A discussion about the airline industry, airline employees, and all things related

Is Southwest Airlines HQ free to move about the country?  The Dallas-Love based company is being courted by several other Southwest destinations for their HQ.  Chicago Midway and Las Vegas are probably on the short list.  Phoenix looks to be the front runner though. 
-------------------------------------------------------

Southwest Airlines Co. has agreed to hear a proposal from the city of Phoenix about moving its headquarters, the Dallas-based carrier said Friday.

The meeting could raise the stakes in Southwest's effort to repeal Wright amendment restrictions on long-haul flights from Dallas Love Field. Southwest has said before that if its operation here can't grow, it may have to move.

Fast-growing Phoenix is tied with Chicago as Southwest's No. 2 city in daily flights, narrowly trailing No. 1 Las Vegas. At Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport, Southwest is the No. 2 carrier, with 28 percent of passengers.

"Our mayor has had discussions with Southwest executives, and we told them we would be very interested in having Southwest's headquarters or any additional operations," said Scott Phelps, a spokesman for Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.

"We've been great partners with Southwest, and they have been with us."

Phoenix isn't the only city making advances toward Southwest.

Other cities on the Southwest network have contacted the low-cost carrier after comments from its executives that it makes little sense to have its headquarters in Dallas if it can't grow from Love Field, Mr. Stewart said. He didn't identify the cities.

Southwest's campaign to repeal the 26-year-old Wright law resulted in approval last fall of flights from Love to Missouri. But the carrier still wants total freedom to tap into the North Texas air market from Love.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and American Airlines Inc. want Southwest to move some of its flights to D/FW because it would face no restrictions. American executives said Southwest's discussion about potential relocation was a threat to help their cause in the Wright fight.

Southwest is adamantly against flying from D/FW because of its decades of investment at Love Field and because it doesn't want to face American at the Fort Worth-based carrier's largest hub.

On Thursday, American will launch flights from Love Field to compete against Southwest.

Southwest executives have said privately that they're disappointed in the lack of support from their hometown in the carrier's efforts to lift Wright's restrictions. Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and other North Texas elected officials have been trying to broker a compromise, but so far without success. Ms. Miller could not be reached for comment Friday.

Congressional leaders have said that unless the region solves the Wright issue, forces outside Texas will.

Southwest president Colleen Barrett said in October that if the carrier is unable to lift the Wright restrictions at Love Field, "we might have to begin casting about for a place that's more efficient to operate."

Dallas "wouldn't even make the first cut" if Southwest were to pick a new headquarters city today, Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly said last year.

The Wright amendment restrictions mean that Southwest employees take much longer to fly on their own planes to get to Love Field, raising its cost of doing business, Mr. Kelly said.

Southwest's 5,000 Dallas employees – about 3,000 of whom work at its Love Field headquarters building – and its 120 daily flights from Dallas Love Field contribute as much as $3 billion in annual economic activity to the city.

Southwest pays $15 million annually in taxes, much of that property tax on its fleet of 445 aircraft, and is Dallas' fifth-largest taxpayer. It has invested more than $200 million into Love Field over its 34-year history.

Messages left with Phoenix's city's two economic development groups and with its aviation department weren't returned Friday. Phoenix is home to US Airways Inc., which recently merged with America West Airlines Inc. and is now the nation's No. 6 carrier in passengers flown.

Dallas Morning News