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COPYRIGHT 2005 The Dallas Morning News
Byline: Eric Torbenson
Feb. 27--For years, it's been an article of faith among many North Texans that they pay more to fly.
The reasons: American Airlines Inc. has limited nonstop competition at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. And by law, Southwest Airlines Co. can only fly short hops from Dallas Love Field, where it's determined to stay.
How much more do travelers pay? It's hard to say, though any fare premium at D/FW because of the Wright amendment restrictions at Love Field appears to have shrunk significantly in recent weeks.
A Dallas Morning News sampling of last-minute domestic business fares shows it costs the same $509 to fly nonstop to Boston, New York or Seattle from D/FW as it costs to travel from Houston.
It's cheaper to get to Los Angeles or Fort Lauderdale, Fla., from D/FW than from Houston. But a trip to Phoenix or Oakland, Calif., can be a lot more expensive from D/FW.
The fares reflect new pricing put into effect last month by American, following similar changes at Delta Air Lines Inc. Business fares from D/FW are down nearly 40 percent from a year earlier.
But they also came as D/FW and American are seeking to fend off any changes to the 25-year-old Wright law.
In November, two months after Delta announced it was closing its D/FW hub, Southwest dropped its long-held neutral position on the limits, which restrict carriers from flying...
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