In response to this
morning’s statement supporting the Wright Amendment by U.S. Congresswoman
Eddie Bernice Johnson, representing Texas’ 30th District, American Airlines
Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey said:“We are incredibly encouraged by Congresswoman Johnson’s statement of
support for keeping the Wright Amendment.  We applaud her principled stand.
The Congresswoman has a unique and in-depth knowledge of what is truly at
issue in this debate.  As the only North Texas member of the Transportation
and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, and the U.S. Representative in
whose district Love Field is located, her conclusions on the topic carry
significant weight.
  “Congresswoman Johnson recognizes the economic impact that DFW Airport has
in the North Texas region and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that are
associated with it.  The employees of American Airlines and American Eagle
applaud and support her actions.
  “The fact continues to be that North Texas airline service has been truly
open to competition for decades, and that the Wright Amendment itself was the
compromise.  This arrangement has served the region well for several decades.
There should be no talk of opening up Love Field without a discussion of the
original intent of the federal government and local communities to close Love
Field to commercial air traffic.”
——-