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Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley have introduced the “Airport Gate Competition Act,” a legislative proposal to increase competition and reduce prices within the airline industry. 

The bill, introduced on Tuesday, mandates an increase in the availability of common-use gates at airports, allowing smaller airlines to compete more effectively against the industry’s leading players.

The proposed bill specifies that airports must make at least 25% of their gates available for common use, with a cap at 50%. This requirement would apply particularly to medium and large hub airports where one or two airlines control more than half of the passenger traffic. According to the lawmakers, the aim is to create more opportunities for smaller airlines, potentially lowering their operational costs and, by extension, ticket prices for consumers.

Currently, the major market share in the airline industry is held by five dominant airlines: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. These airlines have long-term leases on many airport gates, limiting access for smaller, low-cost carriers. 

Senators react:
In a statement, Senator Warren said, “Giant airlines who lease airport gates, sometimes for decades at a time, would rather squash competition and leave gates empty than give smaller low-cost airlines a chance. What these dominant airlines are doing is wrong and ultimately means higher prices for flyers.” Senator Hawley added, “The Airport Gate Competition Act will open the door for more competition to make flying easier and cheaper. Consolidation in the airline industry helps multimillion dollar corporations and hurts working Americans.”