Austin News

On July 2, 2024, a bipartisan coalition of Texas lawmakers, led by U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), urged Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to allocate San Antonio International Airport (SAT) one of the new long-haul, round-trip flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). This request follows the enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which secured five new round-trip flights to and from DCA from locations previously excluded from direct flights.

In their letter, the members stated: "We are writing to urge you to allocate to San Antonio International Airport (SAT) one of the five new long-haul, round-trip flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) authorized by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024."

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 was enacted on May 16 with overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers—88-4 in the Senate and 387-26 in the House. The law includes provisions aimed at improving aviation safety, operational efficiency, and consumer travel experiences. Section 502 specifically adds five additional long-haul, round-trip flights to DCA.

The letter emphasized San Antonio's significance as "the seventh-largest city in the country" and highlighted its rapid population growth and cultural richness. It also pointed out that San Antonio is home to significant research institutes like the Southwest Research Institute and the University of Texas Health Science Center. Additionally, it hosts Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) and Brooke Army Medical Center—the largest joint base and hospital within the Department of Defense.

The lawmakers noted: "San Antonio is central to DOD’s readiness efforts—every enlisted medic is trained at JBSA... Given all of this, San Antonio is a logical choice for a direct flight to DCA."

They further cited Secretary Buttigieg's acknowledgment during an April House Appropriations subcommittee hearing regarding the importance of good travel options for military members.

Section 502 mandates that new direct flights should either benefit travelers from communities without existing nonstop service to DCA or enhance competition in markets served by new routes. The letter argued that San Antonio meets these criteria as one of the largest cities without a direct flight to DCA.

The signatories urged swift action: "The Department of Transportation should expeditiously initiate the allocation process for these new flights and award the slots within 60 days...and the five new round trips allocated should include San Antonio to DCA."

Other signatories included Sen. John Cornyn and numerous representatives such as Lloyd Doggett, Henry Cuellar, Greg Casar, Monica Del La Cruz, Tony Gonzales, Wesley Hunt, Lance Gooden, Ronny Jackson, Vicente Gonzalez among others.

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