Spring - 2005

While The Boys went with the "Darth Vader" approach, mixed with intense lobbying and political contributions & favors, Southwest went with a friendlier, more positive approach -- emphasizing the good things that would happen if the Wright Amendment were repealed such as lower air fares to more destinations, additional revenue for the City of Dallas, limited growth and a boost to the local economy.

In early March, Ron Ricks, senior vice president of Law, Airports and Public Affairs for Southwest Airlines, made his case in an opinion published by the Dallas Morning News that concluded:

If competition were permitted in North Texas, D/FW Airport would be the principal beneficiary. As fares decline, D/FW will get more passengers. And more people will come to North Texas with more money to spend for both business and pleasure.

Competition and freedom of choice may be better for the consumer, but apparently not for the D/FW parties. What's best for the D/FW parties is supposed to be what's good for North Texas, whether the rest of us like it or not. But does anyone doubt what the outcome would be if North Texans could vote; i.e., decide for themselves?

The carriers serving D/FW Airport have been protected from Southwest's competition since 1979, while Houston has flourished with lower air fares generated by two competitive airports. If the Wright amendment should not be changed after 26 years of protection of the D/FW airlines, when should it be changed, after Southwest Airlines has dwindled away? If not now - when?

That was followed two weeks later by a passionate plea from Herb Kelleher himself, who tried to make his case by ointing out:

• Dallas County reaped $15 million in taxes from Southwest in 2004, since Southwest's entire aircraft fleet is taxed in Dallas, not Fort Worth. Southwest's air services were restricted, but their tax payments weren't.

• The Dallas Love Field Master Plan, approved by the FAA, limits Love Field to approximately one-fifth the size of D/FW. All parties to the master plan, including neighborhoods and American Airlines, approved this size for Love Field and the amount of commercial air service it can support.

• Fares at D/FW were competitive within the Wright/Shelby amendment states but were woefully noncompetitive beyond those states.

• According to a Dallas Morning News poll in 1997, an overwhelming majority of the people in Dallas, Collin, Denton and even Tarrant counties favored repealing the Wright amendment. It was only D/FW lobbyists -- paid for by American Airlines and encouraged by DFW Airport and the City of Ft. Worth.-- who stood against the people's will.

• American had lowered its fares at Miami to compete with low-fare service at nearby Fort Lauderdale and reported more passengers and revenues by doing so.

Kelleher asked why lower fares at D/FW, produced by modestly enhanced competition from Love Field, would harm either DFW Airport or American Airlines and ended with a statement and one possible solution.

Southwest does not intend to harm D/FW Airport or any of its air carriers. If that baseless concern persists, however, then the Wright amendment could be gradually, in steps, phased out over a period of years, starting with its unprecedented and goofy marketing and ticketing restrictions.

Dallas has a reputation as a free-market, free-enterprise city. Does that reputation square with the 26 years of restricting Love Field in order to protect the carriers at D/FW so that they can impose higher fares on the public?

If the goofiness does not stop after 26 years of protectionism, when will it end?

The time is now!

Slowly, Southwest's efforts began to pay off.

In March, officials at Tampa International Airport voted to support Southwest's efforts to repeal the Wright Amendment, saying that the current restrictions made it more difficult and expensive for them to fly to Dallas.

In April, Republican Sen. John Ensign of Nevada announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate some or all of the Wright amendment flight restrictions at Love Field.

Aviation experts said some other key political players could include:

• Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., a key player on the Aviation Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, who would probably support repealing the law.

• Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., also a member of the commerce committee, and Senate. Mr. McCain said he had not made a decision about the issue but noted that he has "always been deregulatory."

• Majority Leader Bill Frist, whose spokesman said he was interested in the issue and soliciting input from both sides, listening to everybody, and wanting to do what was best for Tennessee."

• Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. who had previously introduced a proposal by nine Tennessee House members to allow flights from Love Field to that state's airports.

Despite Texas Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison's and John Cornyn's commitment to maintaining the Wright Amendment, Southwest claimed that Sen. Ensign's plans and non-stop news coverage showed they were gaining momentum, saying:

"The level of media attention and letters to the editors tells us that it's getting some traction and people are understanding the issue, which is wonderful,"

Encouraged by the positive response, Southwest launched their own pro-repeal website, explaining:

"There's just been a lot of pent-up demand for something like this for a while, and now people have a grass-roots way to start showing the Wright amendment the door. This site is going to provide just about anything and everything that people need to know or do about the Wright amendment,"

Southwest named their site SetLoveFree.com

It was time for Southwest Airlines, Love Field travelers and the rest of the anti-Wright Amendment, pro-repeal crowd to fasten their seatbelts and try to convince Congress to Set Love Free.

Tune - You're Still The One
Orleans

(Sung by North Texas Flyers)

(Instrumental Intro)

Love's been in Dallas
Since way back when
Lots of folks - have flown there
Again and again
Now we want you to know
After all these years
Love's still restricted
And it fills our eyes with tears.

Love's still the one
Bringin' low fares to you
At Love Field --
That's what they do
They're still havin' fun,
And Love's still the one.

We stand -- at the dawn
Of a brand new day
It's high t-i-m-e --
The Wright Amendment went away.
We want lower fares,
We demand its repeal,
Help - bring North Texas
Com-pe-ti-tion that is real.

So, listen up
We'll raise our voices
The Metroplex
We deserve more choices
Let's work -- (you and me)
We can Set Love Free

We're passengers
And we are strong,
We now believe
That Wright is Wrong.
Let's work -- (you and me)
And we'll Set Love Free

(Ohhhh Baby)

Please - Congress won't you help us
Bring competition to North Texas - Now
(Pretty --- Please)
(We're on our knees)
(Don't make us gro-vel, Con-gress)

Listen to us,
Listen to us.
Won't you help us, Congress?
Dallas & Fort Worth want
Low fares now
It's - a-l-l - up to - y-o-u
Because - y-o-u-'r-e - the only ones - w-h-o
Can e-lim-i-nate it

You know what to - d-o-o-o --
So we can bring more low fares to you

(Oh Babe)

Con-gress help us,
Listen to us baby
Let's work together
Bringin' more competition

Free - us - down - in the Metroplex
Wright is just a hex
We don't - n-e-e-e-d

(Oooooh Ooooh!)

It's Competition
That makes us shout,
It's lower fares
That we dream about
Let's work, you and me
And we'll Set Love Free.

Now Wright should go
'Cause it's time has passed
Repeal it now
Free Love at last!
Congress, can't you see?
You should Set Love Free.

(Wake Up!)

D F W
Needs no crutch.
Abolish Wright
(Thank you very much)
Help North Texas fly
And tell Wright goodbye.

(Now are you listenin' Congress?)

Fuel is high
(And times are tough)
But Wright is Wrong
(We've had enough)
Congress - you're the key
Won't you Set Love - F-r-e-e-e?

The - Wright - A - Mend - Ment - is -
Just - Plane - Wrong