Wright Amendment 2014 -- I knew this day would come.

As soon as this amendment expires it's going to kick us big time in the ABQ. We have had this great "mini-hub" thing going on for years as people flying out of Texas usually stop in ABQ, before heading west.

http://www.abqjournal.com/299208/news/abq-news/abq-sunport-braces-for-impact.html

I'm sure the Texans are pleased, but it's not great for us! I hope the other airlines step up. I just sent a request to Alaska Airlines to add us to their plans, but who knows?

Any other cities going to feel the impact?

Enjoy!

Kel:)

Texas is big. New Mexico isn't. The masses win ;)

Texas is big. New Mexico isn't. The masses win ;)

+1. The Wright Amendment was the result of an overprotective government and intense lobbying. Finally and fortunately it is coming to an end.

As soon as this amendment expires it's going to kick us big time in the ABQ. We have had this great "mini-hub" thing going on for years as people flying out of Texas usually stop in ABQ, before heading west.

 

http://www.abqjournal.com/299208/news/abq-news/abq-sunport-braces-for-impact.html

 

I'm sure the Texans are pleased, but it's not great for us! I hope the other airlines step up. I just sent a request to Alaska Airlines to add us to their plans, but who knows?

 

Any other cities going to feel the impact?

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

I've flown through TX many times, and don't believe I've ever stopped in ABQ. What point would it serve to make a stop there between DFW and LAX or HOU and SFO? ABQ is a small area and makes no sense to be a hub for anything. It costs the airlines dearly to be forced to serve these small markets and the government should not interfere in this type of business planning.

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

I've flown through TX many times, and don't believe I've ever stopped in ABQ. What point would it serve to make a stop there between DFW and LAX or HOU and SFO? ABQ is a small area and makes no sense to be a hub for anything. It costs the airlines dearly to be forced to serve these small markets and the government should not interfere in this type of business planning.

 

 

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

This was out of Dallas Love Field. American Airlines, Delta and DFW lobbied to prevent Southwest Airlines flying any farther than states that touched Texas. They wanted Southwest to pay gate fees at DFW. So, WN (SWA) could only fly as far as El Paso or ABQ when going westbound. Tons of flights out of DAL would be matched with dozens of flights going to PHX, LAX, OAK, SAN…, This was big business doing it's thing to a smaller upstart airline -- not big government interfering. ABQ benefited from this situation -- I'm not saying it was RIGHT, but it was in place since the 1970's.

Enjoy!

Kel:)

As someone who lives in Texas and used to live in North Texas I am very pleased. It was all about politics.

Kel is correct. It was all to keep smaller airlines at Dallas Love Field from competing with DFW.

Flying out of Dallas Love Field can be so easy in terms of getting to and from the airport but the downside was that you had to take two or more flights when flying to most places because of the law that was put into place for the larger airlines out of DFW.

Keith

All you need to know is that "Wright" was Jim Wright, Congressman from Fort Worth. Says it all.

This was big business doing it's thing to a smaller upstart airline -- not big government interfering.

Nice if you want to believe that, but as Flyer Talker said:

All you need to know is that "Wright" was Jim Wright, Congressman from Fort Worth. Says it all.

Congressman, "Wright Amendment", government making it a law. Definitely sounds like "big government" to me.

Nice if you want to believe that, but as Flyer Talker said:

 

 

 

Congressman, "Wright Amendment", government making it a law. Definitely sounds like "big government" to me.

Follow the money!

A case of two wrongs making a Wright.

Ba-da-bing. Please tip the waitresses.

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The Wright Amendment was in place long before American turned DFW into a fortress. Remember, there was a time when other airlines were just as big if not bigger at DFW. Remember Braniff and their really colorful planes?? It's really the result of a pissing contest between Dallas and Ft. Worth. Delta had a good sized operation there too.

Back in the day, Dallas had Love Field. Ft. Worth had Meachum. They both had commercial service. Then, it was determined that a new airport was needed for the region. Someone decided to build a giant new airport halfway between Dallas and Ft. Worth. They thought it would be a great way to spur growth in the region. The deal was that both cities would shut down their airports to commercial traffic. DFW opened. DAL and FTW closed to commercial traffic. Everything was all cool until some upstart wanted to fly flights between Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston. They wanted to use DAL. This was back pre FAA. When the CAB regulated things. CAB only regulated intrastate. Since the flights were within the state, they couldn't do anything. The city of Dallas went back on their word and allowed Southwest Airlines to operate out of Dallas Love.

Well, as mentioned, a congressmen from Ft Worth got pissed over this. So, the Wright Amendment came into being. It was initially more about Ft. Worth getting shut out of service and wanting to protect DFW Airport. Of course, over the years, as airlines grew a DFW, they became big supporters of the law. And DFW airport itself really did a lot to help the region grow.

But it's almost 2014. And it's time for the law to go away.

Back in the day, Dallas had Love Field. Ft. Worth had Meechum. They both had commercial service. Then, it was determined that a new airport was needed for the region. Someone decided to build a giant new airport halfway between Dallas and Ft. Worth. They thought it would be a great way to spur growth in the region. The deal was that both cities would shut down their airports to commercial traffic. DFW opened. DAL and FTW closed to commercial traffic. Everything was all cool until some upstart wanted to fly flights between Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston. They wanted to use DAL. This was back pre FAA. When the CAB regulated things. CAB only regulated intrastate. Since the flights were within the state, they couldn't do anything. The city of Dallas went back on their word and allowed Southwest Airlines to operate out of Dallas Love.

Actually, FTW (Meecham) ended commercial service in the early 1950's, way before DFW. The Ft Worth air service was then moved out to Amon Carter Field, later named Greater Southwest International (GSW). GSW was closed to operation with the opening of DFW - however, commercial service to GSW had ended several years earlier.

GSW was a white elephant, much like MidAmerica St. Louis is today.

A case of two wrongs making a Wright.

 

Ba-da-bing. Please tip the waitresses.

....and two Wrights made an airplane, and three "rights" make a left!