Frontier challenges DOT decision on Reagan National Airport slot allocations

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Frontier challenges DOT decision on Reagan National Airport slot allocations

Policy

Simple Flying | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Nov 27, 2024

Frontier Airlines has submitted a motion to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) to supplement its objection regarding the recent allocation of five slot pairs at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The DOT's order, issued in October, granted these slots to Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

In its filing on November 26, Frontier noted that the DOT had pointed out omissions in its application concerning aircraft type and flight start dates for routes from Washington-National to San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport. Despite this, Frontier contends that these details were not pivotal to the DOT's decision on their eligibility for a slot exemption.

Frontier emphasized that it operates only Airbus A320 family aircraft and highlighted the merits of its proposed route from Washington-National to San Juan. The airline claimed that its application "best satisfied the policy considerations" relevant to operating conditions at the airport.

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Frontier also objected to other airlines' applications, arguing that similar issues present in United Airlines' application were overlooked by the DOT. The airline asserted it was an "incumbent air carrier" qualifying as a limited incumbent carrier under the FAA Reauthorization Act 2024.

"In the Notice," Frontier stated, "the DOT explained that carriers’ applications 'should' (not 'shall') include...the aircraft type." It argued that since timing information was irrelevant for determining slot assignments, there was good cause for considering Frontier’s supplemental information.

The airline plans to operate flights between Washington-National and San Juan starting March 6, 2025. It will use an A320 configured with either 180 or 186 seats.

On October 30, alongside JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, Frontier expressed objections to the slot allocations. Both Frontier and Spirit contested Alaska Airlines' eligibility due to a codeshare agreement with American Airlines. They argued this partnership gave Alaska more access than Frontier had with its limited slots.

Alaska responded on November 12 by citing a legal agreement preventing them from displaying American's flight code on their itineraries at Washington-National following their merger with Virgin America in 2017.