Proponents of Easing Medium-Haul Restrictions at Washington National Airport Take Fight to Senate

Advocates pushing for relaxed medium-haul restrictions at Washington National Airport are vowing to continue their efforts in the US Senate following a recent setback in the House of Representatives. The coalition, known as the Capital Access Alliance (CAA), supported by Delta Air Lines (DCA), remains determined to bring more long-haul flights to the airport despite the rejection of their proposal in the House.

The CAA, comprising business and transportation leaders, believes that changing the current status quo is a challenging endeavor. They argue that their proposal aims to increase competition, provide consumers with more choices, and make air travel to Washington, DC, more affordable and accessible. Brian Walsh, a spokesperson for the CAA, emphasizes that there is strong bipartisan support for a consensus solution that benefits both travelers and the industry.

The amendment, which sought to add seven daily roundtrip flights within and beyond the “DCA Perimeter Rule,” was defeated by a vote of 229 to 205 in the House on July 19. The rule, established in 1966, limits the number of flights outside a radius of 1,250 miles from the airport. The CAA initially aimed to add 28 daily flights but later revised the proposal to seven. Currently, only seven airlines are authorized to operate 20 daily round trips to 10 destinations beyond the perimeter, requiring 40% of passengers to make at least one connection when flying to or from DCA.

Delta Air Lines, a member of the CAA, has been actively advocating for modernizing the perimeter rule, arguing that it hampers competition, increases travel time to the capital, raises costs, and has negative environmental impacts.

In contrast, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines are opposing changes to the slot and perimeter rules at DCA. They cite concerns raised by the FAA and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, claiming that additional flights could lead to significant passenger delays and disrupt the airport’s operations.

As the debate shifts to the Senate, the CAA and its supporters are determined to continue advocating for their cause, seeking to address high ticket prices and limited access to the nation’s capital for travelers.