LV may get new air route from Washington

Suzanne Struglinski

Thursday, July 31, 2003 | 11:05 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport could benefit from one of six new round-trip flights proposed for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington D.C.

After the House and Senate worked out differences between each chamber's version of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization bill, language adding the new route, fought for by all members of the Nevada congressional delegation, remained intact. The final approval may come after the August recess, allowing the bill to go to the president.

Flights to and from Reagan National have been restricted to within a 1,250-mile perimeter of the airport since 1986, with special slot exemptions authorized by the Department of Transportation for flights beyond that perimeter beginning in 2000. Currently, there are 12 slot exemptions, or six round trips authorized beyond the perimeter.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., said the new flights' inclusion in the bill "represents a significant boost to Las Vegas' tourism industry and increases access for Nevadans to our nation's capital."

A Senate committee approved the amendment on May 2, with similar language going through a House committee on June 6. A conference meeting July 25 solidified the deal.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev. who sat on the conference committee that approved the bill, said he was "pleased we were able to meet the growing needs of the Las Vegas community."

House Transportation Committee members Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., and Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., who also sits on the House Aviation subcommittee also worked to get the language included.

Berkley's Chief of Staff Richard Urey said the reauthorization bill passed the House it contained all 12 slots, but the Senate version did not include any, so with all 12 in the final report "everybody should be relatively happy."

Once signed into law by President Bush, airlines would compete for the new routes, as determined by the Transportation Department. In the proposed legislation, the bill would approve 12 new slots for Reagan National, with each takeoff and landing counting as a slot, or six round trips.

Even if Bush signs the bill into law as expected, there is no assurance that Washington-Las Vegas flights ultimately would be approved. America West Airlines, which holds six of the 12 existing slots, uses four for two round trips between Washington and Phoenix and two for a round trip between Washington and McCarran.

America West has expressed interest in beefing up its Washington schedule if it is awarded slots.

Other slots are held by Frontier Airlines for round trips to and from Denver, Delta Air Lines for round trips to and from Salt Lake City and American for flights to and from Los Angeles.

When slots previously were available, US Airways, Alaska Airlines and United Airlines expressed interest in offering long hauls to and from Reagan National.

The Washington area is served by three major airports, Reagan National, Dulles International in Virginia and Baltimore-Washington in Maryland. Several carriers offer nonstop round trips from Las Vegas to Dulles and Baltimore, but Reagan National is the preferred airport for lawmakers because it is closer to the Capitol than the other two airports.

In 2002, McCarran ranked eighth in landings and take-offs nationwide, with 498,000 according to air traffic controller counts, said William Shumann, FAA spokesman.

The Sun's Richard N. Velotta

contributed to this report.