Virgin America vies to inject competition at Dallas Love Field, as Southwest, Delta, Spirit line up

The most interesting aspects of the long-awaited repeal of the Wright Amendment that prohibits long-haul flights from Dallas Love Field are not how Southwest plans to position itself post-Wright, but the scramble for gates made available at Love as a result of the American-US Airways merger.

Delta, which currently leases two gates from American at Love Field, has already published a schedule of new service from Love even though the US Department of Justice has yet to render a decision over which carrier will ultimately operate from Love. Now Virgin America has revealed its desire for the two gates at Love, and tabled a schedule that includes flights to desirable business markets from the airport. Incumbent airline Southwest has also stated its desire to pick up the extra gates freed by consolidation in the US market place.

If Virgin America emerges as the victor in the battle for access at Love, it will create an interesting competitive dynamic. Its presence would result in a full service carrier (American) an ultra low-cost carrier (Spirit), a hybrid airline (Virgin America) and the hard-to-define Southwest all serving the Dallas metro area.