Originally Posted by
forgot to bid
I cannot find this article I posted, nor find it through the search engine, from aviation week concerning the slot swap's first rejection. But in that article it mentioned that both Continental and United had joined with Delta and UsAir stating that the DOT did not have the right to demand slots be divested to competition.
So if I get this right, we have Delta, USAir, Continental, United, AirTran, Spirit, Westjet, Jetblue, and probably AMR (given their additional slot swap with JB) and probably Alaska (don't we own them?
)
vs.
LaHood, rudderless DOJ and a SWA who never wanted into LGA in the first place and a made up precedent.
I'd laugh if this ever gets to the SCOTUS.
That may well be where it has to go
DOT and LaHood are so swept up in their own maniacal power grab, only a separate branch of the Gov't could provide a check against them. I don't think DAL wanted this battle, and we certainly tried to be reasonable with our proposals, but at this point we have little choice but to fight for the right to run a business without the iron hand of an out of control bureaucracy dictating winners and losers in the realm of private business.
I hope somebody at the Washington Post is keeping a close eye on LaHood and his cronies. I'll bet there is more than meets the eye.
Quick fact: In 2008, Ray LaHood secured $60 Million in earmarks for his district, and of that $60 Million, $9 Million went directly to his campaign donors. Not saying there is a connection, but it does seem strange that only SWA makes the grade for a slot divestiture
