He isn't a union leader so he fights and wins for what he believes in.

 

[WNMECH]

Wn hasn't had umpteen opportunities to push DAL out. Delta could not have been forced out of Love until gates were used to 10 flights a day, and you know it.
It shouldn't take long for a judge to rule that Delta is overstaying its welcome and holds NO legal leases at Love field and shouldn't have scheduled flights on gates they don't have legal contracts for.
Either way, the COD or a Judge are going to have to do something before Aug 6 (when both airlines will need the gate) or before jul 6 (when the Delta agreement expires).
No matter what happens then, the complete case will still have to be heard and ruled on near the end of the year.
So we will have to wait a little longer to get a final ruling.

 

[WorldTraveler]

and I suspect that DL will ask for and be given a reprieve until the issue is decided in court since the court has specifically said it won't even hear all parties by the end of the lease term.

And of course you will parrot the same message that WN is that they should be free to dominate DAL and exclude competition despite the fact that they agreed to 16 gates as part of the 5PA and now want to expand that while at the same time crushing any competitor that comes along.

The illegal part of the agreement is that WN should be forced to cut gates at DAL in order to serve DFW and that part will be easily overturned as anticompetitive.

I predict that WN will then be forced back to 16 gates and be given the opportunity to fly from DFW if it chooses to do so. regardless, WN will not be allowed to exclude other carriers from serving DAL including DL which has maintained a presence and which the DOT says must be allowed to continue serving DAL regardless of who actually holds the leases on the gate.

Competition law has and will supersede real estate laws when competition issues are at stake. It is true in multiple regulated industries and will be shown to be true in this case as well.

 

[WNMECH]

The Wright Amendment Reform Act spells out exactly how this should be handled.
Now it should go straight by contract Law.
It could hinge on how to treat a preferential gate lease holder at newly subleased gates.

But the WARA will not be overturned as you have predicted many times before.
WN will retain full and complete use of at least 16 gates as provided in that law.

 

[WorldTraveler]

and again, just because Congress and the Justice dept. signed off on a law that carved up competition in N. Texas between AA and WN and failed to allow either to adequately compete against each other DOES NOT mean it will stand.

DFW and DAL are two of the most concentrated airports in the US.

the DOJ did nothing but aggravate that problem and acted in complete disregard for DOT guidelines which have specifically worked at other airports in order to open those markets to competition.

WN will end up being a smaller airline at DAL and will be allowed to grow at DFW in time while other carriers will be allowed to compete fairly at DAL because of the gates that WN will be forced to give up.

simple contract law simply does not apply in antitrust law or in violation of proven policies to promote competition.