Federal funding to the San Antonio International Airport could be in jeopardy.
SAN ANTONIO — The City of San Antonio wants to get Southwest Airline’s lawsuit tossed out.
A recent motion to dismiss the airline’s suit is the latest in the battle for space in a brand new terminal at San Antonio International Airport.
Following the city’s motion for dismissal, the airline has now gone to the FAA filing a complaint that could lead to the airport losing a chunk of federal funding.
In a 22-page filing, the City of San Antonio and Airport Director Jesus Saenz argue Southwest’s lawsuit should be tossed.
The city argues that Southwest in part: “cannot conjure a legal remedy for an airline that is disappointed with an airport owner’s decision to assign airlines to limited gate space within its own airport.”
This references Southwest’s claims it was unfairly denied gates in the new terminal set to open in 2028, accusing the city of favoritism and discriminatory treatment.
In the motion, the city claims the airline has attempted to create a quote “false narrative,” alleging the argument of being excluded from the future Terminal C is legally baseless.
The city says the airline should take its case to the FAA and not the courts, so Southwest did.
The airline filed over 100 pages asking the FAA to review the city’s conduct and order it to comply with federal requirements or lose federal grant funding. Like the $18 million the FAA granted the airport in February of last year for a new terminal.
The filing claims the city repeatedly said Southwest would be placed in the new terminal. Among a host of claims by the airline, they say the city’s decision would harm Southwest’s international service and the city is failing to develop a plan or budget to render terminal A comparable along with the city concealing its decision criteria.
In a response to the city’s motion, Southwest provided KENS 5 with the following statement:
“We are not surprised by the city’s action and anticipated it. The evidence also shows defendants misled SWA, taxpayers and the city council to the detriment of our customers, employees and the community.”
A hearing for the motion to dismiss is set for late April.