Lawmakers In search of Elevated Lengthy-Distance Flights from Reagan Nationwide Airport

Consultant Blake D. Moore, Republican of Utah, is pushing for modifications to federal legislation that might permit extra nonstop flights between Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport and Salt Lake Metropolis. These flights, he mentioned, would improve tourism between Utah and the nation’s capital.

They might additionally supply Mr. Moore a extra environment friendly commute.

When he heads house from Capitol Hill, Mr. Moore usually waits for the one direct flight within the afternoon or night from any of the three Washington-area airports that may return him to Salt Lake Metropolis in time to tuck in his youngsters: a Delta Air Traces departure from Reagan Nationwide, also referred to as DCA, after 5 p.m. that lands round 8 p.m. An earlier departure would permit him to satisfy his duties as a legislator but in addition as a father, Mr. Moore mentioned, letting him assist his spouse with dinner or attend Little League apply.

“We want extra direct flights out of DCA,” he mentioned.

In current weeks, dozens of lawmakers have joined the push for 28 new round-trip flights per day at Reagan Nationwide. Urgent their case with opinion essays, tweets and proposed laws, they argue that these extra routes — which might require tweaking a decades-old legislation that forestalls most flights from touring greater than 1,250 miles to or from Reagan Nationwide — would meet pent-up demand, scale back airfares and create new jobs.