Southwest Airlines
Chairman Herb Kelleher has commented on legislation introduced by two Texas
congressmen to repeal the Wright Amendment that unfairly restricts flights
at Dallas Love Field. The following are excerpts from a press briefing: “Southwest Airlines has been a bonanza in markets where we are allowed to
offer unbridled, unconstrained, unshackled, low-fare service; not only by
increasing traffic, but by creating a boon to local economic development,”
said Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines Executive Chairman. “Any time
competition is fettered, it is a penalty to consumers.

“The size of Southwest Airlines’ task force may pale in comparison to our
competitors,” Kelleher continued. “All we have is truth, right and justice
on our side—which makes us very successful. Those who are working to
abolish the amendment are standing for the American people, for
consumerism, and for free enterprise.

“There are crazy, weird, bizarre restrictions about what passengers can
and can’t do at Love Field; getting rid of the restrictions would be a
considerable boon to the United States and our Customers. We are asking
Congress to eliminate limitations that should have never been imposed in
the first place; we are asking for the freedom to compete,” Kelleher
concluded.

“The Right to Fly Act” is the first legislation to be introduced since the
need for the Wright Amendment was last called into question in November
2004. The 26-year-old congressional amendment limits nonstop flights from
Dallas’ Love Field airport to Texas and its four touching states (three
additional states were added in 1997). Designed to protect a
then-fledgling DFW International Airport, the Wright Amendment now
prevents meaningful low fare airline competition to and from the
Dallas/Ft. Worth travel market and serves to keep airfares high.
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