Leased exclusive gates vs Common Use gates
Posted by sambar101@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 12 comments
So recently in my own studies I have been researching the costs of airline tickets. I have discovered something interesting which is how airports model their businesses.
Common use gates can potentially provide cheaper airfares for consumers since there are more airlines available for them to potentially use.
Exclusive leased gates basically enable a monopoly on the terminal or amount of gates. This reduces an airport’s efficiency since flights are at the whims of the airlines.
This kind of explains how American Airlines has a stranglehold on DFW AirPort and Southwest Airlines and Lovefield.
We need the board of directors of both airports to look into a study to see how much more beneficial a common use gates study would be. If someone is knowledgeable about this please discuss below! Id love to learn more!!
keystone_tastes_good@reddit
Southwest doesn’t operate at DFW due to the Wright amendment, however that is looking like it will change sometime in 2025
sambar101@reddit (OP)
If gates were common use would the wright amendment even apply?
Bla12Bla12@reddit
You have to understand the history of the Wright Amendment but the spark notes is Love Field was supposed to close down but Southwest sued to keep it open and so politics was used to severely hamper Love Field's size and available destinations. Eventually a political solution was made to allow more freedom for flights from Love Field but also have restrictions that Southwest couldn't come to DFW until 2025 without giving up space at Love. I've left out a LOT of details (like AA was fighting Southwest and trying to close Love), but the point is that politically Love was trying to be killed for a long time and it's still politically forced to not be a big airport. (For context, Love Field at its peak was about 70 gates versus the 20 they have now. It was shrunk for political reasons)
The literal rules of the Wright Amendment might not apply if gates became common but the political intent behind all the restrictions in the history at Love mean that if exclusive gates weren't the limiting factor, then politics would've forced a different solution so you'd get the same end result with different technical rules. It doesn't really change anything.
saxmanB737@reddit
What does this have to do with Dallas? Also, if an airline’s wants to start service to DFW, no one is stopping them. Gates are available.
sambar101@reddit (OP)
Gates are not available at Lovefield since Southwest owns every gate except 2 I believe.I think much of DFW is exclusive leased gates so Airlines monopolize gate and terminals to their carrier so other airlines cannot use these gates and hence decreases competition for those flights. Why should we subsidize routes for airlines with tax breaks for airports?
saxmanB737@reddit
I understand Love Field, but that was a limit on 20 gates due to things I can’t remember much about. But AA at DFW uses all their gates to the fullest extent. Even if another airline’s wants to use them, they are already scheduled for use. But the other common use gates are available for any airline to use if they started service to DFW. (And many have). But other than slot controlled airports, have any carriers been denied access from serving airport because of gates?
sambar101@reddit (OP)
Didn’t know DFW had common use! Thanks for that information. I wonder how that all affects flight prices.
saxmanB737@reddit
Yes, DFW has common use gates. They mostly in terminal D for the foreign airlines. I believe E has some as well.
I also watched that video a few weeks ago that you referred to. I work in this field and none of it makes any sense to me. She says a gate is sitting empty and therefore it can’t be used by another airline? Well a busy hub, of course it can’t. It’s used several times per day, often at max capacity. Gate space is very tight at DFW right now for AA because they have some closed for expansion. But there are other gates to use. Any airline can announce service and they will probably get a gate. Breeze just began service there. Same goes for most airports that are not slot controlled.
TopNeighborhood2694@reddit
Southwest and American Airlines drama has everything to do with Dallas
Thwipped@reddit
A great video by Wendover productions touches on this
sambar101@reddit (OP)
https://youtu.be/0_zWxdeq8F4?si=DHJecVgEfe2ohA-N
I watched this on perfect union yt channel was eye opening. I’ve flown internationally and have noticed only we do this as extensively.
yassermasood@reddit
Can’t forget that DFW is also American Airlines’ hub, so they’d definitely have to have dedicated gates of their own even if they’re in different terminals or in the same terminal they could just call the AA terminal.