Delta Air, hoping to snare more business travelers, plans to launch flights to Dallas Love Field this summer with nonstop flights to its hub in Memphis.
The use of regional jets means that Delta won’t be restricted by the Wright Amendment, which limits nonstop flights from love field airport dallas to a handful of nearby states. The amendment only applies to flights on planes with 56 seats or more.
"Our customers tell us they love convenience, and they will appreciate the addition of Dallas’ most convenient and centrally located airport to the route map of the world’s largest airline," said Glen Hauenstein, the airline’s executive vice president of network planning and revenue management.
Although much smaller than Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, Love is closer to downtown Dallas. That could draw more corporate travelers who would connect in Memphis to Delta flights worldwide.
"Want to fly from Love Field to Tokyo? On Delta you can do that," Stewart said.
The new service won’t affect Delta’s flights at D/FW, where the airline offers 36 departures daily. Delta last had service at Love from 2000 to 2003, when regional carrier Atlantic Southwest Airlines flew Delta Connection flights to Atlanta.
Love is dominated by Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, which operates 16 of the airport’s 20 gates.
"We’ve successfully competed against multiple airlines from Love," said Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King. She noted that Southwest, which only operates full-size Boeing 737 jets, doesn’t fly nonstop to Memphis because of the Wright restrictions.
"We think customers will realize the advantage of a full-sized plane, as well as our great customer service and the fact that we don’t have all those fees," she said.