SWA now getting involved with slot (s) possibilities

swamt

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I sure hope we can get all the slots we can at these two airports.  And I am sure there will be other airports before this is all said and done.  The article below now addresses both NY and Wash. airports instead of just the one airport as previously reported.  With SWA's briefings, you just know they will convince the DOJ that if SWA was to win the divestures of slots that SWA will come in and be able to reduce ticket prices and increase passenger numbers for the airports as they usually do.  Good news to read:
 
 

Southwest Air can file brief in US Air-American Airlines case



November 7, 2013 9:36 PM






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Nov 7 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Thursday gave Southwest Airlines permission to file a brief asking that US Airways Group and American Airlines be required to give up take-off and landing slots at key U.S. airports should they merge.
Southwest has expressed interest in acquiring rights at New York's LaGuardia and Reagan National Airport near Washington that could become available if the merger goes ahead.
In a statement, the Dallas-based carrier said its filing would explain the benefits it could offer consumers should it be allowed to expand at those airports. The judge hearing the case said the brief must be filed no later than Nov. 15.
The Justice Department filed a suit in August to block the merger between American Airlines. U.S. Airways and Attorney General Eric Holder said this week the government wanted the carriers to shed slots at Reagan National and other "key" U.S. airports.
Holder said he hoped to reach an agreement settling the matter before a federal trial is due to start Nov. 25.
American and US Airways declined to comment on Thursday.
US Airways told its shareholders in July that Southwest and JetBlue Airways were pushing hard to influence regulators to require it and American to shed slots in the merger that would form the world's biggest carrier. .
JetBlue told the Reuters Aerospace and Defense Summit in September that a merged American and US Airways should not have a share of slots at Reagan National that exceeds US Airways' current standalone share, which is about 55 percent .
Other U.S. carriers have cited potential benefits from the merger. Allegiant Travel, a Las Vegas-based low-cost carrier that serves leisure destinations, said on Thursday it would consider opportunities to acquire airport slots that might open up as a result of the merger.
"We would certainly consider any and all opportunities, however, ultimately economics are a significant consideration for us in any market," Allegiant spokeswoman Jessica Wheeler said in an email.
"We anticipate that the merger would create a healthy network carrier that would focus on the needs of business and international travelers, opening up growth opportunities in U.S. leisure markets for leisure-focused carriers such as Allegiant," Wheeler said.
  • Mergers, Acquisitions & Takeovers
  • Travel & Tourism
  • American Airlines
  • US Airways
  • Reagan National Airport
  • Southwest Airlines
 
Here's some great news. Hope we can get all the gates we want. AA has to give up the 2 gates they got at DAL. Wonder who might come in? Here's the video:

[video] AMR, US Airways reach settlement: Faber
 
WN's political machine will be in high gear but the chances are real high that WN won't get the two gates being divested at DAL.... anyone could argue that the DOJ would be creating an even worse situation by giving WN an even higher percentage of flights at DAL than AA/US had at any airport.
WN will end up smelling like roses in this process but it is very doubtful that they will be adding gates at DAL out of the deal.
 
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WN's political machine will be in high gear but the chances are real high that WN won't get the two gates being divested at DAL.... anyone could argue that the DOJ would be creating an even worse situation by giving WN an even higher percentage of flights at DAL than AA/US had at any airport.
WN will end up smelling like roses in this process but it is very doubtful that they will be adding gates at DAL out of the deal.
I never said SWA would get the 2 gates at DAL. If I were a betting man I would say the DOJ will put the 2 gates up for anyone that wants to come into DAL. If there are no takers then SWA could inherit them as needed. Remember, by Oct 2014 gates must be used or they go away. AA has not used gates at Dal for a very long time now. Only UAL is still flying out of LF now other than SWA. Use them or lose them come Oct 2014. SWA will be more than willing to use them.
 
DL has 50 seat RJ service to ATL. Since GA is not a Wright exception state, the 50 seat RJ is all DL can use.

I know you didn't say that WN will automatically inherit those gates but I also don't see that the control of the gates means that the current users of those gates have to forfeit their operations in order for AA to lose the gates. WN will have a strong operation at DAL but they will have competitors, exactly what WN has argued it should be allowed to be in other cities.
 
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I read this morning that Southwest was part of the discussions and Southwest said they wanted those two gates.  Not saying they are getting them just saying that Southwest says they could use them, then there's an agreement to divest them as part of the merger settlement.
 
DL just put out a press release saying that it believes the DOJ should allow all carriers to be able to bid for slots and gates and for the DOJ to not predetermine what airlines should be able to serve DAL.

That would seem to indicate that DL's ability to retain its service at Love Field is at risk since it is using AA's gates.

If the DOJ presides over a divestiture process which ends up resulting in dozens of communities losing service to DCA while providing effective monopolies at airports such as DAL, WN will lose a whole lot of the good will it has built up over the years.

While WN has a great track record with being politically active, DL is also very successful.

You can bet if DL is forced out of Love Field so that WN can have more gates, DL will make absolutely certain to reinforce that point.

It is hypocritical for WN to argue that they need to have access to the top airports in the NE while creating a monopoly that is far worse than any other airport.

Let's also keep in mind that there are federal laws requiring access to airports by competitors. Even though a larger WN is a bigger threat to AA, DL could well push a legal challenge to the settlement agreement if the agreement results in the inability of existing carriers to remain at DAL.
 
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WorldTraveler said:
DL just put out a press release saying that it believes the DOJ should allow all carriers to be able to bid for slots and gates and for the DOJ to not predetermine what airlines should be able to serve DAL.

That would seem to indicate that DL's ability to retain its service at Love Field is at risk since it is using AA's gates.

If the DOJ presides over a divestiture process which ends up resulting in dozens of communities losing service to DCA while providing effective monopolies at airports such as DAL, WN will lose a whole lot of the good will it has built up over the years.

While WN has a great track record with being politically active, DL is also very successful.

You can bet if DL is forced out of Love Field so that WN can have more gates, DL will make absolutely certain to reinforce that point.

It is hypocritical for WN to argue that they need to have access to the top airports in the NE while creating a monopoly that is far worse than any other airport.

Let's also keep in mind that there are federal laws requiring access to airports by competitors. Even though a larger WN is a bigger threat to AA, DL could well push a legal challenge to the settlement agreement if the agreement results in the inability of existing carriers to remain at DAL.
Not arguing here WT, but I haven't seen a Delta aircraft fly from DAL in a long, long time.  I have seen UAL fly out of DAL.  I could be wrong but I believe UAL is the only other airline out of LF, at least visually.  Delta was here awhile back, but they left after losing a lot of money and customers. 
 
if you're not arguing, then please tell me that the concept of codesharing is well established and the DOT considers flights operated by a regional carrier on behalf of another carrier as the responsibility of the marketing carrier for revenue and customer disclosure purposes.
While WN may not have had the concept for much of its life, they do codeshare with FL now.

Those FL flights are WN flights for nearly all customer facing purposes.

DL does serve DAL. And what type of mainline aircraft does UA fly from DAL since you don't seem to believe that regional aircraft are considered really UA flights?
 
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WorldTraveler said:
if you're not arguing, then please tell me that the concept of codesharing is well established and the DOT considers flights operated by a regional carrier on behalf of another carrier as the responsibility of the marketing carrier for revenue and customer disclosure purposes.
While WN may not have had the concept for much of its life, they do codeshare with FL now.

Those FL flights are WN flights for nearly all customer facing purposes.

DL does serve DAL. And what type of mainline aircraft does UA fly from DAL since you don't seem to believe that regional aircraft are considered really UA flights?
UA is using RJ's.  I still don't see DL getting the gates.  I think another LCC will get them.  We will see.
 
If it is a bid, then the free market will determine.

Arbitrarily cutting off some carriers because they have been around for a few decades more than WN even though WN carries more passengers and has had the same opportunity to buy slots at other airports as everyone else won't fly with a whole lot of people in Washington.

WN's plans just got really muddy.
 
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WorldTraveler said:
If it is a bid, then the free market will determine.

Arbitrarily cutting off some carriers because they have been around for a few decades more than WN even though WN carries more passengers and has had the same opportunity to buy slots at other airports as everyone else won't fly with a whole lot of people in Washington.

WN's plans just got really muddy.
No muddy plans. Trust me it is going in SWA's favor big time.  BTW here's the article from US officials stating DL and UA will not get gates divested by AA in the agreement, it says nothing about DL or UA not allowed to put a bid in, heck knock yourself out, bid all they want:
 


Delta, United Unlikely to Get AMR Slots, U.S. Official Says

By David McLaughlin - Nov 14, 2013 10:49 AM CT





Stock Chart for Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL)


Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) and United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) are unlikely to win U.S. approval to get take-off and landing rights given up by American Airlines to settle a lawsuit over its merger with US Airways Group Inc., a Justice Department official said.
Renata Hesse, a senior official in the department’s antitrust division, reiterated that the proposed settlement, which will allow AMR Corp. (AAMRQ)’s American to merge with US Airways, is designed to introduce competition at key airports by low-cost carriers.
“Whether somebody wants to try to get assets, we’re not going to stop people from trying,” Hesse told reporters. “But it’s hard for me to see how Delta and United would qualify -- would meet that description.”
The airlines must give up 104 flight slots at Reagan National Airport in Washington and 34 at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, along with smaller divestitures at five other airports, under the proposed settlement reached with the Justice Department Nov. 12. The agreement must be approved by a federal judge.
The accord positions the carriers to complete their combination in December, bringing AMR out of bankruptcy.
 
This case won't be decided in the media, on Wall Street, or at LUV's HDQ.

It will be decided in court and it will be shown there was no legal basis for the Wright Amendment or its revisions And certainly not foe the settlement agreement.

DL was on the sidelines before but is playing big time now.

WN's back room deal making won't work this time.
 
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and more significantly a legal challenge to the promise the DOJ used in the settlement. 
 
WN's little Wright amendment plans might go up in smoke all because they couldn't throw a few crumbs to DL. 
 
Apparently Mr. Kelly misread that wink from Mr. Anderson at the 717 signing ceremony to mean ^we will get out of ATL if you let us have Love Field.^
 
He was wrong.  Horribly wrong. 
 
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