Last week, we had an opportunity to obtain a non-stop flight between San Antonio International Airport (SAT) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Securing such a flight has been a top priority for the San Antonio Chamber and the greater community for a number of years. Unfortunately, because of strong opposition from the Northern Virginia Congressional delegation representing the nearby Dulles International Airport region, as well as from American and United Airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bill did not include the amendment.
On an annual basis, there are approximately 128,000 people flying between SAT and DCA, and a significant number of these travelers are military personnel, whose travel to Washington increased 19% between 2015 and 2016. In fact, thousands of military personnel, veterans, and contractors travel to and from the nation’s capital on a regular basis.
There is a perimeter rule that prohibits non-stop flights from DCA to destinations more than 1,250 miles from the airport. We have been working diligently to urge Congress to take action and authorize an inside-outside perimeter slot swap, allowing airlines the flexibility to swap an inside perimeter route for an outside perimeter route. This authorization and a direct flight to and from DCA is critical to Military City USA, our Cybersecurity industry, as well as economic development opportunities in San Antonio. Our city is home to the largest joint base in the Department of Defense; Brooke Army Medical Center, one of the Army’s premier medical institutions; and the only major National Security Agency (NSA) center in Texas.
Thank you to all of you who called, tweeted, and emailed our leaders in Washington. Though we lost this battle, the fight continues to address the needs of San Antonio, the seventh-largest city in the United States. Your San Antonio Chamber will continue to work with our Bexar County Congressional delegation and community and business leaders to secure another opportunity to address this issue.
