Frontier, Spirit, and JetBlue challenge beyond-perimeter slot awards at DCA

Frontier, Spirit, and JetBlue Airlines filed objections this week to Transportation’s tentative award of new slots at Washington National Airport (DCA) to American, Delta, Alaska, Southwest, and United. These were included in this year’s FAA reauthorization are exempt from DCA's 1,250-mile perimeter rule.

The goal was for airlines to either expand access to underserved markets or enhance competition at the airport. The winners:

• American Airlines to San Antonio (new to DCA)
• Alaska Airlines to San Diego (new)
• Delta Air Lines to Seattle (flown by Alaska to its primary hub)
• Southwest Airlines to Las Vegas (also flown by American)
• United Airlines to San Francisco (added frequency)

Spirit proposed San Jose, providing a lower cost option to Silicon Valley than United’s current space constrained SFO flight. Frontier and JetBlue both proposed flying to San Juan (estimated at 180 passenger departures each way daily) although JetBlue already flies to Puerto Rico and submitted LAX as a backup. JetBlue’s A320s seat 150 to most profitably stay under FAA’s ratios for flight attendants to passengers.

Under DOT's classifications, DCA slots can be awarded to “new entrants,” “limited incumbents,” and “incumbent” carriers. New entrants hold no slots, limited incumbents operate fewer than 12, and incumbents hold 12 or more. DOT awarded the new slots to incumbent carriers American, Delta, Southwest, and United, and classified Alaska as a limited incumbent. Frontier and Spirit argue Alaska's extensive codeshare relationship with American disqualifies it as such. That codeshare relationship replaced Alaska’s with Delta after the Atlanta-based carrier turned friend into enemy by promoting Seattle to a coastal hub.

Spirit, with engine issues grounding planes and plans to furlough 330 pilots next year, is writing retainer checks to its lawyers for a formal objection. Frontier and JetBlue, which both attempted Spirit takeovers with no success, appear to understand who is next in line for award.