A United States federal judge has thrown out Southwest Airlines’ motion against the city of San Antonio
, Texas, after the airline attempted to keep the current gate and terminal lease agreements with San Antonio International Airport (SAT).
Keeping the current gate agreement
According to a report by AviationWeek, Southwest Airlines
has failed in its attempt to keep its current lease agreement with San Antonio’s airport, which expired on September 30.
The new lease agreement, which came into effect on October 1, would have kept the airline at Terminal A and not Terminal C, which is currently under development.
Photo: Southwest
Southwest Airlines requested that the judge presiding over the case, Xavier Rodriguez, suspend the airport’s lease agreements with other airlines while it continues negotiating with the airport.
Rodriguez concluded the case by saying that he felt like he was being used as a pawn in the two parties’ negotiations, noting that he would not be mediating for the airport and the airline over gate allocations, according to the San Antonio Report.
More gates
Initially, Southwest Airlines refused to renew the lease agreement with the airport. In a statement the carrier provided to Simple Flying on September 13, its spokesperson said that the airline did not favor the gate allocation within the use and lease agreement.
“We know best what is important to our Customer experience and operational efficiency and will continue to work with the airport on a solution that provides the experience our Customers and Employees deserve.”
The airport and the airline could not come to an agreement, resulting in a lawsuit filed on September 26. The carrier’s lawsuit included charged wording, with allegations that the airport has treated Southwest Airlines like a second-class citizen by not giving it gates at the upcoming Terminal C, according to a report by Spectrum News, a Texas, US-based publication.
Photo: Southwest Airlines
In the filing, the carrier requested that the judge stop new use and lease agreements with seven airlines that were given gates at Terminal C.
In a statement to Fox San Antonio following the filing of the lawsuit, Erik Walsh, the city manager of San Antonio, said that the city was committed to ensuring it acted in the best interests of the airport and its travelers.
“The airline agreement is the foundation of our Terminal Development Program, and Southwest’s actions could have the effect of halting our progress and keeping the airport the way it is.”
At the time, San Antonio International had agreements or commitments with eight airlines, which held a combined 65% market share at the airport.
This included 
American Airlines
, Alaska Airlines, 
Delta Air Lines
, Spirit Airlines, 
United Airlines
, Viva Aerobus, and two cargo airlines, FedEx and UPS.
Data from the aviation analytics company Cirium showed that in October, Southwest Airlines has scheduled 328 weekly departures out of the total 928 weekly flights out of the airport, or a market share of 35.3%.
In terms of seats, the airline was leading the pack with 51,128 weekly departing seats out of a total of 145,376, or 35.1%.
Developing San Antonio International Airport
According to the airport, with the city’s metro population set to grow to 4 million by 2050 and more than 10 million passengers flying out of San Antonio International each year, the number of annual travelers could grow to 15 million in the next 20 years.
As a result, the airport has to keep up with the air travel needs of the community and region, and that was why in 2023, the airport began the process of building a new terminal with a projected completion date in 2028.
Photo: San Antonio International Airport
However, San Antonio International will also upgrade the existing Terminal A, the airfield, and roadway infrastructure to accommodate the ever-growing passenger numbers. The expansion includes three new gates at the existing terminal.
The new terminal will have up to 17 new domestic and international gates, with 850,000 square feet (78,967 square meters) of new terminal space, as well as 41,000 ft2 (3,809 m2) and 29,000 ft2 (2,964 m2) of new areas dedicated concessions an club lounges, respectively.
San Antonio Airport’s construction contract was approved on December 12, 2023, paving the way for the airport to continue its development project.
