The city of San Antonio is asking a judge to put an end to an ongoing lawsuit with Southwest Airlines over gate assignments in the San Antonio International Airport (SAT).
The city is in the midst of a $2.5 billion airport redevelopment that includes plans for a fancy new “Terminal C” that would feature up to 17 gates, spacious waiting areas and club lounges and a lushly landscaped, open-air courtyard.
Southwest Airlines, which currently dominates the largest terminal at SAT, says it was promised space in the new facilities but that city leaders reneged on the agreement.
A motion of dismiss filed by the city’s lawyers on Friday said that “all of the airport’s major airlines” wanted placement in the new terminal, and it was “inevitable that one or more airlines would be unhappy with their gate assignments.”
Such disagreements “are exactly why Congress preserved airport proprietors’ rights to manage their airports in accord with local interest,” the motion reads.
Though a judge agreed to allow the city to proceed with its planned gate assignments, Southwest Airlines’ lawyers have been using the legal discovery process to pour through thousands of pages of internal city documents, including screenshots of text messages, they believe depict dishonest interactions with city leaders.
The city’s motion to dismiss sought to put an end to the fight by providing its rationale for the selections.
It also noted that by continuing to demand gates that have already been assigned, the airline hasn’t left the city any avenue to make amends.
“Southwest’s challenge is that there is not always a legal salve for disappointment,” the motion reads.
Southwest Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
