shoelu

Since 2008 Delta Air Lines has flown five daily nonstops from Dallas Love Field to Atlanta. That will come to an abrupt end on October 13, the same date the Wright Amendment expires.

In a letter dated Monday, the city’s director of aviation Mark Duebner told airlines officials that “based on the schedules recently provided, and the Gate Use License Agreement between Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, the City has acknowledged that Delta cannot be accommodated at Dallas Love Field after the expiration of the current sublease with American Airlines.” Delta will be allowed to continue operations in the old Terminal 1 until October 13, when Virgin America assumes control of two American gates in the new terminal.

"Delta is disappointed that the City of Dallas has made the decision to reduce competition and travel options at Dallas Love Field by failing to accommodate our service,” says Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter. “Delta remains committed to serving North Texas travelers from D/FW and Love Field airports, and will continue to work with all parties to find a solution.”

Banstetter says the airline was stunned when the city gave Delta its two weeks’ notice this afternoon. He says it’s not yet clear how the airline will accommodate passengers who bought tickets from Love to Atlanta on or after October 13, but it’s likely they be redirected to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Delta has been subleasing two gates American wasn’t using at the city-owned airport. Those are the same gates Southwest and Virgin America were fighting over earlier this year, after American settled with the U.S. Department of Justice by agreeing to turn over those gates to Virgin. After a lot of wrangling and hand-wringing among council members and Dallas City Manager A.C. Gonzalez, the city did as Justice wanted and turned over those gates to Virgin — but not before Mayor Mike Rawlings called on city staff to find room for all comers at Love Field.

There are 20 gates at the Dallas Love Field, 16 of which are controlled by Southwest. Virgin has two, and United has two.

After the city awarded those the American gates to Virgin, Delta was hoping to find room somewhere — anywhere — at the airport, likely at those United gates. There was no guarantee the city would find room, but four months ago Mayor Mike Rawlings called on city staff to find room for all comers at Love Field.

“I’m disappointed on what’s happening on the United gates,” Rawlings said during a council meeting in May. “They’re not using the landing slots. We have three airlines that want to come in here and do this, and we’ve got to figure out how to make that happen.” The three airlines to which he was referring were Southwest, Virgin and Delta.

Delta had actually hoped to expand its service out of Love Field with the expiration of the Wright Amendment. Banstetter says the airline was hoping to add 18 nonstops to five cities: New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul and two additional flights to Atlanta. Delta was going to upgrade from its current 50-seat planes, part of the Delta Connection regional service, to 117-seat Boeing 717 jets with first-class seating.

A United Airlines spokesperson said the carrier had not seen the letter and was not commenting on it. Messages have been left for Duebner and Gonzalez. We will update if and when they call back.

The city issued a press release Monday afternoon that says United will “permanently relocate” from Terminal 1 to the main terminal on October 1. For now, says the release, “Delta Airlines and Seaport will continue to operate out of Terminal 1.”

It?s official: City tells a ?disappointed? Delta Air Lines it can no longer fly out of Dallas Love Field | Dallas Morning News

R57 relay

Why should SWA control so much of DAL?

ShyGuy

The airline was stunned with a two week notice. Really? The math is simple. 20 gates. 16 for SWA, 2 Virgin, and 2 United. That's all 20. Hardly any room to be "shocked" when the city council announced a couple months ago that VX would be getting the two gates given up by AA as required by the government.

buzzpat

Politics.....and pizza parties.

itsokimapilot

Yeah, and why should United control so much of O'hare? Why does Delta control so much of Atlanta? Oh, and why does American control so much of Dallas-Ft Worth?

That pretty much covers the rest of the dumb questions.

R57 relay

Yet AA was not allowed to keep all it had at DCA. Not dumb, just special,right?

badflaps

Texas did not forget DAL's DFW pull-out.

itsokimapilot

That was the deal AA made to merge with USAir. What does that have to do with gates Delta never had at Love? Delta tried to get 10% of the gates at DAL and lost to Virgin. BFD!

ZapBrannigan

I'll bet $5 they suddenly find a way for Delta to operate out of an unused Virgin gate a few times a day.

captjns

Good golly gosh. Will the planet will come to a grinding halt! Will life, as we know, cease to exist??? What will be the effect on Global Warming? Will humans be able to continue with their normal daily routines?