Aerospace - Defense

The North Dallas Chamber of Commerce bravely set the pace for repealing the Wright Amendment early on in this debate when it said the area's "aviation assets (should be) managed locally to encourage the competition that will result in maximum benefit to the taxpayers, the region and the traveling public." This is a position we assumed other business people, including those represented by the DFW minority chambers of commerce, would embrace.

We know a number of these chambers' constituents are loyal Southwest Airlines Customers who value our commitment to low fares with a high level of Customer Service. We know these business people would benefit greatly from low fares to destinations outside of the current Wright Amendment bubble. We know these businesses also would benefit greatly from the increased travel and tourism that would be generated by repealing the Wright Amendment.

DFW Airport, and more specifically, a man in charge of the contracts awarded there, hosted today's press conference. We certainly don't blame the DFW minority chambers for trying to protect these contracts. It just shows that DFW Airport is fighting this battle with dollars and cents while all Southwest Airlines has on its side is truth, right, and justice.

Note: For the 2003-04 term, Dallas Love Field awarded a third of its airport concessions and nearly 40 percent of its construction and professional services to "Disadvantaged Business Enterprises" (DBE).

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