YOU COULD FIND FEWER DIRECT SOUTHWEST AIRLINE FLIGHTS INTO THE ALBUQUERQUE SUNPORT FROM DALLAS LOVE FIELD. A FEDERAL LAW THAT INCLUDES AN AMENDMENT REQUIRING FLIGHTS FROM LOVE FIELD TO MAKE STOPS IN AIPORTS IN NEIGHBORING STATES, LIKE NEW MEXICO, IS SET TO EXPIRE. ALBUQUERQUE AVIATION DIRECTOR JIM HINDE TELLS THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL HE EXPECTS THE NUMBER OF SOUTHWEST FLIGHTS TO BE REDUCED BY HALF. BUT SUNPORT SPOKESMAN DAN JIRON ALSO TELLS 770 KKOB THAT CITY HAS A PLAN IN PLACE TO BALANCE THE LOSS.
JIRON SAYS THEY'VE STARTED AN AGGRESSIVE AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PLAN OVER THE PAST SEVERALS THAT HELPED BRING JET BLUE TO THE SUNPORT. HE SAYS IT INCLUDES INCENTIVES AND A COOPERATIVE MARKETING PROGRAM FOR NEW AIRLINES AND THEIR ROUTES AND REVENUE DIVERSIFICATION. HE ALSO SAYS THE SUNPORT CONTINUES TO HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH SOUTHWEST AIRLINES.
JIRON SAYS MUCH OF THE SUNPORT'S DEBT WILL ALSO DROP OFF NEXT YEAR, SO PAYMENT WILL BE MUCH LOWER.
