Fri, Nov 15, 2013
Says Small And Medium-Sized Communities At Risk Of Losing Service If Some Carriers Excluded
Delta Air Lines is urging the U.S. Department of Justice to consider all airlines, including those that serve small- and medium-sized communities, in the process for divesting airport slots and assets related to the proposed settlement of litigation challenging the merger of American Airlines and US Airways.
Delta would like the opportunity to bid for slots and facilities at Washington-Reagan National Airport as well as Dallas Love Field, where it currently provides competition with daily nonstop flights to its international hub in Atlanta. Without gate access, Delta could no longer provide Love Field service. The airline says small- and medium-sized communities nationwide could experience a reduction or elimination of flights to key airports if the divestiture is limited to low-cost carriers, which typically do not provide service to small communities.
With a fleet that includes smaller aircraft designed for small markets, Delta says it would provide service to small and medium-sized communities from impacted markets, particularly at Reagan National Airport, similar to its operation at New York-LaGuardia, where more than 50 percent of Delta's destinations are small- and medium-sized communities. Other airlines expressing an interest in slots at Reagan National do not operate aircraft which will enable twice-daily flights to most medium-sized cities.
Delta believes that DOJ should not predetermine what communities will receive service with Reagan National slots or Love Field gates, and that it shouldn't exclude any airline from the opportunity to bid for them.
The proposed settlement, announced on Nov. 12, is awaiting approval by the Federal District Court in the District of Columbia as well as the judge overseeing American's bankruptcy proceeding. It includes a provision to divest slots and airport assets held by American or US Airways at several airports.
The settlement agreement authorized the DOJ, in consultation with six states and the District of Columbia, to decide which airlines can bid for the divested slots and facilities, but it does not restrict the bidding to any class or category of airline.
More News
From 2023 (YouTube Version): Legacy of a Titan Robert (Bob) Anderson Hoover was a fighter pilot, test pilot, flight instructor, and air show superstar. More so, Bob Hoover was an i>[...]
Get The Latest in Aviation News NOW on Instagram Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession >[...]
Aero Linx: B-52H Stratofortress The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic spee>[...]
Altimeter Setting The barometric pressure reading used to adjust a pressure altimeter for variations in existing atmospheric pressure or to the standard altimeter setting (29.92).>[...]
"Knowing that we play an active part in bettering people's lives is extremely rewarding. My team and I are very thankful for the opportunity to be here and to help in any way we ca>[...]