Delta Air Lines will soon launch flights from Atlanta to Dallas Love Field, straight into rival Southwest Airlines’ territory.
Federal restrictions limit flights at Love Field, Dallas-based Southwest’s home base.But because of an exemption for small regional jets, Atlanta-based Delta can offer five flights a day from Atlanta to Love Field with 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jets operated by Delta Connection carrier Express Jet. The flights start Sept. 5.Delta said it will also continue 13 daily flights from Atlanta to Dallas/Fort Worth International.

Love Field, close to Dallas’s business district, is a “very convenient airport” for business travelers, said Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter.The Atlanta-Love Field flights will replace Memphis-Love Field flights launched in 2010.Since its passage in 1979, the Wright Amendment has restricted flights out of Love Field to protect the newer DFW. It generally allows direct service from Love Field only to several nearby states.It also restricts Southwest’s ability to fly out of DFW while running its full operation out of Love Field. Southwest discontinued subsidiary AirTran Airways’ flights from Atlanta to DFW late last year and has no nonstop Atlanta-Dallas flights.After Southwest sought the removal of Love Field restrictions, Congress passed the Wright Amendment Reform Act of 2006, setting 2014 for the repeal of the law.