Senator Jim Inhofe files bill to protect Oklahoma and close Dallas' Love Field

Saturday, December 3rd 2005, 6:33 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma senator has filed legislation to lessen the impact on Oklahoma of a new law that allows American Airlines to offer flights out of Dallas' Love Field airport.

President Bush signed a bill that is a compromise in the fight over the Wright Amendment, which limits flights from Love Field to a 9-state area, including large markets in Missouri.

The amendment was meant to protect the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport from having to compete with Love Field in the late 1970s.

Senator Jim Inhofe says the new bill will have an adverse effect on service from American and Southwest. Inhofe says Southwest will no longer be forced to stop in Oklahoma for its longer flights.

Inhofe has filed legislation to close Love Field to commercial traffic in three years.

He says it's meant to protect service in Oklahoma and the 8,000 jobs at American's Maintenance and Engineering Facility in Tulsa.