Southwest to Delta: "You Can Use Our Love Field Gate Until".....
Delta Air Lines has secured the right to continue to operate service at Dallas Love Field through the end of the year, and continues to work with all parties involved toward a permanent solution to allow for long-term service,” says a statement from the carrier. “Delta remains committed to serving its North Texas customers at both Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.” Southwest Airlines says it will let Delta Air Lines share one of its gates at Dallas Love Field.
Last week Delta was informed by Mark Duebner, Dallas’ director of aviation, that it would have to leave the city-owned airport on October 13, when the Wright Amendment comes to its more-or-less end. It has been using American Airlines’ gates, which will go to Virgin America Monday.
Duebner says that for now, at least, he has no comment.
Southwest is only letting Delta use that gate until January 6, when Southwest launches Oakland and San Francisco nonstop service from Dallas Love Field.
“We have let Delta know that we are willing to potentially accommodate them on a portion of a gate through January 6, 2015, in order to avoid inconveniencing passengers booked on Delta flights from Love Field during that time,” Southwest vice president and general counsel Mark Shaw said Wednesday evening. “Our discussions with Delta are ongoing. Any accommodation is subject to agreement between Southwest and Delta covering reasonable terms and conditions. We hope and expect to conclude these discussions quickly.”
United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy says the carrier “did offer ticket counter and support space through the end of the year,” but not one of its gates.
Delta, which has been flying five daily nonstops from Dallas Love Field to Atlanta since 2008, had hoped to use United Airlines’ gates. But the city told Delta last week that there was no more room: The new Love Field has 20 gates, 16 of which are being used by Southwest, two of which will be used by Virgin America, and two of which are being leased by United. The city says United is subleasing one to Southwest, and told the city it will use the second to add a handful of additional flights to Houston.
In a letter to the city at the end of last week, Delta’s attorneys threatened to sue the city if it didn’t find room for the airlines at Love at least through the end of the year. Washington, D.C.-based attorney Kenneth Quinn told the city in a nine-page letter that Delta was under the impression — “as recently as last week” — that the city “had notified United by letter that it must accommodate Delta on its gates.” Quinn told the city that at the very least it wanted Dallas City Hall to allow the carrier to keep flying out of Love Field until January, if only to accommodate the 16,000 passengers who have already purchased tickets out of Love.
