Open slots at DC's National Airport draw competing bids from US Airways, Southwest, JetBlue

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Three airlines are offering competing proposals to add flights at Washington's Reagan National Airport after Spirit Airlines moved its flight operations to Baltimore.

US Airways has proposed adding daily nonstop service between Washington and Oklahoma City. The airline would also add two daily flights between Oklahoma City and Charlotte, N.C.

Southwest Airlines is also making a bid for slots at Reagan National to offer daily roundtrip service to Houston.

JetBlue Airways is seeking slots to operate roundtrip service between Washington and Jacksonville, Fla.

Spirit Airlines received the slots in 2008 to operate daily service between Washington and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but the airline said it wasn't profitable.

The U.S. Department of Transportation opened a competition for the slots in November. It set a Dec. 5 application deadline for Spirit's slots.