Senator Ensign: Delaying Competition At Airports Hurts Economy

June 8, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced legislation today that would revise an arbitrary restriction on Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) that limits competition and reduces choices for travelers. By allowing the marketplace to operate more freely, this simple fix would give travelers more options and may lead to lower airfares on certain routes, particularly to the West.

“Free market competition would take off if Congress revised this rule that is no longer necessary,” said Ensign, whose bill has support from key Senate leaders. “With competition delayed, air travelers lose because, even though they have clearly demonstrated a need for additional flights to the West, including Las Vegas, air carriers are unable to meet the demand.”

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The Ensign-Boxer bill would allow airlines at DCA to fly beyond the airport’s outdated 1250-mile perimeter rule, while still ensuring safe travel and protecting service to smaller communities. The bill does not repeal the perimeter restriction and does not break up any hub-and-spoke operations. The legislation is supported by U.S. Airways, a major carrier at DCA and McCarran Airport in Las Vegas.

“Right now there is only one direct flight between California and Washington’s
Reagan National Airport – falling far short of consumer demand,” said Senator Boxer. “This bipartisan bill offers a balanced solution and would give Californians more choices for direct service to Washington, D.C.”

“I have fought for years to end the artificial barrier to full and open competition for airliners to fly from Western states into Washington’s Reagan National Airport,” said Senator John McCain. “Now that the restrictions on Dallas Love Field have been lifted, it is time to end the last of these Congressionally imposed restrictions on air travel that only serve to drive up consumer prices and limit travel options.”

In some cities with multiple airports, perimeter restrictions were put in place to force airlines to base their longer flights at newer regional airports. More than four decades ago, DCA’s perimeter was restricted to promote the then-new Washington Dulles International Airport. Today, however, advancements in technology and changes in the marketplace have eliminated the need to protect the now much larger Dulles Airport from competition with DCA.

The bill picked up support from a key leader, Senator Jim DeMint, the Ranking Member for the Aviation Subcommittee. Ensign and Boxer hope to add the bipartisan legislation to the pending Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that is moving through Congress.

Ensign’s efforts on a similar issue were key to eliminating outdated restrictions that limited airline competition. Ensign was a leader in the fight to repeal the Wright Amendment, which restricted flights from Dallas Love Field to only seven states and, as a result, discouraged passengers from flying low-cost airlines.

Source: Senator John Ensign