Ssides From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 4059 posts, RR: 23 Reply 3, posted (7 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 937 times:
Interesting read.
Essentially, WN is saying that in addition to inefficiency, it doesn't want to take on the behemoth that dominates DFW - AA.
Now, I have always been on WN's side in the Wright fight. I believe the Amendment should be lifted, and that WN should be able to fly wherever it wants.
However, the article sort of made them sound like "fraidy cats." WN's whole argument thus far is that competition is good for passengers and therefore good for the industry. However, here you have Herb saying they want to avoid "brutal competition" with AA at DFW.
Don't get me wrong, it's a complex issue. There is some "he said, she said" going on, too. DFW understandably wants WN, and WN understandably wants to stay at DAL, while AA probably wants WN to stay at a Wright-restricted DAL. Of these positions, AA's is the least tenable; it makes them look afraid of competition. But based on this article, it looks like WN is afraid of competiton, too.
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (7 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 912 times:
>>>However, the article sort of made them sound like "fraidy cats." WN's whole argument thus far is that competition is good for passengers and therefore good for the industry. However, here you have Herb saying they want to avoid "brutal competition" with AA at DFW.
There's more than one type of competition--it can be head-to-head at the same airport, or operating via other airports (MDW/ORD, MIA/FLL, etc.)
I think a key element here is the associated infrastructure at Love Field. The costs of either replicating it at DFW, or using Love facilities for overnight maintenance whilst serving DFW (cross-ferrying 10-12 aircraft every day) have been deemed to be just one unacceptably high cost of doing business at DFW.
If overall DFW operating costs (loss-leader rent deal aside) weren't so high because of those infrastructure factors, perhaps your observation has merit, but it's still SWA's call.
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