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Reports & Studies
The Wright Amendment Debate: Now For Some Facts
The Boyd Group
Published in July 2005, "The Wright Amendment Debate: Now for Some Facts" was independently conducted and funded by leading aviation consultant Michael Boyd and his firm, The Boyd Group, Inc.
The study concludes that:
The Wright Amendment has outlived its purpose.
The Wright Amendment's original intent, "to protect the economic viability of Dallas/Fort Worth International has long since been made obsolete by the growth of that airport and by major demographic and industrial shifts in the Metroplex."1
"This is not 1974. Today, the Metroplex generates somewhere in the neighborhood of 23 million O&D [originating and departing] passengers. Of these, nearly 75% use DFW International. There are reasons for this DFW dominance, and the Wright Amendment is a relatively minor one." 2
Love Field will not steal substantial traffic from DFW Airport.
".The claims that additional service at Love would bleed substantial passengers from American Airlines service at DFW are not sustainable in light of recent history. First, the additional drive to DFW from, say, Highland Park, is neither onerous nor highly time-consuming. Second, history would indicate that such a drive - say, an extra 15-20 minutes via freeway (if that) - isn't a deterrent to using DFW. When additional service was added at Love in 2000, using aircraft configured to meet the requirements of the Amendment, the results were almost uniformly a failure." 3
"Furthermore, the implication that DFW is some difficult-to assess airport located in the far reaches of rural Texas is entirely nonsense. Not only is DFW easy and quick to reach from all sections of the Metroplex, it is also far more convenient to consumers in Fort Worth, and to those in the rapidly expanding Northwest/Alliance quadrant of the area. Love Field is not." 4
Expansion at Dallas Love Field will be limited.
"The expectations of massive Southwest expansion at Love Field in the event of a Wright repeal are most likely unfounded." 5
"Should the Wright Amendment be repealed, we believe that Southwest Airlines will (in keeping with its methodical approach) make gradual and modest new service additions at Love Field." 6
"Our analyses indicate no more than 12 markets where WN [Southwest Airlines] would logically expand in the absence of the Wright Amendment. Of these, six, (PHX, LAS, MDW, MCO, BWI and LAX) already have nonstop low-fare service from DFW. Four others have a high degree of connect service to and from DFW. Therefore, while there would definitely be yield erosion to AA in about three or four markets, it would be limited." 7
"Certainly the 'damage' such yield erosion would do to American would pale in comparison to the mistake of AA splitting its hub at DFW for the purpose of responding to competition in less than a dozen markets." 8
Love Field facilities will NOT support a major growth in passenger traffic.
"To posture Love as a huge growth opportunity for more air service, as some do, simply is not supported by basic demographics nor by geographics. By the same token, to imply that an unfettered Love Field is a material threat to the economic future of DFW isn't supportable, either." 9
"Love Field is NOT materially expandable in the near term, and in light of political and ecological realities, is not likely to be expanded in the long term. It would take years to accomplish the planning, funding, and political gymnastics needed to even start to build the facilities needed to effectively and efficiently accommodate the 22 million passengers that one 'study' predicted would show up at Love due to the Wright repeal." 10
Regardless of the outcome of the repeal effort, American Airlines has an advantage.
"With the Wright Amendment, the status quo continues, which is favorable to AA." 11
"Without the Wright Amendment, WN will indeed add service at Love. Our analysis indicates that such will result in flight frequencies at levels just above those Southwest operated before 9/11. To be sure, it will be to some destinations that represent new competition for AA, but not to the extent that it would be a major threat to American's global hub at DFW International." 12
"In the event of a Wright repeal and an expansion of Southwest at DAL, the attractiveness of DFW as an entry point for service to the Metroplex would be enhanced, by virtue of its better geographic position, better access to the consumer base, and better facilities." 13
The repeal of the Wright Amendment will have no significant environmental impact to the Love Field area.
"Some parties have intimated that repeal of the Wright Amendment would have a significant negative environmental impact on the area surrounding Love Field. This is not necessarily accurate. To reach this conclusion, we reviewed Southwest Airlines historical, current and likely future operations at Love Field. In fact, such an operation would not only be about the size of what it was before 9/11, but it would also be far more environment-friendly." 14
"Generic U.S. industry data indicates that the Boeing 737-700 take off noise footprint is about one quarter (25%) of the size of that produced by a hush-kitted 737-200. Therefore, we believe that this schedule projection, with the 737-200s replaced with 737-700s, would actually generate less dBA aircraft noise in the local community than was generated in August of 2001."15
1The Boyd Group. "The Wright Amendment Debate: Now For Some Facts." Aviation Research Report . July 2005. Page 6.
2The Boyd Group. Page 22.
3The Boyd Group. Pages 12-13.
4The Boyd Group. Page 13.
5The Boyd Group. Page 30.
6The Boyd Group. Page 31
7The Boyd Group. Page 13
8The Boyd Group. Page 13
9The Boyd Group. Page 22
10The Boyd Group. Page 12
11The Boyd Group. Page 14
12The Boyd Group. Page 14
13The Boyd Group. Page 36.
14The Boyd Group. Page 33
15The Boyd Group. Page 33
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