Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL)

DALLAS LOVE F I ELD A I RPORT (DAL ) Dallas Love Field was commissioned on October 19, 1917, as a training base for the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I and was named for Army Lieutenant Moss Lee Love, who perished during flight training. After the war, Love Field continued as a military airbase until the City of Dallas purchased it in 1927, clearing the way for civilian use. Its first paved runways were completed in 1932 and commercial air service increased throughout the 1930s. The airport played a significant role for the military again in the early 1490s during World War II, and saw expanded growth as a passenger airport during the post-war boom. By 1965, the airport had new terminals and a second parallel runway. In 1964, the FAA mandated the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth to collaborate on building a major airport to serve the entire DFW Metroplex. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport’s opening in 1974 came on the heels of Love Field’s busiest year to date in 1973 and was meant to effectively end passenger service at DAL. After a lengthy legal battle among multiple parties, the Wright Amendment was instituted to restrict the operations of passenger aircraft at Dallas Love Field to locations within Texas and the neighboring states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. While some restrictions were relaxed, it is still federally mandated to a limit of 20 gates and no international travel. “We are proud of who we are,” Duebner declares.