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Selling the Love Field agreement
Dallas, Fort Worth mayors and civic leaders try to win over lawmakers
11:31 PM CDT on Friday, June 16, 2006
By ROBERT DODGE, SUDEEP REDDY and IEVA M. AUGSTUMS / The Dallas Morning News
The mayors of Dallas and Fort Worth worked Friday to nail down the support of House members from North Texas for their Wright amendment compromise.
Dallas Mayor Laura Miller briefed Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, by phone Friday before leaving for a family vacation.
And Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, other city officials and business executives attended a meeting late Friday arranged by Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, who has positioned himself as a holdout in endorsing the plan.
The closed-door meeting was held in an American Airlines Admirals Club at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport immediately after House members arrived on a flight from Washington.
The meeting was called so that lawmakers could hear the details directly from city and airline officials. Lawmakers had been provided with only bare-bones information earlier in the week.
"They gave us an opportunity to talk through the terms," said Erle Nye, chairman of the Greater Dallas Chamber.
"They've got their duty, their obligation to be thorough and thoughtful about this," said Mr. Nye, the former chairman of TXU Corp. "This is just the first chance we've had to get to the important decision makers."
Mr. Nye said about 25 people sat around a long conference table reviewing the agreement document and breaking in with questions.
He said none of the lawmakers indicated whether they will support or oppose the plan.
"I think consciously, nobody expressed any detailed views," Mr. Nye said. "I think it's fair to say they were impressed with the thoroughness of the agreement."
No clues
After the meeting, lawmakers did not provide any clues to reporters about what they will do.
"I am not committed to anything, supporting it or not," Mr. Barton said. "I am committed to studying it."
And Mr. Moncrief said he was optimistic but did not want to make any predictions. "You can never say what Congress may or not do," the Fort Worth mayor said.
The mayors and airline executives announced the deal with great fanfare Thursday, after months of difficult negotiations. The deal calls for the repeal of Wright in eight years.
But if adopted, it would immediately allow one-stop flights to destinations beyond the nine-state Wright perimeter on a single ticket, something that is prohibited today.
The agreement also limits Southwest Airlines Co. to 16 gates and American Airlines Inc. and Continental Airlines Inc. to two gates each. There are penalties if any airline breaks the deal.
Congress must approve the plan by Dec. 31; otherwise all the parties would have to extend it.
In addition to Mr. Barton, lawmakers attending the D/FW meeting were Ms. Johnson and Reps. Michael Burgess, R-Flower Mound, Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, Ralph Hall, R-Rockwall, and Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell. Mr. Hensarling monitored the meeting by phone.
Lawmakers also met with Southwest chairman Herb Kelleher, American chief executive Gerard Arpey and Gary Kennedy, American's general counsel. Also attending were Jeff Fegan, D/FW's chief executive, chief operating officer Kevin Cox and Jan Collmer, the airport's board chairman.
The executives were escorted by police through a security checkpoint where they were screened before heading to the hour-and-a-half meeting.
Some members of Congress predict that Mr. Barton and Ms. Granger, who have adamantly opposed repealing Wright, eventually will back the deal along with the rest of the North Texas delegation.
The briefing gave members a chance to ask questions and prepare them for discussions with constituents over the weekend.
The mayors and the two airlines see the unanimous backing of the Texas congressional delegation as essential to winning congressional approval of the plan.
While also seeking approvals from their city councils, the mayors will get their own chance to lobby on Capitol Hill.
Ms. Miller is scheduled to visit Washington on June 27, the day after she returns from vacation.
Some disappointed
Other members of Congress have said they are disappointed in the eight-year repeal date.
They have renewed their calls for full repeal, or to have their individual states added to the destinations where long-haul flights from Love Field are permitted.
House members from Nebraska said Friday that they will continue to push Congress to approve legislation they introduced in May that would add their state to the Wright perimeter.
"This is good but not good enough," said Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb.
Don Smithey, the airport director at Omaha's Eppley Airfield, called the North Texas compromise disappointing and predicted the eight-year repeal date would cost travelers in his city millions of dollars while they wait for cheaper flights to Love Field.
"Somebody has to consider the consumer here," Mr. Smithey said.
Mr. Fortenberry is a co-sponsor with Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., of a bill that would exempt Nebraska from the Wright law and permit one-stop tickets to destinations in other states.
Jen Rae Hein, a spokeswoman for Mr. Terry, said the lawmaker would continue pushing to have Nebraska added.
"It may help Southwest Airlines, but this agreement does not allow nonstops from Nebraska to Love Field," Mr. Terry said in a prepared statement.
In addition to the fight on Capitol Hill, Ms. Miller also may face a legal wrangle at Love Field.
Ms. Miller said Friday that the operators of the terminal once used by Legend Airlines sent her a "very threatening letter" Tuesday, charging that the City Council's actions had ruined negotiations to sell the facility.
Earlier this month, the City Council authorized the city manager to investigate using eminent domain to seize the property, a move designed to prevent an airline from moving into the vacant facility.
Love Field Terminal Partners owns the terminal and holds a lease with the city on the land that expires in 2023.
Bill Brewer, a Dallas lawyer representing Terminal Partners, said the group is considering a number of actions, including a lawsuit.
After months of negotiations, Mr. Brewer said, his client was nearing a deal to sell the terminal to Pinnacle Airlines for $100 million.
"If I interfere with something that you have going, and I do it intentionally and maliciously, the law may provide a remedy," he said.
Selling the Love Field agreement
Dallas, Fort Worth mayors and civic leaders try to win over lawmakers
11:31 PM CDT on Friday, June 16, 2006
By ROBERT DODGE, SUDEEP REDDY and IEVA M. AUGSTUMS / The Dallas Morning News
The mayors of Dallas and Fort Worth worked Friday to nail down the support of House members from North Texas for their Wright amendment compromise.
Dallas Mayor Laura Miller briefed Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, by phone Friday before leaving for a family vacation.
And Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, other city officials and business executives attended a meeting late Friday arranged by Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, who has positioned himself as a holdout in endorsing the plan.
The closed-door meeting was held in an American Airlines Admirals Club at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport immediately after House members arrived on a flight from Washington.
The meeting was called so that lawmakers could hear the details directly from city and airline officials. Lawmakers had been provided with only bare-bones information earlier in the week.
"They gave us an opportunity to talk through the terms," said Erle Nye, chairman of the Greater Dallas Chamber.
"They've got their duty, their obligation to be thorough and thoughtful about this," said Mr. Nye, the former chairman of TXU Corp. "This is just the first chance we've had to get to the important decision makers."
Mr. Nye said about 25 people sat around a long conference table reviewing the agreement document and breaking in with questions.
He said none of the lawmakers indicated whether they will support or oppose the plan.
"I think consciously, nobody expressed any detailed views," Mr. Nye said. "I think it's fair to say they were impressed with the thoroughness of the agreement."
No clues
After the meeting, lawmakers did not provide any clues to reporters about what they will do.
"I am not committed to anything, supporting it or not," Mr. Barton said. "I am committed to studying it."
And Mr. Moncrief said he was optimistic but did not want to make any predictions. "You can never say what Congress may or not do," the Fort Worth mayor said.
The mayors and airline executives announced the deal with great fanfare Thursday, after months of difficult negotiations. The deal calls for the repeal of Wright in eight years.
But if adopted, it would immediately allow one-stop flights to destinations beyond the nine-state Wright perimeter on a single ticket, something that is prohibited today.
The agreement also limits Southwest Airlines Co. to 16 gates and American Airlines Inc. and Continental Airlines Inc. to two gates each. There are penalties if any airline breaks the deal.
Congress must approve the plan by Dec. 31; otherwise all the parties would have to extend it.
In addition to Mr. Barton, lawmakers attending the D/FW meeting were Ms. Johnson and Reps. Michael Burgess, R-Flower Mound, Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, Ralph Hall, R-Rockwall, and Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell. Mr. Hensarling monitored the meeting by phone.
Lawmakers also met with Southwest chairman Herb Kelleher, American chief executive Gerard Arpey and Gary Kennedy, American's general counsel. Also attending were Jeff Fegan, D/FW's chief executive, chief operating officer Kevin Cox and Jan Collmer, the airport's board chairman.
The executives were escorted by police through a security checkpoint where they were screened before heading to the hour-and-a-half meeting.
Some members of Congress predict that Mr. Barton and Ms. Granger, who have adamantly opposed repealing Wright, eventually will back the deal along with the rest of the North Texas delegation.
The briefing gave members a chance to ask questions and prepare them for discussions with constituents over the weekend.
The mayors and the two airlines see the unanimous backing of the Texas congressional delegation as essential to winning congressional approval of the plan.
While also seeking approvals from their city councils, the mayors will get their own chance to lobby on Capitol Hill.
Ms. Miller is scheduled to visit Washington on June 27, the day after she returns from vacation.
Some disappointed
Other members of Congress have said they are disappointed in the eight-year repeal date.
They have renewed their calls for full repeal, or to have their individual states added to the destinations where long-haul flights from Love Field are permitted.
House members from Nebraska said Friday that they will continue to push Congress to approve legislation they introduced in May that would add their state to the Wright perimeter.
"This is good but not good enough," said Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb.
Don Smithey, the airport director at Omaha's Eppley Airfield, called the North Texas compromise disappointing and predicted the eight-year repeal date would cost travelers in his city millions of dollars while they wait for cheaper flights to Love Field.
"Somebody has to consider the consumer here," Mr. Smithey said.
Mr. Fortenberry is a co-sponsor with Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., of a bill that would exempt Nebraska from the Wright law and permit one-stop tickets to destinations in other states.
Jen Rae Hein, a spokeswoman for Mr. Terry, said the lawmaker would continue pushing to have Nebraska added.
"It may help Southwest Airlines, but this agreement does not allow nonstops from Nebraska to Love Field," Mr. Terry said in a prepared statement.
In addition to the fight on Capitol Hill, Ms. Miller also may face a legal wrangle at Love Field.
Ms. Miller said Friday that the operators of the terminal once used by Legend Airlines sent her a "very threatening letter" Tuesday, charging that the City Council's actions had ruined negotiations to sell the facility.
Earlier this month, the City Council authorized the city manager to investigate using eminent domain to seize the property, a move designed to prevent an airline from moving into the vacant facility.
Love Field Terminal Partners owns the terminal and holds a lease with the city on the land that expires in 2023.
Bill Brewer, a Dallas lawyer representing Terminal Partners, said the group is considering a number of actions, including a lawsuit.
After months of negotiations, Mr. Brewer said, his client was nearing a deal to sell the terminal to Pinnacle Airlines for $100 million.
"If I interfere with something that you have going, and I do it intentionally and maliciously, the law may provide a remedy," he said.