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DBJ: Southwest, Delta spar over ‘Love Field Letters’ in ongoing lawsuit

July 10, 2019 Evan Hoopfer of the Dallas Business Journal

Hoping to resolve a dispute between Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, the city of Dallas, which operates Love Field Airport, asked the U.S. Department of Transportation several years ago for guidance on what to do.

Kathryn Thomson, DoT general counsel at the time, responded with two letters to Dallas officials. One dated Dec. 17, 2014, was sent to City Attorney Warren Ernst and another dated June 15, 2015, went to Executive Assistant City Attorney Peter Haskel.

Now, four years after the last letter was sent, Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) and Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) are debating whether the letters have any relevance to their ongoing lawsuit.

Southwest has been trying to remove Delta from one of its gates at Dallas Love Field where Delta flies five daily flights, claiming the Atlanta-based airline is trespassing. Delta said it has every right to be there and it not only wants to keep flying its five flights, but it wants to fly eight more out of Love Field, claiming that Southwest should accommodate its request. The case has taken several twists and turns throughout the years.

Depending who you ask, the Love Field Letters are either “inappropriate and legally inadequate,” per Southwest, or, as Delta put it, directed Dallas “to make reasonable efforts to accommodate competition at the airport.”

To read more about ongoing dispute, visit the Dallas Business Journal.

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