America West Applies to DOT for Unused Washington National Slots <http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/ 09-17-2002/0001801679&EDATE=#> <http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/036572.html> Lack of Use by National Airlines Undermines Objective of Perimeter Exemptions PHOENIX, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- America West Airlines (NYSE: AWA <http://alliance.marketwatch.com/custom/alliance/interactivechart.asp?sy mb=AWA&astyle=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,10,0,0&c=179&urlpull=&logourl=&post=0> ) today said it has applied to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for the currently unused slots between Las Vegas and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport held by National Airlines. If successful in securing those rights, America West will commence additional service between Las Vegas and Washington National immediately. In the application, America West asked the DOT to recall National Airlines' two "beyond perimeter" exemption slots at Washington National Airport and immediately reallocate these slots to America West to restore the full complement of service between Washington National and McCarran International Airport established by order of the DOT in July 2000. According to the DOT order, if service is inaugurated and subsequently suspended, the DOT "will reallocate those slot exemptions." America West further stated that National's failure to utilize these limited and valuable slots directly undermines the objectives of the perimeter exemptions "to create competitive opportunities for new entrant carriers at Washington National and to provide domestic network benefits for communities beyond the perimeter." On September 5, America West outlined plans to continue to grow its Las Vegas hub, the second largest hub in the low-fare carrier's network and one of the fastest growing markets in the United States. The plan included additional service between Las Vegas and Dallas/Ft. Worth and Miami starting in December as well as an application for the unused slots at Washington National. Thus far this year, America West has added service between Las Vegas and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Fresno, Calif.; Mexico City; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Salt Lake City; Santa Barbara, Calif.; and Seattle. The airline also plans to initiate nonstop service between Las Vegas and Toronto and Washington Dulles International Airport in December 2002. With the addition of these new flights, America West will serve 38 destinations with 85 daily departures from Las Vegas by the end of 2002. America West Airlines is the nation's largest low-fare, hub-and-spoke airline. Founded in 1983, it is the only carrier formed since deregulation to achieve major airline status. Today, America West is the nation's eighth-largest carrier and serves 88 destinations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. America West is a wholly owned subsidiary of America West Holdings Corporation, an aviation and travel services company with 2001 sales of $2.1 billion.