# Congress: Preserve our flights to DCA



## CHamilton (Jun 20, 2013)

> How A Merger Could Affect Congress' Favorite Airport
> 
> Members of Congress are pushing the Justice Department to preserve flights to small- and medium-sized cities from Reagan National Airport amid a review of the proposed merger of US Airways and American Airlines. Changes there could affect flights for lawmakers themselves.


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## The Davy Crockett (Jun 20, 2013)

CHamilton said:


> Changes there could affect flights for lawmakers themselves.


And since one thing we the people, as well as the ruling class, can all agree on is that Congress can't be treated like 'the great unwashed,' so there will be widespread bipartisan support - and actual action to solve this National (Airport) crises! 

There once were restrictions on the distance flights from National Airport could travel. Without getting into the whether the restrictions were a good idea, they were first lifted for one daily flight to and from Arizona. This was done by a certain senator and former presidential candidate, whose public persona is that he doesn't do politics as usual, who had specific, targeted legislation passed by Congress so that he could take a non-stop flight back home from National.


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## Bob Dylan (Jun 20, 2013)

The Davy Crockett said:


> CHamilton said:
> 
> 
> > Changes there could affect flights for lawmakers themselves.
> ...


Scott: That's because "Amtrak doesn't serve my State!" (not mentioning any Names but it's a State located between New Mexico and California! <_< )


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## Anderson (Jun 20, 2013)

Just wondering, but how much authority does the FAA have to block service cuts? I know they're not as powerful as the ICC of old.


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## PRR 60 (Jun 20, 2013)

Anderson said:


> Just wondering, but how much authority does the FAA have to block service cuts? I know they're not as powerful as the ICC of old.


Service cuts? None. The FAA has no authority to tell an airline that they cannot drop service.


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## Anderson (Jun 20, 2013)

In that case, it sounds like the most Justice could do is delay cuts, not stop them. A merger squeezing service a few months out would be one thing; a squeeze a few years out becomes a victim to market trends rather than a result of possible antitrust violations.


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## railiner (Jun 21, 2013)

Government regulations of airline service (not safety--still under the FAA), ended decades ago with the 'sunsetting' of the old Civil Aeronautics Board. The only involvement the government gets into service now is a section of the DOT that controls international rights and some subsidized 'essential air services' to small cities. The other exception to this is flight capacity limitations at certain airports like LGA, DCA., and the as mentioned range of flights at DCA and also DAL - Love Field....


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## saxman (Jun 21, 2013)

railiner said:


> Government regulations of airline service (not safety--still under the FAA), ended decades ago with the 'sunsetting' of the old Civil Aeronautics Board. The only involvement the government gets into service now is a section of the DOT that controls international rights and some subsidized 'essential air services' to small cities. The other exception to this is flight capacity limitations at certain airports like LGA, DCA., and the as mentioned range of flights at DCA and also DAL - Love Field....


And the restrictions at DAL go away next year. Southwest plans lots of new non-stops once that happens. I see few others doing from non-stops as well into DAL.


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## railiner (Jun 21, 2013)

saxman said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> > Government regulations of airline service (not safety--still under the FAA), ended decades ago with the 'sunsetting' of the old Civil Aeronautics Board. The only involvement the government gets into service now is a section of the DOT that controls international rights and some subsidized 'essential air services' to small cities. The other exception to this is flight capacity limitations at certain airports like LGA, DCA., and the as mentioned range of flights at DCA and also DAL - Love Field....
> ...


The weird convoluted restrictions at Love Field made for some interesting services for a brief period....one example was an exception to the range rules for aircraft with 60 seats or less being allowed to exceed the range limitation. I recall flying an AA Fokker F100, that was converted for this purpose...it was reduced to only 60 seats, and it was operated as all business class---at regular coach fares. Neat while it lasted......


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