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FAA faces criticism over slot allocation process at Washington National Airport

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FAA faces criticism over slot allocation process at Washington National Airport
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Gary Leff Chief Financial Officer | View from the Wing

United Airlines has filed an application for one of the new exemption slots at Washington National Airport, created by the FAA Reauthorization bill. The bill allows five new takeoffs and landings at the airport for flights traveling more than 1,250 miles.

Four of these slots are designated for incumbent airlines with a significant presence at the airport, while one is reserved for a limited incumbent with a smaller presence. No slots are allocated to new entrants that could introduce new competition.

The FAA's eligibility criteria have come under scrutiny. They suggested Air Canada was eligible despite the requirement that slots be used on domestic routes. Spirit Airlines was deemed ineligible even though they appear to meet the criteria for a limited incumbent as defined by law.

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American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue Airways are identified as incumbents with significant presence. United requested another Washington National to San Francisco flight despite already having one such route alongside Alaska Airlines. JetBlue seeks a second San Juan flight.

American will secure their San Antonio non-stop route, which influenced Senator Ted Cruz's support for these slots initially. Frontier Airlines also expressed interest in flying from National Airport to San Juan but was declared ineligible by the FAA based on their interpretation of "limited incumbent" status.

The FAA defines a limited incumbent as an airline that has operated at the airport since December 16, 1985, and holds fewer than 12 slots there. Exemption slots do not count towards this total. Frontier argues they meet these criteria since they only hold exemption slots and have been operating at the airport since 1985.

Alaska Airlines proposes a route to San Diego, while Spirit wants to fly to San Jose. Delta seeks another Seattle flight to compete with Alaska’s existing routes. Southwest aims for Las Vegas to compete with American’s service.

The allocation process remains complex due to Congress's involvement in determining which airlines receive these slots based on lobbying efforts and political interests.

Organizations Included in this History
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