SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 33
WHEREAS, for many years, residents in the greater St. Louis area enjoyed regular airline service by TWA to and from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA); and
WHEREAS, St. Louis is a large market, with over 2.6 million people in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area, and for the year 2003, the St. Louis-Washington market (not including BWI) ranked 13th among Washington destinations inside the 1,250-mile perimeter with 243,302 passengers; and
WHEREAS, because TWA was the dominant airline in St. Louis, fares were relatively high, especially for business travelers who often traveled on a few days' notice. When American Airlines acquired TWA several years ago, they significantly reduced their presence in St. Louis and service to Washington, D.C. has suffered as a result; and
WHEREAS, American Airlines now operates its DCA to STL services using regional jets with a seating capacity of 50 or less seats, United Airlines operates three daily roundtrips using regional jets between St. Louis and Dulles, and Southwest Airlines only flies to BWI, not to DCA or Dulles; and
WHEREAS, with such a lack of competition for flights to Washington, D.C., Primaris, a new entrant airline, would introduce competition in the market served currently only by American Airlines; and
WHEREAS, Primaris proposes to operate a twice-daily premium service between STL and DCA using Boeing 757 aircraft with 126-seat capacity in a two-by-two configuration for passenger comfort; and
WHEREAS, Primaris will provide this premium service which is equal to or better than the current business class service and will offer fares significantly lower than most coach class fares of American Airlines' commuter affiliates that now conduct DCA-STL operations; and
WHEREAS, while recognizing that the United States Congress has given the federal Department of Transportation authority to grant only a few slot exemptions, given the size of the St. Louis market and the current lack of competition on the DCA-STL route, approval of Primaris Airlines' application is strongly recommended to serve the St. Louis-Washington, D.C. market:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Senate of the Ninety-second General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, hereby urge the United States Department of Transportation to grant approval to Primaris Airlines' application in Docket OST 2000-7182 for the operation of twice-daily service between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Missouri Senate be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the Honorable Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary of Transportation, and each member of the Missouri Congressional Delegation.