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House Supports
Airline Service to D.C.
HJR 28 Encourages Alaska Airlines' Bid for Washington Gate

(JUNEAU) - The House gave its unanimous support today to a resolution encouraging Alaska Airlines' efforts to win landing and gate privileges that would allow it to extend passenger jet service from Alaska to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the nation's capital.

House Joint Resolution 28, sponsored by the House Rules Committee, HJR 28 expresses the Legislature's request to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that it give favorable consideration to Alaska Airlines' application to obtain landing privileges at the airport.

"This resolution urges the federal Department of Transportation to award a parking spot, if you will, for Alaska Airlines at the Washington airport," said Rep. Pete Kott, chair of the House Rules Committee. "This would certainly be a positive for Alaska, to have non-stop West Coast service from Seattle."

The landing slots are available because the DOT has ruled that while American Airlines, the nation's second-largest carrier, may proceed with its plans to take over TWA, the smaller airline's landing slots at the D.C. airport could not be transferred to American as part of the deal.

DOT is now accepting bids for those slots in hopes of opening up routes into the nation's capital to airlines serving medium and smaller markets. Kott said Alaska Airlines officials have already told him of their plans should they win the slots.

"The route would actually begin in Anchorage, stop in Seattle, and then be non-stop over to D.C., which would provide additional competition in the marketplace, would have an effect on pricing, and for us and for the West Coast people, would be a great way to get to D.C. rather than the circuitous routes we always seem to have to travel."

After receiving all applications by the end of the month, the Department of Transportation expects to decide within two months what airline will prevail, and when such service could begin, Kott said.

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