American Airlines will have no choice but to initiate flights from Love Field to Missouri to remain competitive with Southwest Airlines, once President Bush signs the bill authorizing such flights. Southwest will start flights to St. Louis and Kansas City as soon as possible, both to demonstrate to senators how their states can benefit by repealing the Wright Amendment and to keep Sen. Kit Bond happy after he pressed for the Missouri exemption. 

American executives met with Love Field officials Friday in what was called a "contingency planning" meeting.  While Southwest has said it makes no sense for American to move its flights to St. Louis and Kansas City from DFW to Love because it would split their operation, rest assured that's what will happen.  American will put its Love Field gates -- it has three -- in service as soon as Southwest inaugurates Missouri flights because 85 percent of its Dallas-to-St. Louis passengers live closer to Love Field than DFW.  AA's customer base could erode if it doesn't fly from Love. And while it's there, AA might fire a shot across SWA's bow by offering service to Houston or Austin or both. American hasn't flown from Love Field since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The bigger question at the moment is: What's to happen to Delta?

There's a serious possibility that Delta is going to have to liquidate. Delta's pilots have announced that they will strike if the courts set aside their contracts.  If they do, it'll be the equivalent of a murder-suicide -- Delta will be shot down and the pilots will lose their jobs.  If Delta folds, a huge hole will be created in air traffic to the Southeast. The two airlines in a position to fill that gap are American and Southwest, raising the question that either American or Southwest would consider relocating to Atlanta. It's at least a passing fear of DFW and City Hall observers.

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