Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links below. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) will see five new flights added that will each span over 1,250 miles. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved a bill that will allow five beyond-perimeter slots to be added. Each accommodate a flight that breaches the past limitation of the airport and I’ve written a good amount about the airlines that are already clamoring for these slots. American Airlines announced today that it received tentative approval for new, daily flights to/from San Antonio International Airport (SAT) on an Airbus A321.
The perimeter rule was introduced in January 1966. It limited flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to 1,250 miles or less. The thought was that longhaul flights would operate out of Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and noise pollution would be reduced for DC residents. This is similar to the perimeter rule at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) that was introduced in 1984 and limits flights to 1,500 miles or less. There are exceptions on Saturdays and to/from Denver International Airport (DEN) every day.
American Airlines was one of the first carriers to announce that it wanted a slot and hoped to fly to/from San Antonio International Airport (SAT). Now this route has tentative approval. Ron Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio, said:
Today marks a significant milestone for San Antonio as we get one step closer to securing a nonstop flight between SAT and DCA. This connectivity between San Antonio and our nation’s capital is long overdue and will benefit our community in many ways. I’m grateful for the unwavering support of our local leaders and the bipartisan backing of our congressional delegation. We are excited about the opportunities this will bring for economic growth, boosting both our business and military communities.”
American’s Executive Vice President, Nate Gatten, added:
American would like to thank the city and community of San Antonio, the San Antonio International Airport, U.S. Senator Cruz and the entire Texas delegation for its strong partnership and support of this effort. I’d also like to thank DOT for recognizing the overwhelming value this route will bring to a previously unserved market. We look forward to DOT issuing a final order so we can begin connecting more members of Military City USA with our nation’s capital and our industry-leading global network.”
American’s application for the slot included more than 150 letters of support from the San Antonio community backing the nonstop service, including bipartisan members of the Texas Congressional delegation, mayors, military organizations, advocacy groups, and chambers of commerce. American will use distinct flight numbers to honor the city’s proud history and the region’s strong ties to the military. Flight 1718 commemorates the year San Antonio was founded and flight 1947 reflects the year the US Air Force was established.
Anthony’s Take: One tentatively agreed upon and four to go. We’ll see who snags the rest of these beyond-perimeter slots.
(Image Credits: American Airlines.)
User Generated Content Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.
Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
