The Wright Ammendment came AFTER SWA started operating, at the behest of AA & the doing of Jim Wright (then speaker of the House of Representatives, and a #&$% if there ever was one). Initially, the "deal" was that everybody operating at Love would move to DFW. SWA was NOT in buisness when THAT deal was signed, so SWA never signed it. Originally, SWA only operated inside Texas & was regulated by different body -- a Texas commission instead of the Civil Aeronautics Board (who regulated most aspects of interstate air commerce). Deregulation happened, and SWA expanded, potentially becoming a threat to American. They wanted tighter restrictions, and the compromise in Congress was the Wright Ammendment. Partly, it was to protect DFW, since everybody who had signed the deal was paying a lot in fees to fund its construction, and Love would be a cheaper alternative. Largely, it was AA trying to put the screws to SWA.
It only applies to airlines flying jets with more than some number of seats (like 50 or 70); that's why the RJ's can fly Love to ATL & such places direct, and why Legend could fly out west (until AA outfitted F-100's with the same # of seats & ran the fares down until Legend choked). Never understood how they didn't get nailed for predatory behavior on that one.
So, to get from DAL to PHX, you have to be on 2 separate flight numbers (although they should be able to check your bag all the way -- a concession to the security hassel of going out to reclaim & recheck your bag after 9-11). There is an internal schedule published that shows you all the ways to get from DAL to whereever, but it would violate the law to publish it for the public. You can do about the same thing for yourself, though -- just start picking connecting cities & pull up DAL to ABQ schedule, then ABQ to PHX, and see what your options are. Then the same going thru HOU, SAT, AUS, OKC, etc.
Yeah, it's a pain in the neck until you know what the good options tend to be.
Like I said, Jim Wright was a %$&@.
It only applies to airlines flying jets with more than some number of seats (like 50 or 70); that's why the RJ's can fly Love to ATL & such places direct, and why Legend could fly out west (until AA outfitted F-100's with the same # of seats & ran the fares down until Legend choked). Never understood how they didn't get nailed for predatory behavior on that one.
So, to get from DAL to PHX, you have to be on 2 separate flight numbers (although they should be able to check your bag all the way -- a concession to the security hassel of going out to reclaim & recheck your bag after 9-11). There is an internal schedule published that shows you all the ways to get from DAL to whereever, but it would violate the law to publish it for the public. You can do about the same thing for yourself, though -- just start picking connecting cities & pull up DAL to ABQ schedule, then ABQ to PHX, and see what your options are. Then the same going thru HOU, SAT, AUS, OKC, etc.
Yeah, it's a pain in the neck until you know what the good options tend to be.
Like I said, Jim Wright was a %$&@.
