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BTC Publishes Wright Amendment Report

RADNOR PA., April 10, 2006–The Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today published analysis and conclusions regarding the Wright Amendment controversy after a 5-month due diligence initiative. In a letter to Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, BTC urged the officials to consider BTC’s findings as well as Senators James Inhofe’s (R-OK) and Tom Harkin’s (D-IA) proposed legislation, S. 1425.  

According to the Coalition, if the Mayors and City Councils pursue what’s in the highest and best public interest versus what’s in American Airlines’ or Southwest Airlines’ interest, then business travelers in Texas and around the country will benefit enormously. It is BTC’s conclusion that the public interest is best served by Southwest Airlines moving to DFW, a move advocated by DFW and American.

BTC Chairman Kevin Mitchell cautioned though, “Some may think such a move would be a dancing-in-the-street solution for American, but the airline should be careful what it asks for. Did US Airways invite Southwest into its hubs at Baltimore, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; United at Denver and Dulles? Of course not. Southwest’s entry to DFW would be a serious threat to American wherein the only winners who matter would be the consumer and the taxpayer.”